Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

1. Scope and Overview

This Privacy Policy describes how Valley Legal ("we," "us," or "the firm") collects, uses, and handles information through the website located at https://valley-legal.com (the "Site").

This policy is intended as a broad, U.S.-oriented privacy notice. We are a Virginia law firm. This policy does not represent legal compliance in all states or jurisdictions. If you have questions about the applicability of specific privacy laws to our practices, please contact us or consult independent counsel.

By using the Site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand this policy.

2. Information You Provide to Us

We collect information you voluntarily provide, including when you:

• Submit a contact or inquiry form (name, email address, phone number, general description of your matter)
• Send us an email
• Call our office

Sensitive and confidential legal information: Our contact form instructs users not to submit highly confidential or sensitive information through the initial online inquiry. We ask that you limit initial inquiries to general information until an attorney-client relationship has been established. Nonetheless, any information you submit through our Site will be treated with appropriate confidentiality consistent with our professional obligations as a law firm.

3. Information Collected Automatically

When you visit the Site, certain information is automatically collected by web servers and, if enabled, analytics tools. This may include:

• IP address (which may indicate general geographic location)
• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Pages visited and navigation paths
• Time and date of visits
• Referring URLs (the page you came from)
• Device type

Analytics: This Site uses Google Analytics 4 (provided by Google LLC) to understand how visitors use the Site and to help us improve our content and services. Google Analytics collects information such as pages visited, time spent on the Site, general geographic region (derived from IP address), browser type, and device type. We have configured Google Analytics to anonymize IP addresses. Analytics data is collected only after a user consents through the cookie consent banner on their first visit. If you decline analytics cookies, Google Analytics will not be loaded and no analytics data will be collected about your visit.

Google Analytics data is processed by Google LLC. For information about how Google handles this data, see Google's Privacy Policy at policies.google.com/privacy . You may also opt out of Google Analytics across all websites using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on .

4. Cookies and Similar Technologies

The Site uses cookies (small text files stored on your device) and similar tracking technologies. We classify cookies into two categories:

Strictly Necessary Cookies: These are required for the Site to function and cannot be disabled. They do not collect personal information for marketing purposes and do not require your consent. Examples include cookies that remember your cookie consent preference.

Optional Cookies: Google Analytics. With your consent, this Site uses Google Analytics 4 cookies (set by Google LLC under the domain google-analytics.com and googletagmanager.com) to collect anonymized data about how the Site is used. These cookies are set only after you accept analytics cookies through the consent banner on your first visit. If you decline, no Google Analytics cookies are set and no analytics data is collected about your visit.

You can also manage or delete cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Site.

We do not currently use advertising, retargeting, or marketing cookies on this Site. If this changes, this policy will be updated accordingly.

5. How We Use Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Respond to your inquiry and communicate with you about your legal matter
• Evaluate potential representation and conduct conflict checks
• Improve and maintain the Site
• Understand how the Site is used (if analytics consent is given)
• Comply with our legal and professional obligations as a law firm

We do not sell your personal information. We do not use your information for automated decision-making that has legal or similarly significant effects.

6. Sharing of Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

We may share your information in limited circumstances:

• Service providers: We may use vendors who assist with website hosting, form processing, email services, or analytics. These vendors are contractually limited to using information only as directed by us.
• Legal obligations: We may disclose information when required by law, court order, or applicable professional rules.
• Professional rules: As a law firm, we are subject to the Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct, which impose obligations regarding the confidentiality of client and prospective-client information.

7. Retention

We retain information you provide for as long as reasonably necessary to respond to your inquiry, evaluate potential representation, and comply with our professional obligations. If an attorney-client relationship is established, information is retained consistent with our recordkeeping obligations and applicable professional rules. We may retain anonymized or aggregated data for longer periods.

8. Security

We maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect information submitted through this Site. No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security and disclaim liability for breaches that are outside our reasonable control.

Because online contact forms are not as secure as encrypted attorney-client communications, we ask that you limit initial contact form inquiries to general, non-sensitive information.

9. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your state of residence, you may have rights regarding your personal information, which may include the right to access, correct, or request deletion of your data.

Note: This policy does not represent compliance with the laws of all states. If you are a resident of California or another state with specific consumer privacy laws, those laws may afford you additional rights. We encourage you to contact us with any privacy requests, and we will respond in good faith.

Cookie preferences: You may change your cookie consent preferences at any time by clicking the "Cookie Preferences" link in the footer, or by clearing cookies in your browser settings.

Opt-out of analytics: If you have consented to analytics and wish to withdraw consent, you may update your preferences through the consent banner or clear your browser cookies.

To make a privacy request, contact us at the information in Section 14.

10. Children's Privacy

This Site is not directed to children under the age of 13 and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have received information from a child under 13 without verifiable parental consent, we will delete it promptly. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us.

11. Third-Party Links

This Site may contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies. A link to a third-party site does not constitute our endorsement of that site.

12. AI Tools

We do not currently use AI-powered chat, intake automation, or AI lead qualification tools on this Site. If AI tools are deployed in the future that collect or process visitor data, this policy will be updated to describe those practices before they are implemented.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the effective date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to make a privacy request, please contact us: