Privacy Policy

The privacy of our clients and, where applicable, their customers, is important to Serotte Law Firm LLC (“Firm”), and maintaining our clients’ trust and confidence is one of our highest priorities. We respect our clients’ right to keep personal information confidential.

With attorneys licensed and practicing in New York State, the Firm complies with the applicable Rules of Professional Conduct for New York State. Information we receive from our clients is protected according to these Rules of Professional Conduct, and such information may be shared with courts and others as required by law, or as may be required during our legal representation of those clients.

I. Acquisition of Client Information

The Firm collects nonpublic personal information about our clients and, where applicable, their customers, from the following sources:

• Information Our Clients Provide—Client engagements routinely require us to obtain private information about our clients and their customers so that we can proceed with the various services we perform for our clients as part of the professional relationship.
• Other Sources—Depending upon the particular services a client has engaged the Firm to complete, we may request nonpublic information concerning the matter at hand. However, this information is never obtained without our client’s specific authorization for the type of information and the source(s) from which it may be obtained.

II. Disclosure of Nonpublic Information

Our Firm’s policy is never to disclose nonpublic information about our clients and/or our clients’ customers. Nonpublic personal information is defined in the applicable laws, rules, and regulations as any non-publicly available information that we acquire by using information our clients have provided us in connection with any professional services we perform, which is not public information. An example would be a bank account number that is somehow used to acquire information regarding a public record that would not have been found by us without using the bank account number acquired from our client. In a generic sense, any information that a client provides us is likely considered nonpublic personal information and receives the same protection from disclosure as all other information about our clients and/or our clients’ customers. For purposes of our business relationships with our clients, all information acquired is disclosed only under the following conditions:

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• Employees of the Firm—Employees who need such information to conclude a transaction for which the client has engaged the Firm.
• Service Providers—As with any business, we have our own accounting, insurance, and other service firms that we may need to provide information that applicable laws, rules, and regulations consider nonpublic personal information. An example would be computer consultants that must have access to certain client records so as to be able to increase the efficiency of our computer processing systems. We mandate that any such information that needs to be disclosed for a business purpose be considered confidential and not used for any purpose other than the specific business need.
• Others—Other than as stated above, we do not disclose nonpublic personal information, or any other information, to any outside party without specific client authorization. An example would be other professionals who are assisting the Firm in carrying a client engagement. In such a case, we would require the client’s approval for such a disclosure. No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All the above categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.

III. Security Arrangements

We maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards that comply with federal regulations to guard our clients’ and/or clients’ customers’ nonpublic personal information, to ensure our clients that their privacy is a major part of the Firm’s commitment to provide the best service possible.

Examples of such physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards include:

• Use of security codes to enter the office before or after office hours.
• Utilization of a locked server room that is only accessible to the IT department.
• Password-protected computers and accounts.
• Use of security cameras near the server room door and at points of ingress and egress throughout the Firm.

For a complete list of the Firm’s safeguards, please see Section VI of the Employee Handbook.

IV. Third-Party Caller Identification

Before disclosing any personally identifiable information or otherwise discussing the merits of any matter (including, but not limited the existence, nature, or amount of a debt) with an unknown third party, a reasonable inquiry shall be conducted to determine the identity of an incoming or outcoming telephone call. All employees communicating via telephone with unknown third parties shall attempt to obtain three independent points of verification. These points include, but are not limited to name, address, telephone number, account number, and last four of digits of social security number.

V. Enforcement

The Firm uses a self-assessment approach to ensure compliance with this Privacy Policy. Depending on the nature of the breach, the Firm’s Human Resource Director, the Firm’s Managing Partner, or any one of the Firm’s partners may get involved.

VI. Amendments

The Firm reserves the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time consistent with the requirements of federal and state law. If the Firm decides to materially change its Privacy Policy, employees of the Firm will be notified of these changes.