Whitmore & Vance LLP respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect through our website, how we use it, and the choices available to you.
01Scope of This Policy
This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through whitmorevance.com (the “Site”), operated by Whitmore & Vance LLP (“Whitmore & Vance,” the “Firm,” “we,” “us” or “our”), a law firm with its principal office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
This Policy does not govern information we receive in the course of representing clients after an engagement has been confirmed. That information is protected by our professional obligations of confidentiality and by the terms of the applicable engagement agreement. Your use of the Site is also subject to our Terms of Service.
02Information We Collect
We collect only the limited information needed to operate the Site and to respond to inquiries.
Information you provide to us. If you submit the form on our Contact page, we collect the information you choose to provide, which may include:
- your name;
- your email address;
- your telephone number;
- the practice area your inquiry concerns; and
- the case details or other information you enter in the message field.
If you contact us directly by email, we receive the information contained in that communication.
Information collected automatically. The Site is a static website hosted by FlokiNET, a European hosting provider. Like most web servers, our host’s servers keep standard access logs that record technical information for each request, including:
- your IP address;
- your browser’s user agent (browser type, version and operating system);
- the page or file requested; and
- the date and time of the request.
We do not use this information to build profiles of visitors or to identify individuals, except where necessary to investigate misuse of the Site or a security incident.
03Cookies and Similar Technologies
The Site does not set any cookies. We do not use web analytics, advertising pixels, social media plug-ins, session recording tools or any other third-party tracking technologies. Our fonts are hosted on our own server, so loading a page does not send requests to third-party font services.
The Site uses your browser’s sessionStorage solely to remember that the introductory animation has already been shown during your visit, so that it is not repeated on every page. This entry contains no personal information, is never transmitted to us or to anyone else, and is deleted automatically by your browser when you close the tab or window.
Because we do not track visitors across websites, the Site does not respond differently to “Do Not Track” or Global Privacy Control signals; there is no tracking for those signals to disable.
04How We Use Information
We use the information described in this Policy to:
- review and respond to your inquiry, including evaluating whether the Firm may be able to assist you;
- conduct conflict-of-interest checks required by our professional obligations before any engagement;
- operate, maintain and secure the Site, and detect, prevent and investigate abuse, fraud or technical problems;
- comply with applicable laws, regulations, court orders and the Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct; and
- establish, exercise or defend legal claims.
We do not use your information for automated decision-making, and we do not use it for advertising.
05Confidentiality and No Attorney-Client Relationship
We treat inquiries submitted through the Site with care and limit access to Firm personnel who need the information to respond. However, submitting the contact form, sending us an email or otherwise communicating with us through the Site does not create an attorney-client relationship. An attorney-client relationship is formed only when the Firm has completed a conflict check and has confirmed its engagement in writing.
Please do not send confidential or time-sensitive information through the Site or by email until we have confirmed that we represent you. Information you send before an engagement is confirmed may not be treated as privileged or confidential, and its receipt will not prevent the Firm from representing another party in a related matter. Please describe your situation in general terms in your initial inquiry. For more information, see our Attorney Advertising Disclosure.
07Data Retention and Security
Retention. We keep inquiries and related correspondence for as long as reasonably necessary to respond to you, to maintain records of conflict checks, and to meet our legal, professional and record-keeping obligations. Server access logs are retained by our hosting provider for a limited period in accordance with its standard practices and are not used by us for any purpose other than operating and securing the Site.
Security. We use reasonable administrative, technical and physical safeguards designed to protect information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse or alteration. The Site is served over an encrypted (HTTPS) connection. No method of transmission over the internet or of electronic storage is completely secure, however, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. This is a further reason not to send confidential information before an engagement is confirmed.
08Your Choices and Rights
Providing information through the contact form is voluntary. You may choose to share only general information until we have spoken with you.
Subject to our legal and professional obligations, you may ask us to:
- tell you what personal information we hold about you;
- correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete; or
- delete information you submitted through the Site.
Residents of certain U.S. states may have additional rights under the privacy laws of their state of residence, to the extent those laws apply to the Firm. To make a request, please email info@whitmorevance.com with the subject line “Privacy Request,” or write to us at the address below. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request, and we will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your rights. Some information may need to be retained, for example to document conflict checks or to comply with the law.
09Children’s Privacy
The Site is intended for adults and is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 through the Site. If you believe a child has submitted personal information to us, please contact us and we will delete it. A parent or legal guardian may contact the Firm on a minor’s behalf regarding a legal matter.
10Third-Party Links
The Site contains links to third-party websites, including the Firm’s LinkedIn profile and Google Maps for directions to our office. These services receive information about you only if you choose to follow a link. They are operated independently of the Firm and have their own privacy policies and practices, for which we are not responsible. We encourage you to review their policies before providing them with any information.
11Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, the Site or applicable law. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. Material changes will take effect when posted. Your continued use of the Site after an update constitutes acknowledgment of the revised Policy.
12Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to make a request regarding your information, please contact us:
Whitmore & Vance LLP3000 Arch Street, Suite 2200
Philadelphia, PA 19104
info@whitmorevance.com