Privacy Policy – Weichert Law Firm

Privacy Policy Overview

“Your privacy is extremely important to us at The Weichert Law Firm. We are a highly regarded law firm serving individuals and businesses in the central Texas cities of Austin, Lakeway, Bee Cave, and surrounding counties. We take very seriously the protection of personal, sensitive information received from you and treat it with the highest degree of respect. The Privacy Policy that follows is intended to explain exactly how we receive, use, protect, and disclose information received from our clients, prospective clients, and visitors to the firm’s website. Our privacy practices have been cross-referenced with our ethical and professional duty of confidentiality; compliance with state and federal regulations has been considered and adopted where required; and our paramount goal is to continue to earn and deserve your trust.”

About The Weichert Law Firm

“The Weichert Law Firm, based at 3821 Juniper Trace, Suite 106, Austin, TX 78738, is an established law firm. Founding attorneys Glenn K. Weichert, George V. Basham, III, and Ruth Stepherson have decades of experience advising clients on real estate law, business law, civil litigation, land development, homeowners association and condominium association law, and estate planning and probate matters. Our real estate client base includes individuals, families, real estate developers and investors, business owners, contractors, homeowners associations, and condominium associations. Others seek our expertise with respect to civil litigation and represent businesses and clients in all contexts. The attorneys at Weichert Law Firm are known for professionalism, discretion, and excellence.”

Categories of Information We Collect

When you work with The Weichert Law Firm we may collect personal and non-personal information to facilitate our provision of legal services. The specific data we collect includes:

Personally Identifiable Information: Such as your name, address, contact number, email address, and other identifiers enabling us to communicate with you.
Client Matter Data: Specific information related to the case or matter at hand (example: property addresses, business names, contracts, agreements, estate planning documents, etc.).
Financial Data: Information pertaining to payments, billing, and in some situations, bank or account details for payment purposes or trust accounts.
Communication Data: Information pertaining to communications between you and The Weichert Law Firm (emails, phone calls, meeting minutes/takeaways, web form entries, etc.).
Usage Data: Information relating to your visits to our website (IP addresses, browser type, device identifiers/cookies if applicable), pages viewed, services used, access times, location data to ensure resolution of issues/errors, and browsing patterns.
3rd Party Data: Public record information, opposing parties/counsel/individuals/corporations, co-counsel/individuals/corporations, courts, or any other relevant third party.

Means of Information Collection

We gather information through various means so that we can best understand and represent you. These means include:

Information you provide directly to us: When you communicate directly with us, including telephone calls, meetings, emails, or through the online form found on our website.
Information contained in documents and submissions: When you provide legal documents, contracts, filings, or forms via telephone, mail, fax, or electronically.
Information on our website: When you visit our website, send information, submit an inquiry, or use an online feature of our website.
Information from third-parties: From public agencies, court documents, opposing counsel, or other individuals connected with your case.
Technology: When you use cookies and analytics tools to collect non-personal information related to your use of our website.

Purpose for Information Collection

The personal data we collect are for certain specific, lawful purposes, namely:

To provide legal advice and counsel: To assess your case/instructions, communicate with you, and provide legal advice and representation.
Client Relationship Management: To keep accurate records, facilitate billing and invoicing, as well as ongoing communication.
To fulfill professional, regulatory, compliance, and other legal obligations: Such as anti-money laundering/know-your-client requirements, conflicts-of-interest checks, and other legal responsibilities.
Website functionality and ongoing improvement: To review use of website statistics, to improve website performance and usability.
Promotional/Marketing: To let you know about relevant legal updates/news, services offered by the firm, and/or firm events, when authorized by law to send such communication or with your consent if necessary.

Purpose for Using Your Information

We use your information only for the purposes for which we collected it or as otherwise permitted or required by law. We may use your information to:

Evaluate and answer your legal questions or determine whether you are eligible for representation.
Create, file, and preserve legal documents related to your case or representation.
Correspond with you about your case, appearance, or information about our firm.
Process and administer payments and trust funds.
Perform due diligence, background, or other professional checks.
Improve website functionality and security.
Fulfill our obligations as attorneys licensed to practice in the State of Texas.

Duty of Confidentiality and the Attorney-Client Privilege

Maintaining your confidentiality is paramount to us. All communications and information transmitted to The Weichert Law Firm in connection with seeking or receiving legal advice is privileged as a matter of law and confidential pursuant to Texas law. We will never share your confidential information with a third party without your express consent, unless required by law or court order, or our ethical obligations (such as avoiding the risk of imminent harm or complying with mandatory reporting laws).

Methods Used to Safeguard Your Information

The Weichert Law Firm utilizes comprehensive administrative, physical, and technical security measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, copying, modification, or destruction. The security measures we employ include:

Locked office facilities and controlled access to hard-copy records
User access controls and encrypted access and storage of electronic records
Regular back-up of data and secure off-site storage of critical information
Use of firewalls, anti-virus software, secure email systems, etc.
Training of personnel in privacy and confidentiality issues

Although we take reasonable precautions to protect your information, no system is impenetrable. We routinely monitor and make changes to our procedures to account for newly discovered threats or vulnerabilities.

Disclosure and Sharing of Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may disclose your information only in the following situations:

With Your Consent: When you give your consent to us to disclose information to third parties (e.g., when we negotiate matters, settle cases, or communicate with co-counsel).
Service Providers: To companies that provide business operations support services to us, such as IT providers or consultants, or companies that provide assistance in processing and handling transactions on our behalf (e.g., court filing systems and contract attorneys), provided such disclosures are subject to confidentiality agreements.
Legal Requirements: If required by law, court order or other valid legal process, or as otherwise required by applicable rules of professional conduct.
For the Protection of Rights: When we believe that sharing is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of The Weichert Law Firm, clients or others, or to enforce our legal rights and agreements and policies.

Data Retention and Destruction

We hold information relating to clients for as long as it is necessary to provide a service to the client, for legal and regulatory reasons, or for legitimate business purposes. Generally, we hold legal files for at least five years after the end of the matter, unless we have a longer period because of other requirements or guidelines provided by law or a professional body. After this period, physical records (if any) are shredded and electronic records are deleted in order to protect your privacy. Early destruction of your file will be carried out on written request but will be subject to our legal and professional obligations.

Your Rights, Choices and Controls

“As a client or website user, you have a number of rights with regard to the personal information we hold about you at law (e.g. personal data) and in common law (e.g. attorney-client privilege), which include the following:

Access: You may ask for and be given access to certain personal information we hold about you.
Correction: You may ask for correction of any inaccurate or incomplete personal information we hold about you.
Restriction: You may ask us to restrict or block the use of your personal information in some circumstances.
Withdraw Consent: Where pursuant to individual legal requirements our processing is based on your consent (for example marketing communications), you have the right to these consents being withdrawn at any time.
Closure/Destruction of File upon Completion of Services: You may ask for us to close or destroy your file, subject to applicable legal requirements.

If you would like us to exercise any of these rights with regard to your personal information, please contact us at (512) 263-2666 or via our online form.

Use of Cookies and Other Website Analytics

Our site employs the use of cookies and similar technologies to improve our site, understand usage and site visitation, and optimize content. Cookies are small bits of data that are stored on your device or computer, allowing us to analyze visits by our users, remember your preferences, and evaluate performance metrics. We may also utilize third party analytics software-like Google Analytics-which could collect de-identified information about site traffic and visits.

Cookies can be controlled or disabled from within your browser settings. If you disable cookies you may not be able to use certain features of our site. We do not use persistent cookies, whether first or third party, to collect sensitive personal information or track individuals across sites unrelated to ours. For more information, please review our Cookie Policy.

Links to Other Sites and Third Parties

Our website may provide links to other websites or resources as a convenience to you. Weichert Law Firm is not responsible for the privacy or security of third party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies on all third party websites before providing personal information. Any links or mentions of third party companies or services do not imply endorsement or recommendation by our firm.

Children Under 16

Weichert Law Firm does not knowingly collect or solicit personal information from children under 13. We make our services available to, and our website is intended for, adults and children who are seeking consultation or representation with a lawyer. If we inadvertently obtain personal information from or about anyone under the age of 13, please contact us immediately at (512) 263-2666 so that we can delete the information as soon as reasonably practical.

Communications and Marketing

Our Firm may use your contact information to provide you legal alerts, newsletters, invitations to events or other communications relevant to our Services, where permitted by applicable law. You may opt out of receiving any such message at any time by following the opt-out or unsubscribe instructions in the message or contacting us directly. We do not use information obtained in connection with a lawyer-client relationship for marketing purposes, including creating marketing lists, except with your express permission.

Transfers of Data

Weichert Law Firm (“we”, “our”, or “us”) is located in Austin, Texas and provides service in the Central Texas area. There may be times when information is transferred or accessible outside of the US (for example, if our client lives outside of the US, or when using certain cloud services). In that event, we will attempt to make sure your Personal Information is safeguarded according to this Privacy Policy and the law.

Processing of Personal Information

We use one or more of the following legal bases to process your personal information:

When we need to perform a contract with you (for example, providing legal services or other advice at your request).
When we need to comply with a legal obligation (for example, regulatory obligations or court orders).
Our legitimate interests (conducting and managing our business and services to our clients).
Your consent to our processing (usually, but not necessarily exclusively, where you have selected a marketing contact preference).

We have balanced the above against your rights and interests and only process your personal information in a manner that we consider necessary and proportionate.

Modifications to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to change this Privacy Policy from time to time in order to account for changes in our practices or in the law or technology. We encourage you to review this page from time to time in order to be aware of what information we gather, how we use it, and under what circumstances we may disclose it. The date of the latest revision will appear at the bottom of the policy. Your continued use of the website or services constitutes your acceptance of such changes.

Contact Us

If you have questions, comments, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy, please contact The Weichert Law Firm at:
Phone: (512) 263-2666
Fax: (512) 263-2698
Address: 3821 Juniper Trace, Ste 106, Austin, TX 78738

You can also use the contact form provided on our website. We attempt to reply to all inquiries in a reasonable manner and will attempt to address any issues you may have regarding your privacy and any data we collect. For more information, please visit our Contact The Weichert Law Firm page.

Filing of Complaints and Dispute Resolution

“If you believe your rights have been violated or if you are dissatisfied with our handling of your information, we hope you will contact us so we may attempt to resolve the matter. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may have grounds to file a complaint with the Texas State Bar or other regulatory authority.” “We have and will continue to maintain the highest professional and client service standards.”

Privacy Rights of California and Other States

If you are a resident of the State of California or another state that extends certain privacy rights to your personal information, you may have additional rights with respect to your personal information, such as the right to request information about our data handling practices, request access to specific pieces of personal information collected, or request deletion of your personal information. The Weichert Law Firm will fully respect all such applicable state privacy laws, and honor any such disclosures or requests for assistance. To effect such rights, please contact us at (512) 263-2666.

Honoring Your Privacy

“The Weichert Law Firm always protects your privacy. We understand that the matters you may disclose to us are sensitive so our attorneys and staff members hold confidentiality at all times and comply with all laws and ethical rules to ensure you receive service which is informative, respectful, and professional. All clients are invited to communicate any concerns about our privacy procedures.”

Summary and Acknowledgment

By utilizing The Weichert Law Firm or our website, you agree to the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy. You are also encouraged to read this Privacy Policy in detail and call us with any questions or requests for clarification. Our priorities in this matter are honoring your privacy and providing you quality legal representation with integrity.

Call our Austin, Texas criminal law firm for experienced counsel throughout Central Texas.
Call (512) 263-2666 to begin your consultation with The Weichert Law Firm.