Privacy policy

Valade et associés attaches great importance to protecting the personal information entrusted to it in the course of its services, its communications and the operation of its website.

This policy is intended, in particular, to meet the transparency obligations set out in the laws applicable in Quebec, including the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector, as modernized by Law 25.

1. Person in charge of the protection of personal information

The person holding the highest authority within the firm acts, by default, as the person in charge of the protection of personal information, unless another person is designated in writing.

For any question, access request, rectification request, withdrawal of consent or complaint regarding the protection of personal information, you may contact us at info@valade.net.

2. Personal information collected

Depending on the nature of your interaction with Valade et associés, we may collect the following information:

• identification information, such as name, title, organization or contact details;
• communication information, such as email address, telephone number, mailing address and the content of messages;
• information related to a mandate, a proceeding, or a request for service of documents, enforcement, statement of findings or related service;
• documents or information voluntarily provided by email, form, telephone, client platform or other means of communication;
• limited technical information related to the use of the site, such as the IP address, browser type, pages visited, and the date and time of the visit, where such information is available through hosting or analytics tools.

3. Purposes of the collection

We collect and use personal information only for specific, legitimate and necessary purposes, in particular to:

• respond to requests received by telephone, email, form or online platform;
• review, open, administer and carry out mandates entrusted to the firm;
• communicate with clients, agents, parties, professionals, courts or other stakeholders involved in a file;
• prepare, transmit, file, serve or retain the documents required for the services requested;
• manage billing, accounting, payments, administrative files and professional obligations;
• comply with laws, regulations, orders, ethical obligations or valid requests from competent authorities;
• ensure the security, maintenance and improvement of the website and the systems used.

4. Consent

Where required, we ask for your consent before collecting, using or disclosing your personal information. Consent must be manifest, free, informed and given for specific purposes.

In certain cases, the law permits or requires the collection, use or disclosure of personal information without consent, in particular where it is necessary to comply with a legal obligation, carry out a mandate, protect rights or respond to a competent authority.

5. Disclosure to third parties

We do not sell personal information. However, we may disclose it, where necessary, to the following categories of third parties:

• clients, agents, lawyers, notaries, parties, courts, public authorities or other stakeholders necessary for carrying out a mandate;
• providers of technology, hosting, email, storage, security, accounting or administrative support services;
• external platforms used for client access, document transmission or file management;
• regulatory, judicial, administrative or police authorities where the law permits or requires it.

When we use service providers, we seek to limit the information disclosed to what is necessary and to obtain appropriate confidentiality and security commitments.

6. Transfers outside Quebec

Some technology providers may process or host information outside Quebec. Where the law requires it, Valade et associés assesses the relevant factors before disclosing personal information outside Quebec, in particular the sensitivity of the information, the purposes, the protective measures and the applicable legal framework.

7. Retention and destruction

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, subject to the retention periods applicable to files and to professional, tax, accounting, legal or regulatory obligations.

When the information is no longer required, we take reasonable measures to destroy, delete or anonymize it, depending on the context and applicable requirements.

8. Security measures

We apply reasonable administrative, technical and physical measures to protect personal information against loss, theft, unauthorized access, misuse, unauthorized disclosure, alteration or destruction.

No method of electronic transmission or storage is, however, entirely secure. Information transmitted by email or through a form may involve risks inherent to electronic communications.

9. Confidentiality incidents

In the event of a confidentiality incident involving personal information, Valade et associés takes reasonable measures to limit the risks, assess the situation and comply with its legal obligations, including maintaining a register and, where required, notifying the individuals concerned and the Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec.

10. Cookies, log files and analytics tools

The site may use cookies, log files or similar technologies necessary for the operation, security, audience measurement or improvement of the site. You can configure your browser to block certain cookies, but some features may then be limited.

Where non-essential cookies or advanced analytics tools are used, they should be presented with appropriate choices where required by law.

11. Your rights

Subject to the exceptions provided by law, you may request:

• access to the personal information we hold about you;
• the rectification of information that is inaccurate, incomplete or equivocal;
• the withdrawal of your consent, where the processing relies on it;
• information about the use or disclosure of your personal information;
• the cessation of dissemination or the de-indexing of information in the cases provided by law;
• the communication of certain computerized personal information in a structured, commonly used technological format, where the right to portability applies.

To exercise your rights, write to info@valade.net. We may need to confirm your identity before processing your request.

12. Information concerning minors

The site is not specifically aimed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from a minor without the consent required by law or without a legal basis applicable to a file or a requested service.

13. Complaints

If you have a concern about our personal information protection practices, we invite you to contact us first so that we can review the situation. You may also contact the Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec where the law permits.

14. Changes to the policy

We may amend this policy to reflect changes in our practices, our tools or legal requirements. The version published on the site is the version in force.