Privacy Policy

Your Privacy is Secured
Rhodes Law Firm
Santa Rosa, California

 

Privacy and Security Matters

At the Rhodes Law Firm, (hereafter referred as RLF), we believe in the importance of revealing how we collect, use, and protect information about our online guests. This privacy policy has been written to help you understand how your personal information will be used in conjunction with the services of the RLF.

Please be assured that we have taken extensive measures and employed advanced technological methods to ensure and safeguard your privacy and security. If you don’t understand this privacy policy or have any questions, concerns, or comments, please do not use this website until your concerns have been satisfactorily addressed. Please contact us (using our online website form) for additional information about this privacy policy or general website issues.

This Privacy Policy explains how RLF receives and processes personal information as defined by applicable law from its business clients (“Business Client Personal Information” or “Business Client PI”), its individual clients (“Individual Client Personal Information” or “Individual Client PI”), and visitors (as prospective business Clients) to its website or “Site” (“Visitor Personal Information” or “Visitor PI”). Business Clients and Individual Clients may be referred to herein collectively as “Clients.” Client PI and Visitor PI may be referred to herein collectively as “Personal Information” or “PI.”

What Information & Why: RLF is a law firm handling complex legal transactions involving trusts and estates (“Services”). RLF receives Personal Information from its Clients for the business purposes of providing Services to its Clients. Specifically, RLF receives or collects the following types of PI pursuant to providing Services: first name and last name, contact information (e-mail address, physical business address, phone number), government identification documents (including passport, driver’s license, and/or social security identification), insurance account identification, bank account identification, and biometric data (fingerprints). Visitors to its Site may provide Visitor PI (including name and email address) so that RLF may contact them to provide information about their Services.

With Whom: RLF shares PI with trusted service providers (“Service Providers”) for the business purposes of providing the Services. The services provided by our Service Providers include the following types of services: website hosting, management and reporting, security monitoring, email marketing, email management and security, marketing communications, marketing analytics, client management, client billing and invoicing, payroll, benefits, technical support, and the activities of relevant government agencies (including courts).

Compliance with Law

RLF may disclose PI to a third party if (a) it believes that such disclosure is reasonably necessary to comply with any applicable law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request, or (b) to protect the security or integrity of the Services from harm or illegal activities.

California Consumers

Individual Clients residing in California are considered consumers under CCPA. They have certain additional rights including with respect to their Personal Information. RLF does not sell PI as defined under CCPA. RLF upholds the right of non-discrimination as defined under CCPA.

Privacy Issues

  1. Internet Security
  2. Consumer Security
    a) The Collection of Information
    b) Personal Data
    c) The Distribution of Information
    d) Technical Data
    e) Shared Data
    f) Additional Personal Data Sharing
    g) Unsolicited E-mails
    h) Identity Theft and Fraud
  3. Confidentiality
  4. Nature of Information and No attorney-client relationship with acceptance by RLF
  5. Restrictions on Use of Materials
  6. Disclaimer
  7. Limitation of Liability
  8. External Links
  9. LawPay – Secure Online Payments
  10. Change of Privacy Policy
  11. Transactions with Persons other than Clients
  12. Retention Policy
  13. Governing Law and Forum

Internet Security

The use of this website may require the entry of personal information, such as name, e-mail, address, telephone and fax numbers, and other personal or demographic data. The entry of all personal information is voluntary and will not be shared, given, sold, or otherwise distributed to any other party outside of RLF. All information is sent using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology, which offers a high level of data protection. Your security and confidentiality will be respected at all times.

Cookies are not used at the present time but may be used in the future to enable ease of use on our website. A “cookie” is a small file that is stored on your computer, which quickly assists the website in identifying your account and personal information. If you prefer not to use cookies, data access and/or website activities may be limited.

Consumer Security

Please be assured that the privacy of your personal data is under strictest guidelines.

a) The Collection of Information
In order to provide information and/or services to our visitors, it is necessary to collect a limited amount of personal data. We could obtain this information through online forms, e-mails, telephone, fax, verbal, written, or personal communication. This information may ask you to identify your name, e-mail address, and more, in order for your request to be considered.

b) Personal Data
Please rest assured that any personal data that is either entered online, given verbally, mailed, e-mailed, or transmitted through other means is under strict security guidelines. Your acceptance of this agreement constitutes permission by RLF to access, preserve, and disclose your personal account information as necessitated to:
1. Properly respond to your inquiries
2. Protect the rights, personal safety, and privacy of RLF, its users, and the public
3. Comply with legal regulations

c) The Distribution of Information
We will not share any of your personal information, whether provided directly by you, or obtained through our means, with any outside firm or agency.

d) Technical Data
It may be necessary to collect technical data about your computer such as IP (Internet Protocol) address; however, at the present time, RLF does not store cookies on our visitors’ computers.

e) Shared Data
Access to your private information is strictly protected and limited to those employees who have a legitimate business need to review specific data in your file. RLF complies with all federal standards with regards to safeguarding your personal information.

f) Additional Personal Data Sharing
RLF will not share your personal information with other affiliated companies, who may want to contact you about services, products, and other offerings that may be of interest to you.

g) Unsolicited E-mails
RLF does not send out unsolicited e-mails.

h) Identity Theft and Fraud
If you are a victim of identity theft or fraudulent behavior as a result of using the Rhodes Law Firm website, please forward a written statement, including name, address, date of incident(s), and description(s) of suspicious behavior to the law practice’s Managing Principal, Brett Rhodes at:

Rhodes Law

Please include all supporting documents including law enforcement filings and police reports.

Confidentiality

Our confidentiality policy limits the discussion or sharing of any data between all clients. It is our strictest policy to adhere to the confidentiality of your personal data.

Nature of Information and No Attorney-Client Relationship with Acceptance by RLF

Although this site may provide information concerning legal issues, such information is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for legal advice from qualified counsel. You agree that RLF is not engaged in rendering legal services or advice by providing the information and materials on this site, and that your use of the site does not create any attorney-client relationship between you and RLF. RLF assumes no responsibility for any consequence relating directly or indirectly to any action or inaction you take based on the information or material on this site. While RLF takes reasonable measures to keep the information on this site accurate, complete and up-to-date, RLF will not be responsible for any damage or loss related to the inaccuracy, incompleteness, or lack of timeliness of the information.

Restrictions on Use of Materials

All materials contained on this site, and all intellectual property rights thereto, including copyrights, trademarks, service marks, trade names and trade dress, are owned by RLF or its affiliates. You agree not to copy, reproduce, republish, transmit, modify, or distribute any of the materials contained on the site, except for your personal, noncommercial use, absent the prior written approval of RLF.

Disclaimer

Click Here for Separate Legal Disclaimer

Limitation of Liability

In no event shall RLF, or its affiliates, or contributors to this site, be liable for any loss or injury, or any damages, whether direct, special, indirect, punitive, incidental, exemplary, consequential, or otherwise, whether based on breach of contract, tort (including negligence), product liability or otherwise, resulting from your access or use of this site. You hereby waive any and all such claims against RLF, its affiliates, and contributors. You agree that the limitations set forth above are fundamental elements of this agreement, and that the site and its materials would not be provided to you absent such limitations. Some state statutes may restrict this limitation of liability.

External Links

The information within this privacy policy pertains to your visit to the Rhodes Law Firm, not any of its external links, subsidiaries, or affiliates. Please review the separate privacy policies as stated on those individual websites. Once you have left RLF, this privacy policy is no longer in effect. We are not responsible for content, security, technical, legal, privacy, or any other issues on external links provided in this website.

LawPay – Secure Online Payments

RLF uses LawPay’s online payment technology to ensure our firm accepts client payments in compliance with California, ABA, and IOLTA guidelines. LawPay’s online portal is PCI DSS certified and exceeds standards for internet security and PCI Level 1 compliance, the highest security level available. ControlScan, a VISA Qualified Security Assessor, has independently audited LawPay and certified that LawPay is PCI DSS compliant. You can read more about LawPay’s security and responsibilities here.

Change of Privacy Policy

RLF reserves the right to change this privacy policy at any time. Please revisit this page periodically to ensure full understanding and agreement of the website’s privacy policy. Your continued use of this site will constitute acceptance of and binding agreement to the privacy policy as stated on website at time of visit.

Transactions with Persons other than Clients

All of the attorneys and staff at the Rhodes Law Firm strictly adhere to the ABA’s Rules of Professional Conduct, including but not limited to:

Rule 4.1 Truthfulness in Statements to Others

In the course of representing a client a lawyer shall not knowingly:

(a) make a false statement of material fact or law to a third person; or
(b) fail to disclose a material fact to a third person when disclosure is necessary to avoid assisting a criminal or fraudulent act by a client, unless disclosure is prohibited by Rule 1.6.

Retention Policy

RLS retains PI as long as necessary to provide the Services unless a longer period is required for legal or compliance purposes.

Governing Law and Forum

This Privacy Policy and the terms of your use shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without giving effect to any principles of conflicts of law. Any dispute between you and RLF regarding the content or use of the site shall be resolved by binding arbitration under the provisions of Title 9 of California Code of Civil Procedure sections 1280 and following, with hearings held in the English language and venue for such hearings shall be in Santa Rosa, California, USA, and shall not be joined with any dispute that any other person or entity may have with RLF. Appointment of a single arbitrator shall be made by petition to the Sonoma County Superior Court pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 1282.6. The court shall nominate five persons from lists of persons supplied jointly by the parties to the arbitration or obtained from a governmental agency concerned with arbitration or private disinterested association concerned with arbitration but not any commercial arbitration service such as the American Arbitration Association. The parties may within five days of receipt of notice of the nominees from the court jointly select the arbitrator whether or not the arbitrator is among the nominees. If the parties fail to select an arbitrator within the five-day period, the court shall appoint the arbitrator from the nominees.

Contact an Attorney

To speak with our California licensed Attorney Brett Rhodes, for more information about the company’s law firm, or to schedule a consultation, please contact us online or call the office directly.