Privacy policy. How Liz handles your information.
Effective October 23, 2026. Last updated October 23, 2026.
The short version
Liz collects only what she needs to answer you and, if you hire her, to do your legal work.
She never sells your information or uses it for advertising.
What you tell her about a legal matter is also confidential under the Law Society of Ontario's rules.
Some of the services she uses store information outside Canada, including in the United States.
You can ask to see or correct what Liz holds about you. Contact details are at the end.
Who is responsible
Lyschin Paralegal Services is the practice of Lyschin (Liz) Smith, a licensed paralegal and Family Legal Services Provider in Ontario. Liz is personally responsible for how the practice handles personal information.
Personal information means information about an identifiable person, such as your name, contact details, or details of your legal matter. Canada's federal privacy law, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), applies to the practice. This policy covers information collected through this website, by phone, by email, in person, and while Liz works on a matter.
What Liz collects
From the website contact form: your name, phone number, email, a subject and your message.
When you book an appointment: your name, contact details and the time you choose.
When you call or email: whatever you choose to share.
If you hire Liz: what your matter needs. That can include documents, court or tribunal records, the names of other people involved, and financial information where the law calls for it (for example, income for child support).
To verify your identity: the Law Society of Ontario requires paralegals to verify who their clients are. For notarizing, Liz checks your ID in person. To commission an affidavit remotely, she uses an online identity check, because holding ID up to a camera is no longer enough.
Please don't put confidential details or documents in the website form. A short note about what you need help with is enough. Liz will follow up and tell you the best way to send anything more.
Why Liz collects it
To reply to you and arrange a consultation.
To check for conflicts of interest before taking on a matter, as the Law Society requires.
To provide legal, notary and commissioning services, and bill for them.
To verify your identity where the Law Society requires it.
To keep the records the Law Society and the law require.
Liz doesn't use your information for marketing or newsletters unless you ask to receive them.
Your consent
When you contact Liz, you agree to her using what you send to reply to you. She asks before using your information for anything else. You can withdraw your consent at any time, but the Law Society still requires her to keep some records. Withdrawing consent may also mean she can't keep working on your matter.
The tools Liz uses
Like most practices, Liz uses cloud-based services and other software and technology tools from trusted providers. They store, organize, analyze, transcribe, translate and help prepare information and documents for your matter. Liz makes reasonable efforts to choose providers that protect information, and to use the settings available to limit how they keep or use it, such as stopping it from being used to improve their own products. She remains responsible for your information, and she reviews all work done on your matter.
Who sees it
Liz, and anyone working under her supervision, who must keep it confidential. It is shared outside the practice only:
with the providers described above, such as the company that hosts this website and the services that run her email and files;
with the court or tribunal hearing your matter, and the other side or their representative, only as the court's or tribunal's rules require and on your instructions. For example, documents filed in a case must also be given to the other side, such as the prosecutor in a traffic case or the landlord or tenant in a rental dispute. Liz shares only what the process requires;
with people who help with your matter, such as interpreters or process servers, who receive only what they need for their task;
with the Law Society of Ontario, when it reviews or audits the practice, as the law allows;
when the law requires it, for example under a court order;
with your permission, for example to refer you to a lawyer if your matter is outside what a paralegal can do.
Liz never sells, rents or trades personal information.
Where it is stored
Information may be stored or processed on servers outside Ontario or Canada, including in the United States, where the company that hosts this website keeps its data. While it is there, it is subject to that country's laws, and its courts, law enforcement and national security authorities may be able to access it. Liz takes reasonable care to keep any paper documents secure.
How it is protected
Access to client files is limited to Liz and people working under her supervision, and accounts are protected with passwords and other security measures.
Email and text messages are convenient but not perfectly secure. If you'd rather send something another way, just ask.
If a privacy breach creates a real risk of significant harm to you, Liz will tell you and report it to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, as the law requires.
How long it is kept
Client files, including identification records, are kept for at least six years after a matter ends, and longer where the Law Society's rules or the law require. They are then securely destroyed. Messages from people who don't become clients are kept only as long as needed, including for conflict checks.
Cookies and visit counts
This website uses a small number of cookies set by its website platform. Some keep the site working and secure. Others count visits, so Liz can see how many people use the site and which pages they read. The site doesn't use advertising cookies or cross-site tracking. The contact form also uses a spam-protection service, which receives some technical information about your visit. You can block cookies in your browser settings.
Your rights
You can ask Liz:
what personal information she holds about you, how it has been used, and who it has been shared with;
to correct anything that is wrong;
to stop using your information for anything that isn't required.
Liz will answer within 30 days. She may need to confirm your identity first. In a few cases the law allows or requires her to hold something back, for example information about someone else.
Questions or complaints
Contact Liz first:
Email: lyschin@lyschinparalegal.ca
Phone: 647-875-5927
If you aren't satisfied with her answer, you can complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. Concerns about a paralegal's conduct can go to the Law Society of Ontario.
Changes to this policy
Liz updates this policy when the practice's tools or the law change. The date at the top shows the latest version.