Privacy policy

Woods is a law firm that cares about your privacy and how your personal information is handled.

As a law firm, we collect, use and disclose information on a daily basis in the course of providing consulting, litigation and transactional services. Confidentiality is fundamental to us, and professional secrecy is at the heart of our relationship with our clients. We adhere to the highest ethical standards when handling all information, especially personal information.

The purpose of this Privacy Policy is to inform you of our practices regarding the collection, use, disclosure and retention of personal information. By providing us with personal information (via our website, e-mail, in person or by telephone), you consent to the processing of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy, and you authorize Woods, its third parties and service providers to process your personal information for the purposes set out below.

What personal data do we collect?

At Woods, we collect a variety of personal information when you visit our site or communicate with us. We may collect and process various types of personal information in the course of our business and services, including :

Identity information, such as a first or last name;
Contact details, such as address, e-mail address and telephone number;
Biographical information such as job title, employer, photos and video or audio content;
Marketing information and communication preferences, as well as related information such as food preferences, comments and survey responses;
Financial and billing information, such as a billing address, bank account information or payment details;
Service-related information, such as details of the services we have provided to you.

We also collect recruitment-related information, such as a resume, information about education and employment history, details about professional affiliations, and other information relevant to a potential recruitment by or association with Woods. In addition, we collect website usage information and other technical data, such as details about visits to our websites, our online content, as well as information collected using cookies and other tracking technologies.

In the course of providing our services, we may also receive information provided by or on behalf of our customers, or information generated by us, which may include special categories of personal information where relevant (for example, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, health or sexual orientation, etc.).

To comply with anti-money laundering laws, we may collect identification and other background check data, such as a copy of a driver’s license, passport or utility bill, as well as proof of beneficial ownership or information on the source of funds.

If you provide us with personal information concerning other persons, you must ensure that you have obtained their prior consent and that you have informed them that you are communicating their information to us.

We do not knowingly collect information from children or persons under the age of 16 without the express consent of a parent or guardian. If we discover that we have collected personal information from children under the age of majority without verification of parental consent, we will take steps to delete such information from our servers.

Please note that we cannot accept confidential information until we have confirmed in writing that we represent you, your company or organization, or that we are acting on your behalf or on behalf of your company or organization. Unsolicited e-mails we receive from non-clients do not create a solicitor-client relationship. These e-mails may not be covered by professional secrecy and may be disclosed to third parties.

How do we collect your personal information?

We collect your personal information in the course of providing our legal services and interacting with you. We also collect publicly available information, including on our website.

How do we use the personal information we have collected?

We use your personal information in a variety of ways, including :

To provide our legal and other services, and to manage and perform our services in accordance with the agreements entered into between you and us.
Respond to requests for information or other inquiries from visitors to our Web sites.
To facilitate the use of our websites and to ensure that content is relevant and presented in a way that is effective for you and your device.
Process job applications and assess whether candidates meet the requirements of the positions they apply for at Woods, for recruitment purposes.
Comply with our legal and regulatory obligations, such as customer due diligence, detection of corruption, sanctions and reputational risks, and identification of conflicts of interest.
Prevent fraud and carry out other background checks required by law or best practice, in particular by passing on information to fraud prevention organizations.
To protect our rights, meet our legal or regulatory obligations to disclose information, and protect the rights of third parties.
Ensure the collection of payments owed to us, including through debt collection agencies or other legal measures.

Please note that the specific uses of your personal information may vary depending on the context and applicable laws.

With whom do we share the personal information we collect?

We may share your personal information with the following parties:

Service providers and partners: We may provide your personal information to third-party service providers and partners who help us provide services such as websites, applications, hosting, maintenance and other related services. These third parties may have access to your personal information in the course of providing these services, and we ensure that they treat this information confidentially and securely.
Government authorities and law enforcement agencies: We may disclose your personal and other information if we are legally required to do so, in response to a court order, subpoena, search warrant or similar legal requirement. We may also share your information with government authorities and law enforcement agencies when necessary to comply with applicable laws or to cooperate with such entities in an investigation.
Purchasers, Successors or Assignees: In the event of a merger, acquisition, debt financing, asset sale or similar transaction, as well as in the event of insolvency, bankruptcy or receivership, your personal information may be transferred to a purchaser, successor or assignee as a business asset.

It is important to note that we will only use your personal information for the purposes for which it was originally collected, or for purposes consistent with those legitimate and relevant purposes.

How long do we keep the personal information we collect?

We retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary to fulfill the purposes set out in our Privacy Policy and to meet our legal and regulatory obligations. The length of retention may vary depending on the nature of the information and the specific purposes for which it was collected. For more precise information on how long we keep your personal information, please contact us using the details provided in the contact section below.

Where do we store the personal information we collect?

Your personal information is stored and hosted in Canada. This means that your data is stored on servers located in Canada.

Please note that if you reside outside Canada, your personal information may be transferred to Canada for processing and storage. By consenting to this Privacy Policy, you agree to the transfer of your personal information to Canada, even though data protection laws in your country of residence may differ from those in Canada.

When your personal information is transferred to another country, it may be subject to the laws of that country, and the government authorities, courts or regulatory bodies of that country may have access to it in accordance with their laws.

Please note that regardless of where your personal information is stored or processed, we are committed to respecting this Privacy Policy and protecting your personal information in accordance with appropriate security standards.

How do we protect your personal information?

We take the security of personal information very seriously, and implement appropriate safeguards to ensure its confidentiality and integrity. Here’s how we protect your personal information:

Security measures: We have implemented physical, technical and administrative security measures to prevent the destruction, loss, modification, disclosure or unauthorized access to your personal information. This includes firewalls, intrusion detection systems, access controls and data security protocols.
Restricted access: Only those members of our staff who need access to your personal information to carry out their professional duties have access to it. All staff members are subject to strict confidentiality obligations and are trained in the protection of personal information.
Secure transmissions : When we collect sensitive personal information, we use encryption protocols and secure connections (SSL/TLS) to protect the transmission of this data.
Regular assessment: We carry out regular security assessments to identify potential vulnerabilities and implement corrective measures.
Security awareness: We make our staff aware of the importance of personal information security and provide them with regular training on security practices.

However, it is important to note that despite all our security measures, no method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of any personal information you transmit to us, and you do so at your own risk. In the event of a security breach or if you have any concerns about the security of your personal information, please contact us immediately.

We are committed to respecting these security measures and maintaining a high level of protection for the personal information you entrust to us.

What rights do I have regarding my personal information?

You have certain rights regarding your personal information. In accordance with applicable data protection laws, here are the rights you may enjoy:

Right of access: You have the right to request information about the processing of your personal information and to obtain a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Right of rectification: If you find that the personal information we hold about you is incomplete or inaccurate, you have the right to request that it be rectified or updated.
Right to erasure: Under certain circumstances, you have the right to request the deletion of your personal information from our systems.
Right to limit processing: You may request the restriction of the processing of your personal information in certain specific situations.
Right to data portability: In certain circumstances, you have the right to request the transmission of your personal information to another data controller.
Right to object: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data, particularly in the case of processing based on our legitimate interests.
Right to withdraw consent: If you have given your consent to the processing of your personal information, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.
Right to lodge a complaint: If you believe that your data protection rights have been violated, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority.

How do we use cookies on our site?

Cookies are small text files that a website can place on your computer or mobile device when you visit the site for the first time. These cookies enable the website to recognize your device on future visits. In this Policy, we use the term “cookie” to cover all files that collect information in this way. Cookies perform various functions, such as remembering your preferences and analyzing website performance. Most cookies do not contain personally identifiable information, but rather collect general information about how users access and use the website.

The data collected via cookies helps us to analyze the use of the website, thus improving the user experience during their visit. We will retain cookies only for as long as is necessary to achieve the specific purposes set out in this policy.

How can you contact us?

To communicate with us regarding questions, comments, requests to exercise rights, complaints or to obtain information about our policies and practices relating to the protection of personal information, you may contact Richard Vachon, Partner and Chair of the Management Committee, using one of the following methods:

By e-mail: privacy@woods.qc.ca

By post :

WOODS S.E.N.C.R.L. / LLP
To the attention of the Privacy Officer
2000 AV. MCGILL COLLEGE, SUITE 1700
MONTRÉAL QC H3A 3H3 CANADA

We promise to respond to your written request within thirty (30) days of receipt. Please include detailed information in your request so that we can respond efficiently and provide you with the appropriate information.

We thank you for your interest in our Privacy Policy and will endeavour to provide you with appropriate assistance in a timely manner.

How do we update this Privacy Policy?

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our privacy practices. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting on our Web site. We encourage you to periodically review this policy to stay informed of our most current privacy practices.

This Privacy Policy was last updated in June 2023.