Privacy Policy
The Counsel Network Inc. reserves the right to make changes to its personal information management practices from time to time or as required by law, and to revise this Privacy Policy in accordance with those changes. The most current version of this Privacy Policy will be posted to our website at www.thecounselnetwork.com.
A. Privacy Policy
The Counsel Network Inc. (the “TCNI”) takes very seriously its obligation to collect, use, and disclose personal information through lawful means only, and to safeguard the personal information in its custody or control through the implementation of reasonable safeguards. This Privacy Policy has been developed with that commitment in mind.
The term “personal information” in the context of this Privacy Policy means any information about an identifiable individual, except that individual’s business contact information and job title.
B. Application of the Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy applies to the collection, use, disclosure, retention, and destruction of personal information from and about individuals who use or seek to use the services provided by TCNI. This Privacy Policy does not apply to employees, consultants, or contractors of TCNI.
This Privacy Policy is meant to apply to the handling of personal information by TCNI in every jurisdiction in which we do business. As a result, it has been tailored to meet the requirements of any applicable federal and provincial legislation.
C. Our Privacy Practices
1. Accountability
1.1 Sameera Sereda is TCNI’s Privacy Officer. She has been appointed to ensure that our information-handling practices are and remain in compliance with this Privacy Policy. She can be reached by telephone at 403.444.1763 and by email at ssereda@thecounselnetwork.com. Her mailing address is:
Suite 1220, 101 6 Avenue SW Calgary, AB T2P 3P4
2. Identifying Purposes
2.1 TCNI collects, uses, and discloses personal information for the purpose of administering, operating, and improving our business; providing you with our products and services; and as otherwise allowed or required by applicable law. For example, we may collect, use, and disclose your information in order to do any of the following:
Assist us in determining what positions best suit our clients’ particular qualifications;Better understand your particular needs so that we can provide improved service;Provide you with information concerning our full range of services; Comply with any relevant or mandatory legislative or regulatory requirements.
2.2 If we wish to collect, use, or disclose your personal information for any purpose not described in this Privacy Policy, we will not do so without first obtaining your consent.
3. Consent
3.1 TCNI believes that it is important to obtain consent for the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information where required to do so by law. In some cases, the requisite consent may be express (provided electronically, orally, or in writing, at the outset of your relationship with TCNI). In other cases, consent may be implied from your conduct. For example, if you provide us with your email address, we will assume that we are allowed to use that information for the purpose of communicating with you about recruitment opportunities or other services.
3.2 You have the right to change or even withdraw your consent at any time. Changing or withdrawing your consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information may, however, limit the nature of the services we are able to provide to you. If you wish to change or withdraw your consent, please notify our Privacy Officer in writing.
3.3 TCNI does not obtain consent in certain circumstances including, but not limited to, the following:
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- When it is inappropriate to do so;
- Where legal, medical, or security reasons may make it impossible or impractical to obtain consent;
- Where the collection, use, or disclosure is permitted without consent under applicable privacy legislation.
4. Limiting Collection
4.1 TCNI limits its collection of personal information to what is necessary for the purposes identified in this Privacy Policy. In the event that we think it necessary to collect information for a purpose not identified in this Privacy Policy, we will not do so without informing you of the purpose for the collection and obtaining your consent.
4.2 Depending upon the circumstances and your particular needs, the types of information we collect typically include (but are not limited to) the following:
Your business contact information;Information we need in order to provide you with the best service possible, including information relating to your academic history; your employment history, qualifications, and preferences; your past and expected compensation; ongoing obligations you may have to prior employers; assessments performed by TCNI consultants; and correspondence exchanged by TCNI and its clients.
5. Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention
(a) Use and Disclosure
5.1 TCNI uses and discloses personal information for the purposes identified in this Privacy Policy.
5.2 TCNI does not use or disclose personal information for purposes not set out in this Privacy Policy unless we have obtained your consent to do so or unless we are permitted or required to do so by law.
5.3 Importantly, TCNI does not, under any circumstances, disclose the personal information of job candidates to potential employers without the candidates’ prior consent.
5.4 We will only share your personal information with people who have a legitimate business interest in seeing it, including but not limited to our employees, consultants, contractors, client firms and organizations seeking to hire legal professionals, and other parties who require access to the information in order for us to provide you with services and otherwise establish and maintain our relationship.
5.5 We may disclose your personal information to third parties who contract or collaborate with us in the provision of our full range of services, including marketing and seasonal events. Where we do so, our approach is to obtain commitments from those third parties to protect your personal information in accordance both with any relevant privacy legislation and with the terms of this Privacy Policy.
(b) Retention and Destruction
5.6 TCNI retains personal information for as long as it is needed to fulfill the purposes identified in this Privacy Policy.
5.7 We destroy personal information when it is no longer required to fulfill the identified purpose, or when destruction is required by law.
5.8 TCNI obtains commitments from third parties to whom we transfer personal information, confirming that those third parties will abide by applicable privacy legislation and this Privacy Policy by retaining personal information only while it is required to fulfill the identified purpose, and destroying the personal information when it is no longer required.
6. Accuracy
6.1 TCNI keeps personal information as accurate, complete, and up-to-date as is necessary for the purposes identified in this Privacy Policy.
6.2 If you believe that some aspect of your personal information in our custody or control is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to request that it be corrected. We will assess your request and update the information in question if we agree with you. Please contact our Privacy Officer if you have any questions concerning the accuracy, completeness, or currency of your personal information.
7. Safeguards
7.1 TCNI protects personal information through physical, organizational, and technical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information, including personal information that is in transit by way of mail, email, and fax.
7.2 Physical documents are kept in files in a secure building where our offices are located. Electronic documents are kept in password-protected files stored on our server, which is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
8. Openness
8.1 TCNI has developed and made available this Privacy Policy, which describes its information-management practices; provides contact information for our Privacy Officer; explains how to make an access request and how to make a complaint; and describes the types of personal information held by us, including a general account of its use.
9 Individual Access Requests
9.1 TCNI responds to written requests from individuals who seek access to their personal information in accordance with applicable privacy legislation. While we endeavour to be as open as possible, your right of access is subject to certain legislated exceptions, including (but not limited to) information that is subject to any kind of privilege or information that reveals information about another individual. In addition, information in some cases may have been destroyed pursuant to our records retention and destruction practices. In the event that we are unable to provide you with access, we will inform you in writing of the reasons why not.
9.2 Individuals are asked to contact our Privacy Officer for more information about the relevant procedures.
10 Challenging Compliance
10.1 TCNI responds to written complaints regarding its information-handling practices as required by applicable privacy legislation.
10.2 We also respond as promptly as we can to inquiries about our policies and practices relating to the handling of personal information.
10.3 Any person who has an inquiry or a complaint is asked to contact our Privacy Officer for more information, at the address set out in Clause 1.1 of this Privacy Policy.