We're straight with you about how we handle your information. No legal mumbo-jumbo – just clear answers about what we collect, why we need it, and how we keep it safe.
Last updated: November 10, 2025
Look, we get it – privacy policies can be a real snooze-fest. But here's the deal: at Halcyon Forgeward Legal, we take your privacy seriously because trust is everything in our line of work. This isn't just another boilerplate document we threw together to check a box.
We're a corporate law and business litigation firm based in Toronto, and we've been around long enough to know that your information is valuable. Whether you're reaching out for a quick consultation or we're knee-deep in a complex M&A deal together, we want you to understand exactly what happens with your data.
This policy covers our website, email communications, and any other ways you might interact with us. It complies with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and Ontario's privacy laws. We're not trying to hide behind legal jargon here – we'll explain things in plain English.
When you reach out to us or become a client, we'll collect things like your name, company details, job title, email address, phone number, and mailing address. Pretty standard stuff, really. We need this to actually communicate with you and provide legal services.
Depending on what you need from us, we might also collect information about your business operations, corporate structure, financial data, contracts, and any relevant documents for your legal matter. This is the meat and potatoes of what we do – we can't help you if we don't understand your situation.
Like most websites these days, ours collects some technical info automatically. We're talking IP addresses, browser type, device info, pages you visit, and how long you hang around. It helps us keep the site running smoothly and figure out what's working and what isn't.
When you email us, call, or fill out a contact form, we keep records of those interactions. It's not because we're nosy – it's so we can provide consistent service and have a history of what we've discussed.
We're not in the business of collecting information just for kicks. Here's what we actually do with it:
We won't use your information for purposes you haven't agreed to. If we need to use it in a new way, we'll ask first.
We're not in the habit of gossiping about our clients. Solicitor-client privilege is sacred to us. That said, there are limited situations where we might share your information:
If you give us the green light, we'll share information as needed. For example, negotiating with the other side in a deal or coordinating with your accountant.
We work with trusted third parties who help us run our practice – think document management systems, cloud storage, accounting software, and IT support. They're bound by strict confidentiality agreements and can only use your info to help us serve you better.
Sometimes the law requires us to disclose information – court orders, regulatory investigations, law society inquiries, or anti-money laundering checks. We don't like it any more than you do, but we've got no choice.
If we ever merge with another firm or sell our practice (not planning on it, but you never know), your information would be transferred as part of that transaction. You'd be notified, of course.
We've invested heavily in security because, let's face it, the stuff you tell us is sensitive. Here's what we do to keep it safe:
That said, no system is 100% foolproof. If we ever experience a breach that affects your information, we'll notify you and the relevant authorities as required by law.
It's your information, so you've got rights. Here's what you can do:
You can ask to see what personal information we have about you. We'll provide it within a reasonable timeframe, subject to any legal or ethical restrictions.
If something we have on file is wrong, let us know and we'll fix it. Accurate information helps us serve you better anyway.
In some cases, you can ask us to delete your information. However, we might need to keep certain records for legal or regulatory reasons – lawyer stuff, you know how it goes.
If we're processing your information based on consent, you can withdraw it anytime. This won't affect anything we did before you withdrew consent, though.
You can object to how we're using your information in certain situations. We'll consider your request and explain our position if we need to continue processing.
If you're not happy with how we've handled your information, you can complain to us directly or to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. We'd prefer to work it out with you first, but you've got options.
Yeah, we use cookies. Not the chocolate chip kind (though we wish we could share those with you). Here's the breakdown:
These are necessary for the website to function. They remember your preferences and keep things running smoothly. You can't really opt out of these without breaking the site.
We use these to understand how people use our site – which pages are popular, where visitors come from, and what might need improvement. It's aggregated data, so we're not tracking you personally.
If you've given consent, we might use cookies to show you relevant content or remember your interests. You can disable these through your browser settings.
Most browsers let you control cookies through their settings. Just know that blocking some types might affect how the site works for you.
Our website might link to other sites or integrate third-party services. Here's the thing – we can't control what those other companies do with your information once you leave our site.
We try to work with reputable partners, but you should check their privacy policies too. It's like when we recommend expert witnesses or other professionals to clients – we vouch for their work, but they're independent entities.
Some third-party services we commonly use include:
These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information, but they have their own privacy policies that govern their practices.
We don't keep your information forever, but we can't just toss it the moment a file closes either. Here's our approach:
While we're working on your matter, we'll keep everything we need. Obviously.
After a matter closes, we're required by the Law Society of Ontario to keep client files for at least six years. In practice, we often keep them longer – especially for corporate matters where documentation might be needed down the road.
If you reached out but didn't become a client, we'll typically keep your information for a reasonable period (usually a few years) in case you come back or we need to verify our conflicts check.
Tax and accounting records are kept for seven years, as required by Canadian law.
When we do destroy information, we do it securely – shredding, secure deletion, or other appropriate methods depending on the format.
Privacy laws and our practices evolve over time. When we update this policy, we'll post the new version here with a revised date at the top.
If we make significant changes that affect how we use your information, we'll try to notify you directly – usually by email or a prominent notice on our website. We won't make material changes to how we handle previously collected information without giving you a heads-up and getting your consent where required.
It's worth checking back here occasionally. We know, reading privacy policies isn't anyone's idea of a good time, but staying informed is important.
Got questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your information? We're happy to chat about it. Privacy isn't just a legal obligation for us – it's fundamental to the trust you place in us.
(416) 789-5432