We take your privacy seriously - here's the straight talk on how we handle your information
Last Updated: November 13, 2025
Look, we get it - privacy policies can be a slog to read through. But when you're dealing with immigration matters and international business stuff, your personal info is pretty sensitive. So we figured you'd actually want to know what happens with it.
At Blackthorn Odyssey, we've been helping folks navigate complex immigration and international business law since we opened our doors. Over the years, we've learned that trust isn't just handed out - it's earned. That's why we're upfront about our data practices.
This policy covers everything we do with your personal information when you use our website, contact us for legal services, or work with us as a client. We're bound by Canada's privacy laws (PIPEDA, for those keeping score), and we take those obligations seriously.
When you reach out or become a client, we'll typically collect stuff like your name, email, phone number, and mailing address. Pretty standard. But depending on what you need help with, we might also need:
Like most websites these days, ours automatically picks up some technical info when you visit. We're talking about your IP address, browser type, what pages you check out, and how long you stick around. Nothing creepy - just the basics to keep our site running smoothly and figure out what's working.
We keep records of our conversations - emails, phone calls, consultation notes. That's partly because we're lawyers and need to document everything, and partly because it helps us serve you better. If you'd rather we didn't record something specific, just let us know.
We're not gonna beat around the bush - here's what we do with your information:
This is the big one. We use your info to prepare visa applications, draft contracts, file corporate documents, negotiate on your behalf - basically all the legal work you're hiring us to do.
We'll use your contact info to update you on your case, send appointment reminders, and occasionally share relevant legal updates that might affect you. We won't spam you with marketing junk without your OK.
Sometimes we're required by law to keep certain records or report specific information. It's not fun, but it's part of running a law practice. Trust us, we only do this when we absolutely have to.
We look at aggregate data (not individual files) to figure out how we can do better. Like if everyone's struggling with a particular form, maybe we need to create a better guide for it.
What we DON'T do: Sell your data, use it for unrelated marketing, or share it with random third parties. That's not our style.
We're pretty protective of your information, but there are times when we need to share it:
When we're filing immigration applications, business registrations, or court documents, we're obviously sharing your info with the relevant authorities. That's literally what you're paying us to do.
We work with a handful of carefully vetted companies - our cloud storage provider, email service, accounting software, etc. They only get access to what they absolutely need, and they're all bound by strict confidentiality agreements.
Sometimes your case needs an accountant, notary, or another specialist. We'll only bring them in with your explicit OK, and they're bound by the same confidentiality rules we are.
If we get a valid court order or subpoena, we have to comply. We'll fight overbroad requests, but at the end of the day, we're officers of the court.
One thing we've learned over the years - legitimate service providers respect privacy. If someone's asking for more data than they need, that's a red flag we don't ignore.
Security's not just an IT thing for us - it's baked into how we operate. Here's what we've got in place:
All data transmission is encrypted (that's the little padlock in your browser). Our databases are encrypted too. And physical files? Locked cabinets in a secure office.
Only team members who need access to your file get it. Everyone's got unique logins, and we track who accesses what. Nobody's just browsing through files out of curiosity.
We backup everything regularly. If something goes wrong, we can restore your data. Backups are encrypted and stored securely, naturally.
Everyone on our team gets trained on privacy and security. It's not a one-time thing either - we do regular refreshers because threats evolve.
No security system is 100% bulletproof. We do our absolute best, but if there's ever a breach affecting your data, we'll let you know ASAP and tell you what we're doing about it. That's the law, but it's also just the right thing to do.
Yeah, we use cookies. But before you close this tab, let us explain what that actually means in plain English.
These are the ones that make the website actually work. They remember you're logged into our client portal, keep items in your contact form, that sort of thing. Can't really turn these off without breaking the site.
We use these to understand how people use our site. Like, if everyone's bouncing from a particular page, maybe we wrote it poorly or it's confusing. We use Google Analytics but have it configured to anonymize your IP address.
No advertising cookies, no social media trackers, no creepy retargeting pixels. We're a law firm, not a marketing company.
Most browsers let you control cookies through their settings. You can block them entirely, though that might make some parts of our site wonky. Here's how to do it in major browsers: Chrome (Settings > Privacy), Firefox (Options > Privacy), Safari (Preferences > Privacy). Your call entirely.
Under Canadian privacy law, you've got some solid rights when it comes to your personal info. Here's what you can do:
You can ask to see what personal information we have about you. We'll provide it within 30 days, usually sooner. There might be some legal documents we can't share due to privilege, but we'll explain why.
Spot something wrong? Let us know and we'll fix it. This is actually really important for immigration cases where incorrect info can cause serious problems.
You can ask us to delete your information. But heads up - we might need to keep some stuff for legal reasons (like if there's an ongoing case or we're required to retain records for a certain period). We'll be straight with you about what we can and can't delete.
If you gave us permission to use your info for something specific (like sending newsletters), you can withdraw that consent anytime. Just shoot us an email.
If you think we've mishandled your personal info, you can complain to us directly, or go straight to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. We'd prefer you come to us first so we can make it right, but it's your choice.
To exercise any of these rights, just email us at contact@blackthornodyssey.info or call (416) 789-4521. We'll verify your identity (gotta make sure we're not giving your info to someone else) and get back to you promptly.
We don't keep your data forever - that'd be weird and probably illegal. Here's our approach:
While we're working on your case, we keep everything. That's obvious, right? Can't help you if we're deleting stuff mid-case.
Once your case wraps up, we typically keep your file for 7-10 years. That might seem like a long time, but there are good reasons:
If you contacted us but didn't become a client, we'll keep your initial inquiry for about 2 years in case you circle back. After that, it gets deleted unless there's a specific reason to keep it.
If you signed up for our newsletter or updates, we'll keep your contact info until you unsubscribe. Simple as that.