Effective Date: August 2013
Last Updated: April 2022
This Policy describes how we treat personal information on the sites where it is posted or is referenced. This includes our websites and mobile sites. This policy does not apply to information we may collect in any other forums. To download a full copy of this Privacy Policy, click here.
We collect and use information from and about you.
Illinois Legal Aid Online (and the vendors and other parties we use to perform services on our behalf), collect, receive, and develop several categories of personal information about you depending on the nature of your interactions with us. For example:
We collect contact information
For example, we might collect your name, your company name and street address. We might also collect your phone number, fax number or email address.
We collect account information
For example, we may collect your username and password if you create an account on our site. We may also collect any other information you submit while creating an account, including your photo.
We collect employment-related and professional information
When you apply for a job or volunteer opportunity, we collect information you submit as part of your application. This might include job information such as the name and address of your employer, your work experience and previous employment, your education, and your workplace skill sets and certifications and other information on your resume. We may also collect your Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission number and other professional-related information in connection with the continuing legal education services we provide on our sites.
We collect information you submit or post
We collect the information you submit to us or otherwise post on or to our website. This may include feedback, submissions, or questions you submit. We also collect the information you provide when seeking legal help. We collect comments you post about articles on our sites and other information when you contact us.
We collect payment information
For example, if you make a donation, our vendors may collect your payment information, including credit card number and your billing information, on our behalf to process the transaction. They may also collect this information if you buy a ticket to an event or make any other purchase through our sites.
We collect demographic information
We may collect information like your zip code, gender, income and age. We may also collect information you provide about your race, ethnicity, languages spoken, or military status and citizenship status. We may collect information about your marital status, family size, disability status, child support information, and other information that will help determine if you qualify for legal help.
We collect usage and device information
We may collect information about the device or browser you are using, including device identifiers or your IP address. We might look at what site you came from, or what site you visit when you leave us. We may collect and record page interaction information and other electronic communications and content from your use of the site (such as content entry, mouse movements, screen captures, the date, time, and location of your visit, what areas of the websites you visit and for how long, what search terms or other data you enter, and what products or content or links you view and click on), and methods used to browse away from the page. We may also embed technologies (which may include, for example, web beacons, tags, and pixels) in the emails and other communications we or our vendors send to you to help us understand how you interact with those messages, such as whether and when you opened a message or clicked on any content within the message. We may engage or otherwise permit other parties to also collect information in these ways.
We collect location information
We may collect information about your location. This may include your precise location. We may collect this using different types of technologies, including GPS and WiFi.
We collect and develop Inferences.
Using the other pieces of personal information collected about you, we may draw inferences about you, reflecting what we believe to be your characteristics or experiences you had.
We collect information from various sources.
We collect information directly from you.
For example, we collect information from you when you sign up for our emails, create an account, submit posts, contribute content to our sites, make a donation or seek legal help. We also collect information when you apply for legal help or register for an event. We collect information when you ask us questions or provide feedback. We also collect information when you submit a request to receive Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit.
We collect information from you passively.
We use tracking tools and other technologies, like browser cookies, web beacons, tags and pixels to collect information about you and how you interact with our sites or emails. We collect information about you across websites and devices and over time when you use our sites, read our newsletters or interact with emails we or our vendors provide. Learn more about these tools, and how you can control them, here.
We may get information about you from our vendors.
For example, vendors that host or maintain our sites or send emails for us may give us information. Our employment and payment processing vendors may also give us information, such as the contact information of our donors. Our marketing and technology vendors, and analytics providers may also provide us with information about you.
We receive information about you from other sources.
Other parties may give us personal information about you. These other parties might include business partners and social media platforms that may give us information about you they have collected either directly or indirectly from you. We also use features on our sites, such as submission forms and chatting features, that let your friends or people you know give us your information.
We combine information.
For example, we may combine information that we have collected offline with information we collect online. Or we may combine information we get from another party with information we already have.
We use information as disclosed and described here.
We use information to respond to your requests or questions or to provide our services.
For example, we might use your information to respond to your comments or customer feedback. We may also use your information to process your request for MCLE credit. We will also use your information to attempt to match you with a legal aid service provider if you apply for legal help. We or our service providers may also use your information to fulfill your request to register for an event.
We use information to assess, develop, and improve our sites and services.
We may use your information to make our website and services better and to develop our services and products. We might use your information to customize your experience with us. For example, we might use your information to store your password if you register for our site. We may also use your information to conduct research and analysis in connection with our services.
We use information comply with our obligations and for security and safety purposes.
We may use information to protect our company, our customers, our websites and others. We may also use information to comply with our legal obligations.
We use information to administer our websites.
For example, we use personal information to administer the websites, including troubleshooting, testing, analyzing and surveying.
We use information for marketing purposes.
For example, we might send you information about legal developments in which we think you may be interested, about us, our sites, upcoming events, or other products or services that may be of interest to you, or to request your help in supporting our organization. These might be related to our own organization or to other organizations that we think you might be interested in. To manage this, read the “You have certain choices about sharing and marketing practices” section below.
We use information to communicate with you about our relationship.
We may contact you to get your feedback. We might also contact you about this Policy and our site Terms.
We use information for hiring purposes.
We use information to review your job applications and contact you about employment or volunteer opportunities.
We use information as we may notify you from time to time or otherwise permitted or required by law.
We may share information with others.
We may share information within our organization (including our affiliated organizations).
We will share information with vendors who perform services on our behalf.
For example, we share information with vendors who help us send emails, process donations or event registrations, and operate our sites. This may include website analytics vendors. Some vendors may be located outside of the United States.
We may share your information with organizations that perform legal services.
For example, if you apply for legal aid, we may forward your information to one of our legal services partners. Also, if you participate in a legal services or public interest program and have registered on one of our sites, your name, e-mail address, work phone number, and other information may be accessed by other registered users who also work for a legal services or public interest program.
We will share information with our business partners.
If we provide joint services or collaborate with others in providing services, we may share information with such business partners. If you apply for legal aid, we will share your information with one or more of our partner organizations participating in the online application process. We may also share certain information collected through our websites with business partners for marketing purposes. Data obtained specifically through the ILAOHelps short code program will not be shared with third parties for marketing purposes.
We will share information if we think we have to in order to comply with the law or to protect ourselves or others.
For example, we will share information to respond to a court order or subpoena. We may share information if a government agency or investigatory body requests. We might share information when we are investigating potential fraud or abuse.
We may share information with any successor to all or part of our business.
For example, if part of our business was acquired we may give our customer list as part of that transaction. We may also share your information if there is a similar change to our corporate structure. We may also share your information with others as they conduct diligence of our organization.
We may share information for other reasons we may describe to you or as otherwise permitted or required by law.
You have certain choices about information sharing and marketing practices.
You can opt out of receiving our marketing emails.
To stop receiving our promotional emails, follow the instructions in any promotional message you get from us. Don’t worry! Even if you opt out of getting marketing messages, we will still send you transactional messages. These include responses to your questions, or event confirmations.
You can control certain cookies and tracking tools.
Your browser may give you the ability to control certain cookies. How you do so depends on the type of cookie. Certain browsers can be set to reject browser cookies. See the “help” section of your particular web browser for more details on rejecting, blocking, and deleting cookies. To control flash cookies, which we may use on certain websites from time to time, you can go here. Why? Because flash cookies cannot be controlled through your browser settings. You can also visit www.aboutads.info/choices and https://optout.privacyrights.info to opt out of certain uses of cookies for advertising purposes. NOTE: If you block cookies on your browser, certain features on our sites may not work. If you block or reject cookies, not all of the tracking described here will stop. Certain options you select are browser and device specific. Your selections are also deleted whenever you clear your cookies or browser’s cache.
Our Do Not Track Policy: Some browsers have “do not track” features that allow you to tell a website not to track you. These features are not all uniform. We do not currently respond to those signals.
You have other controls you can exercise.
You can choose whether or not to share certain categories of personal information. If you choose not to share, some parts of our sites and some services may be more difficult or impossible to use.
We use certain security measures.
The Internet is not 100% secure. We cannot promise that your use of our sites will be completely safe. Any transmission of your data to our websites is at your own risk and we encourage you to use caution when using the Internet. This includes not sharing your passwords.
We keep personal information as long as it is necessary or relevant for the practices described in this Policy. We also keep information as otherwise required by law.
Our sites are not intended for kids.
Our sites are meant for adults. We do not knowingly collect information online from children under 18. If you are a parent or guardian and think we have information about your child, please contact [email protected]. You can also write to us at the address listed at the end of this Policy. Please mark your inquiry “COPPA Information Request.”
Parents, you can learn more about how to protect children's privacy on-line here.
We may link to other sites or have third party services on our site we don't control.
If you click on a link to a third party site, you will be taken to websites we do not control. This includes social media sites. This Policy does not apply to the privacy practices of these websites. Read the privacy policy of other websites carefully. We are not responsible for these third party practices, services or polices.
Our site may also serve third-party content that contains their own cookies or tracking technologies. We do not control the use of those technologies.
United States Only.
Our sites are intended only for users in the United States. By using our sites, you understand and agree that the sites are hosted in the United States and that the data collected through the sites will be stored and processed in the United States. Information processed and stored in the United States may be accessed by United States law enforcement according to United States law. Our sites are subject to U.S. laws, which may not afford the same level of protection of those in another country.
Feel free to contact us if you have more questions.
If you have any questions about this Policy, please email us at [email protected].
You can also write to us or call us at:
120 S LaSalle Street
Suite 900
Chicago, Illinois 60603
Phone: (312) 977-9047
Please include your email address, name, address and telephone number when you contact us.
This helps us handle your request correctly.
We may update this Policy.
From time to time we may change our privacy practices. We will notify you of any material changes to this Policy as required by law. We will post an updated copy on our website. Please check our site periodically for updates. Your continued use of our websites or our services means that you consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your information as set out in the updated Policy.