Data Privacy Framework Policy (formerly Privacy Shield)

This Epiq Data Privacy Framework Policy ("Policy") (formerly Privacy Shield) describes how Epiq and its subsidiaries and affiliates in the United States (" US") ("Company," " we," "us" or “ our”) collect, use, and disclose certain personally identifiable information that we receive in the US from the European Union ("EU Personal Data"), the United Kingdom ("UK Personal Data"), and Switzerland (“Swiss Personal Data” and combined with EU, UK, and Swiss Personal Data, “Personal Data”).  This Policy applies to all of our US legal entities, subsidiaries and/or affiliates (listed below under Other Covered Entities). This Policy supplements our Privacy Statement located at https://www.epiqglobal.com/de-de/privacy-statement, and unless specifically defined in this Policy, the terms in this Policy have the same meaning as in the Privacy Statement. 

Epiq complies with the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (EU-U.S. DPF), the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (Swiss-U.S. DPF) as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Epiq has certified to the U.S. Department of Commerce that it adheres to the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework Principles (EU-U.S. DPF Principles) with regard to the processing of personal data received from the European Union in reliance on the EU-U.S. DPF and from the United Kingdom (and Gibraltar) in reliance on the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF. Epiq has certified to the U.S. Department of Commerce that it adheres to the Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework Principles (Swiss-U.S. DPF Principles) with regard to the processing of personal data received from Switzerland in reliance on the Swiss-U.S. DPF.  If there is any conflict between the terms in this privacy policy and the EU-U.S. DPF Principles and/or the Swiss-U.S. DPF Principles, the Principles shall govern.  To learn more about the Data Privacy Framework (DPF) program, and to view our certification, please visit https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/.

Epiq recognizes that the EU, UK, and Switzerland have established strict protections regarding the handling of Personal Data, including requirements to provide adequate protection for Personal Data transferred outside of the EU. To provide adequate protection for all Personal Data regarding consumers, clients, suppliers, business partners, job applicants and employees received in the US, Epiq has elected to self-certify to the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (EU-U.S. DPF), the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (Swiss-U.S. DPF) administered by the US Department of Commerce. Epiq adheres to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework Principles of Notice, Choice, Accountability for Onward Transfer, Security, Data Integrity and Purpose Limitation, Access, and Recourse, Enforcement, and Liability.

The Federal Trade Commission has jurisdiction over Epiq’s compliance with the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (EU-U.S. DPF) and the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (Swiss-U.S. DPF).

Further, Epiq is required to disclose personal information in response to lawful requests by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements.

To review Epiq’s representation on the Data Privacy Framework List, see the U.S. Department of Commerce's Data Privacy Framework List located at https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/s/participant-search.  

Personal Data Collection and Use 

We may receive the following categories of Personal Data in the U.S. such as an individual’s name, whether or not in combination with an individual’s country of birth, marital status, emergency contact, salary information, terms of employment, job qualifications (such as educational degrees earned), address, phone number, email address, user ID, password, and other identification numbers. 

We process Personal Data for the following purposes: to provide our services, including with respect to billing, identification, and authentication, to contact and communicate with our clients regarding our services, to profile prospective clients, to build our mailing list for information distribution (subject to legal requirements including opt-out options), and for employment-related purposes including to process employment-related data in the U.S. and evaluate job candidates. Data subjects whose personally identifiable information we process include consumers, clients including individuals, law firms, companies and other legal persons, suppliers, business partners, job applicants, independent contractors, and employees. 

We will only process Personal Data in ways that are compatible with the purpose of collection, or for purposes, the individual later authorizes. Before we use your Personal Data for a purpose that is materially different than the purpose we collected it for, or that you later authorized, we will provide you with the opportunity to opt out. We maintain reasonable procedures to help ensure that Personal Data is reliable for its intended use, accurate, complete, and current. If you would like to request access to, correction, amendment, deletion, or opt-out of the sharing of your Personal Data, you can submit a written request using the following link, or you can contact Epiq at: privacy@epiqglobal.com.

We may collect the following categories of sensitive Personal Data including but not limited to: race, religion, social status medical history, criminal history and the fact that the person suffered damages by a crime. When we collect sensitive Personal Data, we will obtain your opt-in consent where the EU-U.S. DPF, the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. DPF require, including if we disclose your sensitive Personal Data to third parties, or before we use your sensitive Personal Data for a different purpose than we collected it for or than you later authorized. Certain exceptions to our obligation to obtain affirmative opt-in consent to process sensitive personal data are where the processing is: (i) in the vital interests of the individual or another person; (ii) necessary for the establishment of legal claims or defenses; (iii) required to provide medical care or diagnosis; (iv) carried out in the course of legitimate activities by certain foundations, associations, or other non-profit bodies; (v) necessary to carry out employment law-related obligations; (vi) related to data made public by the individual.

Epiq commits to cooperate with the EU/EEA data protection authorities, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (GRA), and the Swiss Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) (collectively European DPAs) and comply with the advice given by such authorities with regard to human resources data transferred from the EU, the UK, and Switzerland in the context of the employment relationship.

Data Transfers to Third Parties 

Third-Party Agents or Service Providers 

We may transfer Personal Data to our third-party agents or service providers who perform functions on our behalf, as described in our Privacy Statement or in this Policy. Where required by the DPF Program, we enter into written agreements with those third-party agents and service providers requiring them to provide the same level of protection that the DPF Program requires and limiting their use of the data to the specified services provided on our behalf. We take reasonable and appropriate steps to ensure that third-party agents and service providers process Personal Data in accordance with our DPF Program obligations and to stop and remediate any unauthorized processing. Under certain circumstances, we may remain liable for the acts of our third-party agents or service providers who perform services on our behalf for their handling of Personal Data that we transfer to them.

Third-Party Data Controllers 

In some cases, we may transfer Personal Data to unaffiliated third-party data controllers. These third parties do not act as agents or service providers and are not performing functions on our behalf. We may transfer your Personal Data to third-party data controllers for the purposes described in our Privacy Statement or this Policy. We will only provide your Personal Data to third-party data controllers where you have not opted-out of such disclosures, or in the case of sensitive Personal Data, where you have opted-in if the DPF Program requires consent. We enter into written contracts with any unaffiliated third-party data controllers requiring them to provide the same level of protection for Personal Data the DPF Program requires. We also limit their use of your Personal Data so that it is consistent with any consent you have provided and with the notices you have received. If we transfer your Personal Data to one of our affiliated entities within our corporate group, we will take steps to ensure that your Personal Data is protected with the same level of protection the DPF Program requires.

Disclosures for National Security or Law Enforcement 

Under certain circumstances, we may be required to disclose your Personal Data in response to valid requests by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements.

Security

We maintain reasonable and appropriate security measures to protect Personal Data from loss, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction in accordance with the DPF Program.

Access Rights

You may have the right to access the Personal Data that we hold about you and to request that we correct, amend, or delete it if it is inaccurate or processed in violation of the DPF Program. These access rights may not apply in some cases, including where providing access is unreasonably burdensome or expensive under the circumstances, or where it would violate the rights of someone other than the individual requesting access. If you would like to request access to, correction, amendment, deletion, or opt-out of the sharing of your Personal Data, you can submit a written request using the following link, or you can contact Epiq at: privacy@epiqglobal.com. We may request specific information from you to confirm your identity. In some circumstances, we may charge a reasonable fee for access to your information.

Questions or Complaints

 

In compliance with the EU-U.S. DPF, the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. DPF, Epiq commits to resolve complaints about our collection or use of your personal information. EU, UK, and Swiss individuals with inquiries or complaints regarding our Policy should first contact Epiq at: privacy@epiqglobal.com.

In compliance with the EU-U.S. DPF, the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. DPF, Epiq commits to refer unresolved complaints concerning our handling of personal data received in reliance on the EU-U.S. DPF, the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. DPF to TRUSTe, an alternative dispute resolution provider based in the United States. If you do not receive timely acknowledgment of your DPF Principles-related complaint from us, or if we have not addressed your DPF Principles-related complaint to your satisfaction, please visit https://feedback-form.truste.com/watchdog/request for more information or to file a complaint.  The services of TRUSTe are provided at no cost to you.

We will investigate and attempt to resolve any complaints or disputes regarding the use or disclosure of your Personal Data within 45 days of receiving your complaint. We self-certify with the U.S. Department of Commerce and have engaged with our U.S.-based third-party provider for dispute resolution of non-human resources data related complaints. For any unresolved human resources data-related complaints, we agree to cooperate with the EU, UK, and Switzerland data protection authorities or authorities concerned in conformity with the Supplemental Principles on Human Resources Data and the Role of the Data Protection Authorities and comply with the advice given by such authorities.

Binding Arbitration 

You may have the option to select binding arbitration for the resolution of your complaint under certain circumstances, provided you have taken the following steps: (1) raised your complaint directly with us and provided us the opportunity to resolve the issue; (2) made use of the independent dispute resolution mechanism identified above; and (3) raised the issue through the relevant data protection authority and allowed the U.S. Department of Commerce an opportunity to resolve the complaint at no cost to you. For more information on binding arbitration, see U.S. Department of Commerce's EU-U.S. DPF: Annex I of the DPF Principles. 

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this policy or would like to request access to your personal data, limit the usage of your personal data, or opt-out of the sharing of your personal data, please contact us as follows: privacy@epiqglobal.com.

Other Covered Entities: 

• Controle LLC
• De Novo Legal LLC
• Document Technologies Inc.
• Epiq Class Action & Claims Solutions, Inc.
• Epiq Corporate Restructuring, LLC
• Epiq eDiscovery Solutions, Inc.
• Epiq Global Business Transformation Solutions, LLC
• Epiq Systems, Inc.
• Hilsoft, Inc.

Changes To This Policy

We reserve the right to amend this Policy from time to time to be consistent with the DPF Program's requirements.

Effective Date: August 1, 2016

Last modified: October 10, 2023