Privacy Policy

Last Revised April 7, 2021

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully before using our website, www. tomlinson shapiro .com, as well as any blogs or other online content (collectively our “Website”) owned and controlled by Tomlinson & Shapiro, P.C. (“Tomlinson & Shapiro”, “we,” “us,” and “our”).

Thank you for using Tomlinson & Shapiro.  We are strongly committed to safeguarding your privacy and have established this Privacy Policy to inform you how we treat the information you provide to us through our Website.  We follow this Privacy Policy in accordance with local law in the places where we operate.

If you choose to use our Website, then you agree to the collection and use of information in relation to this Privacy Policy.  The information that we collect is used for providing our service to you.  We will not use or share your information with anyone except as described in this Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Policy is incorporated into and subject to the Disclaimer of this Website (“Disclaimer”).  Each time that you access or use the Website, you acknowledge that you have read, understand and agree to be bound by the Disclaimer and this Privacy Policy.  If you do not agree to the Disclaimer and this Privacy Policy, you must discontinue using our Website.

1. Important Definitions

Personal Information:  We consider some, but not all, of the information you provide us to be your “Personal Information.” We define Personal Information as information about you that is personally identifiable to you, such as your contact information (e.g., name, address, email address, or telephone number) and any other non-public information that is associated with such information (collectively, “Personal Information”).  It does not include information where your identity had been removed, deidentified, or made anonymous.

2. Types of Information We Collect

The information we may obtain and store about you is information required to properly use the Website.  This includes:

• Information you provide when you submit a request to “Contact Us”, which may include your first name and surname, email address, phone number, zip code, state of residence, and any comments or messages you provide in the free text box.
• Location information when you visit our Website or use our applications, including location information either provided by a mobile device interacting with one of our Website or applications, or associated with your IP address, where we are permitted by law to process this information; and
• Technical data, including your device identifier or IP address, when you visit our Website, navigate through the Website or open emails we send through the Website.
• Any other information you input into the Website.

Our Website may provide you with hyperlinks to other sites not owned or controlled by us and we are not responsible for the privacy practices of any site that is not owned or controlled by us. We encourage you to be aware when you leave our site or applications and to read the privacy policies of these other sites.

We process payments to Tomlinson & Shapiro using a secure third-party credit card processing service. Tomlinson & Shapiro does not store or process your payment information.  Your payment information is submitted directly to and stored by our payment’s processor.  We chose our current payment processor in part because of its ability to secure your payment information in compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (“PCI DSS”).  You should familiarize yourself with their privacy and security policies if you have concerns about your payment information.

3. Use of Cookies

This Website may use cookies to track information for routine administration and maintenance purposes, as well as to improve our website/application and our user experience.  A cookie is a small text file that is generated by a website/application and is stored on your device.  When you access our Website, the next time you visit our site, this information is used to recognize and remember your device.  The following are the type of cookies we may use on our Website:

Strictly Necessary Cookies:  The Website uses these cookies for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems.  They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms.  These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.

Analytics and Performance Cookies:  The Website may use analytic and performance cookies (through platforms such as Google Analytics) to allow us to optimize performance by collecting information about how you use our Website, such as which pages you visited and which links you accessed, as well as other analytical data.  All of this information is aggregated and therefore anonymous, therefore, none of this information can be used to identify you.  The sole purpose is to improve the website and understand how users interact with the website.

Functional Cookies: The Website may use functional cookies which are essential for our website and Website to perform enhanced functions and personalization.  These include those required to allow registered users to authenticate and perform account-related functions, store information about your preferences such as account name, language and location, and history in order to better serve you.

Advertising Cookies:  The Website may use advertising or marketing cookies to track your online activity to help advertisers deliver more relevant advertising or to limit how many times you see an ad.  They may be used to collect information about your online activities over time and across different websites predict your preferences and to display more relevant advertisements to you.  These cookies also allow a profile to be built about you and your interests and enable personalized ads to be shown to you based on your profile.

Controlling Cookies:  You can always change your browser settings to control cookie behavior or disable cookies if you have privacy concerns.  Be aware that disabling cookies for websites/applications may interfere with your use of some websites/applications.

PLEASE BE AWARE that our website currently does not recognize or respond to “Do Not Track” signals.

4. How We Collect Your Information

• We collect all of the information you provide to us online through the activities described above.
• We may collect information through technology, such as cookies, including when you visit our Website and how you navigate our Website.

5. How We Use Your Information

We may use your information to:

• Provide you with the services you request and support for those services;
• Communicate with you in response to your requests sent to us through the Website or any financial transactions;
• Detect, investigate and prevent activities that may violate our policies or be illegal; and
• Review whether it is responsive to a subpoena or other legal request we have received.
• For any other purpose with your consent.

6. When We Share Your Information

We do not sell or lease your Personal Information to any third party.  We share Personal Information about you in limited circumstances and with appropriate safeguards on your privacy.  The instances of when we may share your information with other companies include:

• When you direct us to share your Personal Information with third-party sites or platforms;
• To our service providers who provide services such as Web site hosting, maintenance, data analysis, infrastructure provision, IT services, customer service, email delivery services, credit card processing, auditing services and other similar services, but only to the extent necessary or useful to provide such services, and only pursuant to contractual obligations requiring such third parties to maintain the privacy and security of your Personal Information.
• When we share Personal Information with third parties in connection with the sale of a business, to ensure the safety and security of our guests and third parties, to protect our rights and property and the rights and property of our guests and third parties, to comply with legal process or in other cases if we believe in good faith that disclosure is required by law; or
• And as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law;

Please note that once we share your Personal Information with another company, the other company’s privacy practices will govern their use of the information.

7. How Long We Will Store Your Information

We will continue to store and process your information until the earlier of (i) your request that we delete your Personal Information in accordance with the procedures set forth in this privacy policy, (ii) your Personal Information is no longer required to fulfill the identified purpose for which it was collected, or (iii) we decide to delete your Personal Information for reasons such as because your failure to use our Website for a prolonged period of time (as determined in our sole discretion) or another business reason makes it desirable for us to delete your information.

The length of time for which we will retain your Personal Information will depend on the purposes for which we need to retain it.  We may continue to retain your Personal Information to meet any legal requirements or to defend or exercise our legal rights.

8. How We Secure Your Data

The security of your Personal Information is important to us because we know that the security of your information is important to you. We have implemented reasonable security procedures that are intended to protect your information. From time to time, we review and update our procedures to consider appropriate new security technology and methods.

Please be aware though that no security measures are perfect or impenetrable. If, despite our security measures, your Personal Information has been compromised, we will notify you in accordance with our legal obligations in your jurisdiction.

In the event you disclose any of your Personal Information in a public forum, the information in that disclosure will be treated as public, we will not take any steps to protect, secure, or delete that disclosure, and you should not have any expectation of privacy or confidentiality with regards to that disclosure.

9. How You Control Your Information

You may modify, change, or correct your Personal Information in the same manner in which you originally provided it to us.

If you want to delete your Personal Information from our Website, we are sorry to lose your business, and we hope that you will give us the opportunity to discuss any issues or concerns that you have had regarding our service. To delete your Personal Information, please contact us at bew@ tomlinson shapiro .com. Once we receive your request, we will then take steps to delete your Personal Information within a commercially reasonable time. We may retain some information for our own backup, archival, record or audit purposes and as otherwise required by law, however, we will only retain the information for those purposes. Please note that we will only be able to delete your Personal Information that is within our control, and we will not be able delete your Personal Information that we had previously shared with others in accordance with this privacy policy.

10. How We Protect Children’s Privacy

We do not knowingly collect Personal Information from children under the age of 18 or under the legal age to form a contract in your jurisdiction, whichever is higher.  Therefore, if you are under this age, do not use or provide any Personal Information to our Website.  If we believe or learn that we have inadvertently collected Personal Information from a child under this age, we will take appropriate steps to delete the child’s Personal Information.  If you believe that we might have any Personal Information of a child under this age, please contact us at bew@ tomlinson shapiro .com so we may take appropriate action.

11. Third Party Sites

Our Website may provide you with hyperlinks to other sites not owned or controlled by us and we are not responsible for the privacy practices of any site that is not owned or controlled by us. We do not share Personal Information with those other sites, unless specifically authorized by you. We aim to work with trusted partners and organizations which are also bound by state and federal laws governing privacy and security; however, we encourage users to be aware when you leave our site or mobile application and to review any privacy policy of any third-party site.

12. How Our Privacy Policy May Be Changed

From time to time, in response to new technologies, industry practices, regulatory requirements, changes in our services, or other circumstances, we may change this Privacy Policy. If these changes are material, we will provide notice to you, and, if we are required by applicable law, we will obtain your consent.  If you choose not to accept the new Privacy Policy, you should discontinue using our Website.

13. Notice to Non-U.S. Users

This Website is operated in the United States and is intended for users located in the United States.  If you are located anywhere outside of the United States, please be aware that information we collect, including Personal Information, will be transferred to, processed, and stored in the United States.  The data protection laws in the United States may differ from those of the country in which you are located, and your Personal Information may be subject to access requests from governments, courts, or law enforcement in the United States according to the laws of the United States.  By using the Website or providing us with any information, you consent to the transfer, processing and storage of your information in the United States.  You are also consenting to the application of United States federal and Illinois state law in all matters concerning the Website and this Policy.

14. Choice of Law

The laws of the State of Illinois shall govern any dispute, including those disputes arising from Tomlinson & Shapiro’s use of Personal Information or otherwise relating to privacy, as specified in the Disclaimer. https:// www. tomlinson shapiro .com/ disclaimer.  This Policy does not create rights enforceable by third-parties.

15. How You May Contact Us Regarding Your Privacy And This Policy

If you have any questions, concerns, complaints or suggestions regarding our Privacy Policy or otherwise need to contact us at bew@ tomlinson shapiro .com.