Cybersecurity & Privacy

The culture of privacy and data protection continues to evolve; from personal information to product specifications, intellectual property and other confidential commercial information, businesses are dealing with increased pressure to protect and properly store data.

Given this evolution and increased awareness, the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information involve critical considerations for both businesses and individuals.  Federal and provincial privacy and access laws, such as the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”), can impact a number of areas crucial to your business, while provincial privacy laws governing personal health information, federal anti-spam legislation, and the pervasiveness of social media also demonstrate the expanding need for privacy expertise.

In this complex landscape, Cox & Palmer provides ongoing practical advice on privacy, data protection and cybersecurity matters and develops realistic, effective solutions for our individual, public and private sector clients.

The Team

 Our lawyers have extensive knowledge and experience in all aspects of privacy and access law and have appeared before various levels of court in Nova Scotia and Ontario. We work closely with our clients and other practice groups within the firm to provide sector-specific advice that’s tailored to each client’s needs.

Members of our team have backgrounds in security consulting, including a team member designated as a Certified Information and Privacy Professional of the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).

We are also able to engage a network of preferred vendors in the areas of crisis communications, forensic services, insurance and IT support who are ready to help.

Service Offerings

Our clients rely on us for providing a number of difference services in the privacy, data protection and cybersecurity fields, including:

• Developing compliance and risk management strategies, including the preparation of privacy policies specific to your needs – from a sole proprietor to a large organization, including website privacy policies;
• Drafting and reviewing contractual provisions for various agreements, RFPs and other documents to ensure the protection of personal information and other confidential information;
• Planning for the proper collection, use, disclosure and retention of personal information and ensuring compliance with changing privacy and access laws;
• Privacy and access training for private and public clients and their employees;
• Making and responding to complaints and submissions to both the Federal and Provincial Privacy Commissioners;
• Making, receiving and responding to FOIPOP and other information access requests;
• Preparing for and responding to data breaches, including drafting data breach response plans, and advising on data breach reporting and record-keeping requirements;
• Social media privacy management, particularly in the workplace;
• Advising on anti-spam (CASL) compliance, including drafting and implementing related policies and statements; and
• Drafting cross-border data sharing agreements.