We are committed to the privacy of every client.
We are committed to the privacy of every client. We recognize that our clients entrust important personal information to us, and we take seriously our responsibility to protect and safeguard this information. Our long-standing privacy policies and practices are described below.
What type of non-public personal information do we collect?
The nonpublic personal information that we collect relating to individual clients will vary with the purpose and scope of our representation. When we advise a client on personal injury matters, the information we collect will include:
- Information that a client has provided to us;
- Information about our client or our client's transactions with others, provided by others whom our client has requested or authorized us to contact;
- Information about our relationship with and our services to our client.
For example, for personal injury cases, we will typically collect all relevant personal information, including information about our client's insurance policies, medical bills, medical records and lost pay.
What type of information might we disclose, and to whom?
We adhere to our professional duty to keep confidential all nonpublic personal information relating to a client's representation. We do not disclose personal information about any current or former client except as required or permitted by law or by the Massachusetts Code of Professional Responsibility. We may disclose personal information if necessary to carry out, administer or enforce a transaction that our client has requested or authorized us to perform. In that connection, we may make such disclosures to:
- Our employees, agents or consultants who are assisting us in serving our client;
- At our client's direction or with his or her consent, the client's insurance companies, the client's medical providers and their billing representatives; and, other insurance companies when deemed appropriate to the advancement of the client's case;
- Any person whom we jointly represent with our client. For example, if our client and his or her spouse have both requested personal injury legal services from us, we may consider our representation of husband and wife as joint and may share information provided by one with the other, unless otherwise agreed;
- Any other person or entity to whom our client has authorized our making a disclosure, or to whom disclosure is required by law or applicable rules of procedure.
YOUR PRIVACY, OUR PROFESSIONAL ETHICS, AND OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH QUALITY LEGAL SERVICES ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO US. WE INVITE YOU TO CONTACT ATTORNEY SHUTE DIRECTLY IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR PRIVACY POLICY.