Privacy Policy

Effective Date: February 19, 2026

Alpin Law ("Firm," "we," "us," or "our") provides this Privacy Policy to explain our data collection, processing, and protection practices regarding visitors to our website and our clients. We adhere strictly to the principles of data minimization and privacy by design.

1. Attorney-Client Confidentiality & Professional Standards

Our law firm understands your concerns as a client for privacy and the need to ensure the privacy of all your information. Your privacy is important to us, and maintaining your trust and confidence is a high priority. The lawyers at our firm are bound by and adhere to stringent professional standards of confidentiality, and we always strive to protect your right to privacy.

The purpose of this notice is to explain our Privacy Policy with regard to personal information about you that we obtain and how we keep that information secure.

WE DO NOT DISCLOSE ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION ABOUT OUR CLIENTS OR FORMER CLIENTS TO ANYONE, EXCEPT AS REQUIRED BY LAW AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE ETHICS RULES OR TO ENABLE US TO EFFECTUATE THE PURPOSE OF OUR REPRESENTATION.

We do not disclose any nonpublic personal information about current or former clients obtained in the course of representation of those clients, except as expressly or impliedly authorized by those clients to enable us to effectuate the purpose of our representation or as required or permitted by law or applicable provisions of codes of professional responsibility or ethical rules governing our conduct as lawyers. In that regard, Michigan ethics generally provides that lawyers are absolutely required not to reveal confidential information about clients, except as authorized by the client or as compelled by law.

Our policy specifically means that we protect the confidentiality of our clients' Social Security numbers, prohibit unlawful disclosure of our clients' Social Security numbers, and limit access to our clients' Social Security numbers in the same manner as we do all other nonpublic personal information. We safeguard the data, computer files, and documents containing your personal information and destroy, erase, or make unreadable such data, computer files, and documents prior to disposal.

2. Disclaimer: No Attorney-Client Relationship

While we employ rigorous standards to protect retained client data, submitting information through this website (e.g., via contact forms, emails, or chat interfaces) does NOT create an attorney-client relationship. Information submitted to Alpin Law prior to the execution of a formal, mutually signed engagement letter is not automatically treated as privileged or confidential under attorney-client privilege. Please do not submit highly sensitive, proprietary, or confidential information through website forms until a formal attorney-client relationship has been established.

3. Categories of Personal Data Collected

In accordance with data minimization principles, we collect only the information reasonably necessary to operate our website and communicate with prospective or current clients. The categories of data we may collect include:

• Directly Provided Information: Names, email addresses, phone numbers, physical addresses, payment/billing details (for retained clients), and the contents of any communications or inquiries you initiate with us.
• Automatically Collected Information: To maintain the security and operational integrity of our website, we may log network-level data, including device IP addresses, browser types, requesting URLs, and timestamp data.
• Website Analytics: We measure aggregate site traffic without tracking individual user behavior across the internet.

4. Processing Purposes

We collect and process your information exclusively for the following defined purposes:

• Fulfilling and managing legal services.
• Responding to prospective client inquiries and executing conflict-of-interest checks.
• Tailoring direct, internal firm communications (such as newsletters) based on inquiries you have submitted to us.
• Maintaining website infrastructure, security, and defense against malicious cyber activity.
• Processing necessary billing and financial transactions.

5. Disclosures to Third Parties vs. Service Providers

Client information regarding a specific case is governed strictly by our attorney-client engagement agreement and the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct; it is never shared without explicit permission or legal necessity.

For the purpose of maintaining our website and digital operations, we distinguish carefully between Service Providers and Third Parties:

• Service Providers: We engage specialized vendors to process data solely on our behalf (e.g., secure cloud hosting via Cloudflare, email services, payment processors, and law practice management/CRM systems).
• Third Parties: We do not share your data with external third parties for their own independent use, marketing, or behavioral profiling.

Alpin Law does not sell, rent, or trade your personal or case information to third parties. Because we do not sell your data, we do not offer a "Do Not Sell" opt-out.

6. SMS Communications & Opt-Out Policy

By explicitly opting in via the SMS consent checkbox on our contact form, or by initiating a text message to our automated phone system, you consent to receive text messages from Alpin Law related to your inquiry, case updates, and scheduling.

• Consent: We only send text messages to individuals who have expressly opted in to receive them. Your consent to receive SMS messages is not a condition of purchasing any legal services.
• Opting Out: You can cancel the SMS service at any time. Simply text "STOP" to the shortcode or toll-free number you received the message from. Upon sending "STOP," we will send you an SMS reply to confirm that you have been unsubscribed. After this, you will no longer receive SMS messages from us.
• Help & Support: If you are experiencing issues with the messaging program, you can reply with the keyword "HELP" for more assistance, or you can get help directly by contacting our office.
• Rates: Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. As always, message and data rates may apply for any messages sent to you from us and to us from you. Message frequency varies.

7. Do Not Track & Global Privacy Control:

Because we do not use invasive tracking technologies or sell your data, our website inherently respects "Do Not Track" signals and Global Privacy Control settings transmitted by your browser. Your privacy remains protected regardless of your browser settings.

8. Security Safeguards

Alpin Law implements commercially reasonable administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect your data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures may include encryption in transit and at rest, principle-of-least-privilege access controls, and secure data disposal protocols.

Limitation of Liability: While we utilize advanced security architectures, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is entirely infallible. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the absolute security of any data transmitted electronically.

9. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy.

• Client Data: Retained for the duration of the active legal representation, plus the mandatory retention period required by the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct and applicable state law following the termination of representation.
• Prospective Client/Visitor Data: Retained only as long as necessary to clear conflict checks, address your inquiry, or maintain immediate network security logs, after which it is securely destroyed or anonymized.

10. Business Transitions

Information collected by Alpin Law is considered a business asset. In the event that Alpin Law undergoes a business transition, such as a merger, acquisition by another law firm, restructuring, or change of entity name, your personal data and case information may be transferred or disclosed as part of that transition, subject strictly to continuing obligations under Michigan legal ethics and attorney-client confidentiality rules.

11. Children’s Privacy (COPPA)

Our website and digital services are not directed at, nor intended for use by, individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information directly from minors through this site. While we frequently represent the interests of minors in legal matters, such representation is always established through a parent or legal guardian. If you are seeking legal help for a minor, please contact us directly on their behalf. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected data from a minor without verified parental or legal guardian consent, we will take immediate steps to delete such information.

12. Policy Modifications & Effective Date

We reserve the right to amend this Privacy Policy at our discretion to reflect technological advancements, operational changes, or updates to legal and regulatory frameworks. Any modifications will be posted on this page with an updated "Effective Date." Continued use of this website following the posting of changes constitutes your acknowledgment and acceptance of the updated policy.