The purpose of this policy is to inform you about the collection, use and disclosure of personal information at Bernier Fournier.

Within the meaning of the Act respecting personal information in the private sector, personal information is “any information which relates to a natural person and allows that person to be identified “. Any information not covered by this definition is therefore not governed by this policy.

As a law firm, Bernier Fournier may be called upon to process personal information in order to provide quality legal services to its clients, to answer questions that may be asked by potential clients or employees and to more easily communicate with the latter.

Any personal information provided to Bernier Fournier will be treated with care and we are committed to protecting the confidentiality of such information and to limiting its use to that described in this policy and in compliance with the Act respecting personal information in the private sector and the Act to modernize legislative provisions as regards the protection of personal information. Our members are also bound by their ethical and professional obligations regarding the confidentiality of information received in the course of providing legal services.

By providing us with your personal information, you consent to its collection, processing, and disclosure in accordance with this policy. If you do not consent, we ask that you refrain from sending us any personal information.

Personal information

During the course of your business relationship with Bernier Fournier, personal information about you or others (other parties, witnesses, employees, shareholders, clients, partners, etc.) may be required in order to provide you with appropriate legal services.

Certain information may be requested concerning other persons, when such information is necessary to represent the client or when it is necessary to do so in order to comply with the law. In such cases, the consent of the individual concerned will not be obtained.

The information we request is limited to what is necessary and appropriate for the mandate entrusted to us.

You may be asked to provide certain information, including :

  • Names;
  • Residential address, telephone and/or cell phone number, e-mail address;
  • Date of birth;
  • Government identification (driver’s license, passport, health insurance card, birth certificate, etc.);
  • Tax and financial information;
  • Information about your current or previous employment;
  • Curriculum vitae; and
  • Information on opposing parties, witnesses, expert witnesses, potential witnesses, parties with similar interests.

This information may be collected for the following purposes, without limitation:

  • To communicate with you;
  • To verify potential conflicts of interest;
  • To provide legal services and/or respond to your inquiries;
  • Administer our billing and time allocation databases;
  • Billing;
  • Hiring process;
  • Meet legislative and regulatory requirements; and
  • Collecting accounts.

If we need to use your personal information for other purposes, we will specify them to you and obtain your prior consent.

Means by which personal information is obtained

In general, the personal information we obtain about you will come directly from you and will result from the mandate that binds you to Bernier Fournier. We may obtain this information through a variety of means, including e-mail, telephone and in person.

However, it is possible that in the course of this mandate, we may be called upon to collect information from third parties, including the following entities:

  • Government agencies;
  • Government registries;
  • Legal representatives who have previously acted on your behalf.

Communication to third parties

In order to provide you with the appropriate legal services for your mandate with Bernier Fournier, some of your information may have to be disclosed to third parties in the following cases, among others:

  • When required by the nature of the mandate;
  • When you request such disclosure;
  • When we are required to do so by law, regulation or order;
  • When we deal with experts or other legal representatives to carry out a mandate;
  • When we collect accounts.

If the mandate requires disclosure in specific circumstances, we will make this clear to you and obtain your consent.

Your rights

The personal information we hold on you, or on third parties, in connection with the mandate given, is collected for the purpose of providing you with adequate legal services. Therefore, if any of the information you have provided to us is or becomes incomplete or inaccurate, you may request that it be corrected by contacting the Privacy Officer.

You may also, at any time, request access to the personal information we hold about you from our Privacy Officer. In some cases, such access may be refused, for example when the information in question contains information about other people, or information of a commercial or confidential nature.

Your consent to the use and disclosure of your personal information may also be changed or withdrawn at any time by contacting the Privacy Officer.

Security and storage

The security of the personal information entrusted to us is a primary concern. This information is stored on our secure servers or on those of our suppliers, and is only consulted by persons duly authorized by our internal policies on the subject.

Although it is not possible to guarantee that all information transmitted via the form available on our website or by any other technological means is safe from intrusion, we ensure that we have adequate and up-to-date security measures that are regularly reviewed in order to comply with current regulations.

Modifications

Our privacy policy may be modified at any time, at our sole discretion, in order to comply with applicable laws and regulations regarding the protection of personal information. Accordingly, you are encouraged to consult this page of our website frequently to stay informed of the current policy.

Additional information

If you have any further questions or requests, please contact our Privacy Officer:

Me Christian Tourigny

E-mail: [email protected]
Phone number: 819-475-5122
Adress: 651 Lindsay, Drummondville, QC J2B 1J1. Canada