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Cookie Policy

Last updated: December 15, 2024

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device (computer, tablet, or mobile phone) when you visit a website. They help websites remember information about your visit, such as your preferred language, login status, and other settings that can make your next visit easier and the site more useful to you.

Cookies are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and to provide information to website owners about how their site is being used.

2. How We Use Cookies

Mestocolle Legal Services uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience, analyze website performance, and provide personalized content. We use cookies for the following purposes:

2.1 Essential Website Functionality

  • Maintaining your session while browsing our website
  • Remembering your cookie preferences
  • Ensuring website security and preventing fraud
  • Enabling basic website features and navigation

2.2 Performance and Analytics

  • Understanding how visitors use our website
  • Analyzing traffic patterns and popular content
  • Identifying technical issues and improving website performance
  • Measuring the effectiveness of our content and services

2.3 Functionality and Personalization

  • Remembering your preferences and settings
  • Customizing content based on your interests
  • Providing personalized recommendations
  • Enhancing user experience across visits

3. Types of Cookies We Use

3.1 Essential Cookies

These cookies are necessary for our website to function properly and cannot be turned off. They are usually set in response to actions you take, such as setting privacy preferences, logging in, or filling out forms.

Cookie Name Purpose Duration
session_id Maintains your session while browsing Session
cookie_consent Remembers your cookie preferences 1 year
security_token Protects against cross-site request forgery Session

3.2 Performance Cookies

These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting anonymous information about pages visited, time spent on the site, and any error messages encountered.

Cookie Name Purpose Duration
_ga Google Analytics - distinguishes users 2 years
_ga_* Google Analytics - property-specific 2 years
analytics_session Tracks user behavior during session 30 minutes

3.3 Functionality Cookies

These cookies allow our website to remember choices you make and provide enhanced, more personal features.

Cookie Name Purpose Duration
language_pref Remembers your language preference 1 year
font_size Remembers your accessibility preferences 1 year
theme_pref Remembers your display preferences 6 months

3.4 Marketing Cookies

These cookies track your browsing habits to enable us to show advertising that is more likely to be of interest to you. They may also be used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement.

Cookie Name Purpose Duration
marketing_id Tracks user for targeted advertising 90 days
campaign_source Tracks which campaigns bring users to our site 30 days

4. Third-Party Cookies

Our website may also use third-party cookies from external services:

4.1 Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to analyze website traffic and user behavior. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect anonymous information about how visitors use our site.

  • Purpose: Website analytics and performance monitoring
  • Data collected: Page views, session duration, bounce rate, user demographics
  • Privacy policy: Google Privacy Policy

4.2 Social Media Plugins

Our website includes social media sharing buttons that may set cookies from social media platforms.

  • Facebook: Facebook Privacy Policy
  • Twitter: Twitter Privacy Policy
  • LinkedIn: LinkedIn Privacy Policy

5. Cookie Duration

Cookies can be classified by how long they remain on your device:

5.1 Session Cookies

  • Temporary cookies that are deleted when you close your browser
  • Used for essential website functionality
  • Cannot be used to track you between different websites

5.2 Persistent Cookies

  • Remain on your device for a specified period
  • Used to remember your preferences and settings
  • Enable personalized content and analytics
  • Automatically expire after the set duration

6. Managing Your Cookie Preferences

6.1 Cookie Consent Banner

When you first visit our website, you'll see a cookie consent banner that allows you to:

  • Accept all cookies
  • Accept only necessary cookies
  • Customize your cookie preferences

6.2 Cookie Settings

You can change your cookie preferences at any time by:

  • Clicking the "Cookie Settings" link in our website footer
  • Using the cookie preferences panel
  • Managing cookies through your browser settings

6.3 Browser Settings

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings:

Chrome

  1. Click the three dots menu → Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
  2. Choose your preferred cookie settings
  3. Manage exceptions for specific sites

Firefox

  1. Click the menu button → Options → Privacy & Security
  2. Under "Cookies and Site Data," choose your settings
  3. Click "Manage Data" to view and delete specific cookies

Safari

  1. Go to Safari → Preferences → Privacy
  2. Choose your cookie blocking settings
  3. Click "Manage Website Data" to view and remove specific cookies

Edge

  1. Click the three dots menu → Settings → Cookies and site permissions
  2. Choose "Cookies and site data"
  3. Configure your cookie preferences

7. Impact of Disabling Cookies

While you can disable cookies, doing so may affect your browsing experience:

7.1 Essential Cookies

Disabling essential cookies may result in:

  • Inability to submit contact forms
  • Loss of session data when navigating
  • Reduced website functionality
  • Security vulnerabilities

7.2 Performance Cookies

Disabling performance cookies may result in:

  • Less relevant content recommendations
  • Reduced ability to improve website performance
  • Limited understanding of user preferences

7.3 Marketing Cookies

Disabling marketing cookies may result in:

  • Less relevant advertising
  • Repeated display of the same advertisements
  • Inability to track campaign effectiveness

8. Cookies and Personal Data

8.1 Data Protection

Cookie data is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws, including:

  • Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)
  • Provincial privacy legislation
  • Other applicable privacy laws

8.2 Data Retention

Cookie data is retained for different periods depending on the cookie type:

  • Session cookies: Deleted when browser is closed
  • Essential cookies: Retained for necessary functionality
  • Analytics cookies: Typically retained for 2 years
  • Marketing cookies: Typically retained for 90 days

9. Cookie Security

We implement security measures to protect cookie data:

  • Secure transmission using HTTPS
  • HttpOnly flags to prevent client-side access
  • Secure flags for sensitive cookies
  • SameSite attributes to prevent cross-site attacks
  • Regular security audits and updates

10. Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed to children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children through cookies. If we become aware that we have collected such information, we will take steps to delete it promptly.

11. International Data Transfers

Some cookies may involve the transfer of data to countries outside Canada. When this occurs, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with Canadian privacy laws.

12. Updates to This Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect:

  • Changes in our cookie practices
  • New technologies and tracking methods
  • Legal or regulatory requirements
  • Improvements to our website functionality

When we make significant changes, we will:

  • Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy
  • Notify you through our website or email
  • Seek fresh consent when required by law

13. Contact Information

If you have questions about our use of cookies or this Cookie Policy, please contact us:

Mestocolle Legal Services

Privacy Officer: Sarah Mitchell

Address:
1200 Bay Street, Suite 300
Toronto, ON M5R 2A5
Canada

Phone: +1 (416) 305-4490
Email: [email protected]

14. Cookie Preferences

You can manage your cookie preferences by clicking the button below:

This Cookie Policy was last updated on December 15, 2024. Please review this policy regularly to stay informed about our cookie practices.

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