Privacy Policy

The Law Office of Brandon Martin (“the firm,” “we,” “us”) respects your privacy. This policy explains what information this website collects, why we collect it, how we use and protect it, and the choices you have. It applies to this website only. It does not describe our obligations to clients, which are governed by California law, the California Rules of Professional Conduct, and our written engagement agreement — all of which are stricter than this policy.

Information you give us

We collect information only when you choose to provide it — for example, when you complete the contact form, book a consultation through our scheduling provider, send us an email, or call the office. That information typically includes your name, telephone number, email address, and whatever you choose to tell us about your situation. Please do not send confidential or sensitive details through the website form; a short description is enough to get the conversation started.

Information collected automatically

Like most websites, this site’s hosting provider records basic technical information when you visit: your IP address, browser type and version, device type, the pages you view, the time of your visit, and the referring page. This information is used to keep the site running properly, to secure it against abuse, and to understand in aggregate which pages are useful. We do not use it to identify you personally.

Cookies and analytics

This site may use cookies — small text files stored by your browser — to remember your preferences and to gather anonymous usage statistics. You can refuse or delete cookies through your browser settings; the site will still work. If we use an analytics service, it is configured to report visits in aggregate rather than to build a profile of you. We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with advertisers, and we do not display third-party advertising on this site.

Third-party services

Scheduling is handled by an outside provider (TidyCal), and video content may be hosted on YouTube. When you use those features, you are also interacting with those companies, and their own privacy policies govern the information they collect. We encourage you to read them. Linking to a third-party site is not an endorsement of its content or its privacy practices.

How we use your information

We use the information you provide to respond to you, to schedule and conduct a consultation, to run a conflicts check before taking on a matter, and, if you become a client, to provide legal services. We may also use your contact information to send you information you have asked for. We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it with anyone except as described here or as required by law.

SMS and text message communications

We may communicate with you via SMS text messages regarding your legal matters, appointment reminders, case updates, deadline notifications, and other communications related to the legal representation. We do not use SMS for bulk marketing or promotional messaging. All text messages are related to your specific legal matter or our attorney-client relationship. Message frequency varies.

Text messaging originator opt-in data and consent will not be shared with any third parties, excluding aggregators and providers of the Text Message services.

You may opt out of receiving text messages at any time by replying STOP to any message, by contacting our office directly at (661) 489-0000, or by sending an email request to the firm at brandon@brandonmartinlaw.com. Reply HELP for assistance.

Standard message and data rates may apply based on your mobile carrier’s plan. We are not responsible for any charges incurred from your mobile carrier for text messages.

Text messages may not be encrypted and may not be secure. Please do not send confidential or sensitive information via text message. For confidential communications, please contact our office by phone.

Confidentiality of prospective-client information

California law protects information you share with a lawyer while consulting about possible representation, even if we never end up working together. We treat inquiries accordingly. Be aware, however, that information sent over the internet or by unencrypted email is not perfectly secure, and that submitting a form does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.

How long we keep it

We keep inquiry information only as long as we need it for the purposes described above, to run conflicts checks, and to meet our professional and legal record-keeping obligations. Client files are retained under the terms of the engagement agreement and applicable professional rules.

Security

We take reasonable administrative and technical measures to protect the information we hold. No system is perfectly secure, and we cannot guarantee the security of information transmitted to us over the internet.

Your California privacy rights

Depending on the circumstances, California residents may have the right to request the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about them, to request deletion of that information, to correct inaccurate information, and not to be discriminated against for exercising those rights. We do not sell or share personal information as those terms are defined by California law. To make a request, contact us using the details below; we may need to verify your identity, and some information may be exempt because of our professional obligations.

Children

This site is intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 13. If you believe a child has provided us information, please contact us and we will delete it.

Do Not Track

Because there is no industry-standard response to browser “Do Not Track” signals, this site does not currently respond to them.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows when it was last revised, and the current version always governs. Continuing to use the site after a change means you accept the updated policy.

Contact

Questions about this policy, or requests concerning your information, may be directed to the Law Office of Brandon Martin at brandon@brandonmartinlaw.com, by telephone at (661) 489-0000, or by mail at [Street address], Bakersfield, CA [ZIP].