At Bennett Jones, your privacy is important to us. We are committed to maintaining the confidentiality, security and accuracy of your personal information. This Website Privacy Policy (the "Privacy Policy") describes the information that Bennett Jones collects, uses or discloses when using Bennett Jones' websites including but not limited to the website at https://www.bennettjones.com/ and to whom that information may be disclosed. This Privacy Policy is a supplement to our External Privacy Policy and our Employee Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Policy applies to and governs Bennett Jones (Quebec) LLP and their affiliated organizations (collectively "Bennett Jones" or the "Bennett Jones Group"). All references in this Privacy Policy to "Bennett Jones", "Bennett Jones Group", "we", "us", "our" and like terms should be interpreted accordingly.

As a law practice, we are also subject to the rules of professional conduct that govern the legal professions in those jurisdictions where we practice law.

This Privacy Policy applies only to Bennett Jones' activities that are subject to the provisions of Canada's federal and provincial privacy legislation, including, where applicable, the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, Alberta's Personal Information Protection Act, British Columbia's Personal Information Protection Act and Quebec's An Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector.

What Is Personal Information?

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, personal information is any information about an identifiable individual, other than the person's business title or business contact information when used or disclosed for the purpose of business communications. 

What Personal Information Do We Collect?

Bennett Jones collects the personal information that you submit to our website, such as your name, address and any other contact or other information that you choose to provide by:

  • Using the "contact us" portion of this website; or
  • By corresponding with a member or employee of Bennett Jones via e-mail using the hyperlinks created for that purpose.

If the information we require is held by third parties (such as webmasters, Internet Services Providers), we will endeavour to ensure that the information has been collected in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

In some cases, we may be required by applicable law or regulatory requirements, or by the rules of professional conduct that govern the legal profession, to collect information about you without your knowledge or consent.

Non-personal information, such as the name of the domain from which you access the Internet, the dates and times you access our website and the Internet address of the website from which you may be linking directly to our website, is collected and used to determine the volume of traffic on our website. This information also enables us to identify ways in which our website can be improved to serve you better.

What About Links To Other Websites?

Our website may contain links to other websites that may be subject to less stringent privacy standards. Bennett Jones cannot assume any responsibility for the privacy practices, policies or actions of the third parties that operate those websites. Bennett Jones is not responsible for how such third parties collect, use or disclose your personal information. You should review the privacy policies of those websites before providing them with personal information.

Why Do We Collect Personal Information?

Bennett Jones collects personal information to enable us to manage and develop our law practice and operations, including for the purposes or in the manner described under the heading "Why Do We Collect Personal Information" in our External Privacy Policy and “Why Do We Collect Personal Information” in our Employee Privacy Policy.

Any personal information of prospective, existing or former employees of Bennett Jones collected on our website is governed by our Employee Privacy Policy.  All other personal information is governed by our External Privacy Policy.

When Do We Use or Disclose Your Personal Information?

We use or disclose your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy and for any additional purposes for which we have obtained your consent to the use of your personal information.

We share your personal information with our employees, contractors, consultants and other parties (including other members of the Bennett Jones Group) who require such information to assist us with establishing, maintaining and managing our relationship with you.

Further, your personal information may be used or disclosed in the circumstances described under the heading "When Do We Use or Disclose Your Personal Information" in our External Privacy Policy and "When Do We Use or Disclose Your Personal Information" in our Employee Privacy Policy.

Consent

By using our website, you signify your consent to the contents of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the contents of this Privacy Policy, or to our collection, use, disclosure and management of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy, you may not use our website. Express consent can be given orally, electronically or in writing. Implied consent is consent that can reasonably be inferred from your action or inaction. For example, when you provide us with personal information on our website, we will assume your consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information for purposes related to your acceptance and use of those services or for other purposes identified to you at the relevant time.

We may use or disclose your personal information without your knowledge or consent where we are permitted or required by applicable law, regulation, or by the rules of professional conduct governing the legal profession.

You may change or withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice, by contacting our Privacy Officer using the contact information set out below.

Protecting Personal Information

Bennett Jones will endeavour to safeguard personal information using methods that are appropriate to the sensitivity of the information. These safeguards are designed to prevent your personal information from loss and unauthorized access, copying, use, modification or disclosure.

Unfortunately, no data transmitted over the Internet is ever 100% secure. As a result, Bennett Jones does not represent, warrant or guarantee that personal information will be protected against loss, misuse, interception or alteration and does not accept any liability for personal information submitted to us via the Internet, nor for your or any third parties’ use or misuse of personal information.

As the security of your personal information is important to us, please advise our Privacy Officer immediately of any incident involving the loss of or unauthorized access to or disclosure of personal information that is in our custody or control.

Updating Personal Information

It is important that the personal information Bennett Jones holds about you is accurate and current. Bennett Jones asks that you to keep us informed of changes to your personal information.

Accessing Your Personal Information

You can ask to see the personal information that we hold about you in the manner and subject to the terms described under the heading "Accessing Your Personal Information" in our External Privacy Policy and "Accessing Your Personal Information " in our Employee Privacy Policy, as applicable.

Contacting Us

To get more information about this Privacy Policy, or to change or withdraw your consent under this Privacy Policy, you can email our Privacy Officer at Privacy@bennettjones.com or write to our Privacy Officer, care of:

4500, 855 – 2nd Street S.W.
Calgary, Alberta
T2P 4K7

3200, 10020 – 100 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
T5J 0N3

1900, 45 O'Connor Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 1A4

3400, 1 First Canadian Place
P.O. Box 130
Toronto, Ontario
M5X 1A4

2500 Park Place
666 Burrard Street
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada  V6C 2X8

Revision to this Privacy Policy

Bennett Jones may from time to time make changes to this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in legal or regulatory obligations or changes in the manner in which we deal with personal information.  We will post any revised version of this Privacy Policy on our website.  Any changes to this Privacy Policy will be effective from the time they are posted, provided that any change that relates to our collection, use or disclosure of your personal information collected prior to such change will not apply to you unless you consent to that change. 

This Privacy Policy was last updated on July 4, 2022.

Interpretation of this Privacy Policy

Any interpretation associated with this Privacy Policy will be made by our Privacy Officer.  This Privacy Policy includes examples but is not intended to be restricted in its application to such examples, therefore where the word 'including' is used, it shall mean 'including without limitation'.

This Privacy Policy does not create or confer upon any individual any rights, or impose upon Bennett Jones any rights or obligations outside of, or in addition to, any rights or obligations imposed by Canada's federal and provincial privacy laws, as applicable. Should there be, in a specific case, any inconsistency between this Privacy Policy and Canada's federal and provincial privacy laws, as applicable, this Privacy Policy shall be interpreted, in respect of that case, to give effect to, and comply with, such privacy laws.