Privacy Policy

At SOAR Law, we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you visit our website at www.soarlaw.ca, contact us, or use our legal services.

SOAR Law is committed to complying with the Personal Information Protection Act (Alberta) (PIPA), the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) where applicable, and all other applicable Canadian federal and provincial privacy laws. As a law firm, we are also bound by the confidentiality obligations and professional conduct rules of the Law Society of Alberta.

Please read this policy carefully before using our website or submitting any personal information to us. By using our website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

1. Who We Are

SOAR Law is a law firm operating in Grande Prairie, Alberta. If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us. We will respond to all privacy inquiries within 30 days.

2. What Personal Information We Collect

We collect personal information only when it is necessary for a legitimate purpose. The types of personal information we may collect include:

Information you provide directly:

• Your name, address, phone number, and email address
• Information you submit through our contact form, intake forms, or email
• Details about your legal matter that you share with us
• Identity verification documents as required by the Law Society of Alberta
• Payment information for legal fees

Information collected automatically:

• IP address and browser type when you visit our website
• Pages you visit and time spent on each page
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 7 below)
• Device information including operating system and screen size

We do not collect sensitive personal information such as health details, financial account numbers, or Social Insurance Numbers through our website. If we require sensitive information in connection with providing legal services, we will collect it directly and securely through our client intake process.

3. Why We Collect Your Information

We collect and use your personal information only for the purposes for which it was collected or for directly related purposes. These include:

• Responding to your enquiries and providing legal advice and representation
• Opening and managing your client file
• Fulfilling our obligations under the Law Society of Alberta Rules including client identification and verification
• Processing payments for legal services
• Sending you updates relevant to your legal matter
• Improving our website and understanding how visitors use it
• Complying with our legal and professional obligations
• Communicating with you about our services where you have consented to receive such communications

We will always tell you why we are collecting your information at the time we collect it, or as soon as reasonably possible. We will not use your information for purposes that are incompatible with the original reason it was collected without first obtaining your consent.

4. Consent

Where required by law, we obtain your consent before collecting, using, or disclosing your personal information. By submitting a contact form, intake form, or email to SOAR Law, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in this Privacy Policy.

You may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us at hello@soarlaw.ca, subject to legal or contractual restrictions. Please note that withdrawing consent may affect our ability to provide you with legal services.

In some circumstances we may collect or use your personal information without consent as permitted or required by PIPA or PIPEDA — for example to comply with a legal obligation, to investigate a breach of our agreement, or in an emergency where consent cannot reasonably be obtained.

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information to anyone. We will not disclose your personal information to third parties except in the following circumstances:

• With your express consent
• To third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website or delivering our services — such as our email hosting provider, website platform, or practice management software — who are bound by confidentiality agreements and are not permitted to use your information for any other purpose
• To comply with a court order, subpoena, warrant, legal process, or other lawful requirement
• To the Law Society of Alberta as required by our professional obligations
• To other lawyers, counsel, or parties as necessary and appropriate in the course of representing you in a legal matter
• In an emergency where disclosure is necessary to protect the health, safety, or security of any individual

Where we share your information with third-party service providers, we require them to handle your information in a manner consistent with this Privacy Policy and applicable privacy law. Some of our service providers may be located outside Canada. In those cases, your information may be subject to the laws of another jurisdiction.

6. How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law or our professional obligations.

Client files are retained in accordance with the Law Society of Alberta's recommended retention periods. For most files this means a minimum of ten years after the matter is closed, unless a longer period is required by law or the nature of the matter.

Website enquiry information that does not result in a client file will be retained for a reasonable period sufficient to respond to your enquiry and then securely deleted.

When personal information is no longer required we will destroy, delete, or de-identify it in a secure manner.

7. Cookies and Website Tracking

Our website may use cookies — small data files stored on your device — to improve your browsing experience and understand how visitors use our site. Cookies help us remember your preferences, analyze site traffic, and improve our content.

We may use the following types of cookies:

• Essential cookies — necessary for the website to function properly
• Analytics cookies — to understand how visitors navigate and use our site (for example Google Analytics)
• Preference cookies — to remember your settings and preferences

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website. Most browsers allow you to refuse or delete cookies through their settings menu.

We do not use cookies to serve targeted advertising or to track your activity across other websites.

8. How We Protect Your Information

We take the security of your personal information seriously. SOAR Law uses reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information against unauthorized access, loss, theft, or misuse. While we take every reasonable step to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but we are committed to promptly addressing any breach that occurs.

9. Privacy Breach Notification

In the event of a privacy breach that creates a real risk of significant harm to you, we will notify you and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta (OIPC) as required under PIPA. We maintain a breach response procedure and keep records of all privacy breaches.

If you believe your personal information has been compromised or if you suspect a privacy breach involving SOAR Law, please contact us immediately at hello@soarlaw.ca

10. Your Privacy Rights

Under PIPA and PIPEDA, you have the following rights with respect to your personal information:

• The right to know what personal information we hold about you
• The right to access your personal information and request a copy
• The right to request a correction if your information is inaccurate or incomplete
• The right to withdraw your consent to the collection or use of your information, subject to legal restrictions
• The right to know how your information is used and with whom it has been shared
• The right to make a complaint to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Privacy Officer at hello@soarlaw.ca. We will respond to access requests within 30 days as required by law. We may ask you to verify your identity before processing any request.

11. Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed at children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through our website. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information without parental consent, please contact us and we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

12. Links to Other Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites for your convenience and information. This Privacy Policy applies only to www.soarlaw.ca. SOAR Law is not responsible for the privacy practices of any third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any website you visit through a link on our site.

13. Solicitor-Client Privilege and Confidentiality

As a law firm, all information you share with us in the context of seeking legal advice is protected by solicitor-client privilege. This is a fundamental legal right that belongs to you as the client. We will not disclose privileged information without your consent except in the narrow circumstances required by law or our professional obligations.

Solicitor-client privilege is separate from and in addition to our obligations under this Privacy Policy. It means that your communications with SOAR Law in connection with legal advice are protected by one of the strongest confidentiality protections in Canadian law.

Please note that information submitted through our website contact form before a solicitor-client relationship is established is treated with the same confidentiality as privileged communications, but does not automatically create a lawyer-client relationship. A formal retainer agreement must be signed before a solicitor-client relationship is established.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make material changes we will update the Effective Date at the top of this policy and post the updated version on our website.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of our website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

Questions about this policy? Contact our Privacy Officer at hello@soarlaw.ca.