Provia International Intellectual Property Attorneys – Privacy Policy

Provia International Intellectual Property Attorneys (hereinafter, the “Firm”) has established, and complies with, the following Privacy Policy regarding its handling of Personal Information acquired through this website or web pages linked to this website.

1. Scope of this Privacy Policy

(1) For the purposes of this Privacy Policy, “Personal Information” means information relating to a living individual that contains a name, date of birth, or other description by which the specific individual can be identified (including information that can be readily collated with other information and thereby identify the specific individual), or that contains an individual identification code.

(2) This Privacy Policy applies to Personal Information that the Firm acquires by any of the following methods (a) through (c):
(a) receiving electronic data entered through this website or web pages linked to this website;
(b) receiving email sent in accordance with the procedures shown on this website or web pages linked to this website; or
(c) at the Firm’s contact point shown on this website or web pages linked to this website,
(i) receiving documents (whether in tangible form or as electronic data) or email delivered, sent, or transmitted to it, or
(ii) receiving telephone calls made to it.

2. Scope and Means of Acquiring Personal Information

The Firm acquires Personal Information to the extent, and by the means, necessary for the purposes set forth below in Article 3 (Purposes of Use of Personal Information) (or, where the Firm specifically limits the purposes at the time of acquisition, whether by a notice on this website or on web pages linked to this website, or by other means, for those limited purposes).

3. Purposes of Use of Personal Information

Personal Information acquired for a purpose falling under any of the following items may be used for the other purposes set forth within that same item; provided, however, that where the Firm specifically limits the purposes at the time of acquisition, whether by a notice on this website or on web pages linked to this website, or by other means- the Firm will use the Personal Information only for those limited purposes.

(1) Intellectual property–related and legal services provided by the Firm:

• services relating to intellectual property rights (patents, utility models, designs, trademarks, etc.);
• legal services;
• responding to inquiries of all kinds;
• other purposes incidental to the above;
• providing information about the Firm’s activities;
• providing information on, and accepting applications to attend or participate in, seminars, symposiums, and similar events;
• sending or transmitting newsletters and accepting subscriptions to them; and
• otherwise providing information, or accepting requests for or inquiries regarding the provision of information, within the scope of this item.

(2) Recruitment of the Firm’s patent attorneys, attorneys, staff, or interns:

• providing information on, and accepting applications for or inquiries regarding, the recruitment of patent attorneys, attorneys, staff, or interns;
• maintaining ongoing communication with, and providing information about the Firm to, applicants or those who have received an informal offer of employment;
• personnel management and training after a formal offer of employment; and
• other purposes incidental to the recruitment of qualified professionals, staff, or interns.

4. Joint Use of Personal Information

The Firm and Meilin International Law Firm may jointly use the Personal Information each of them holds in order to provide integrated services across the group’s offices, as follows:

(1) Items of Personal Information subject to joint use: the same as set forth above in Article 2 (Scope and Means of Acquiring Personal Information).
(2) Scope of parties engaging in joint use: the Firm and Meilin International Law Firm.
(3) Purposes of use: the same as set forth above in Article 3 (Purposes of Use of Personal Information).
(4) Party responsible for managing the jointly used Personal Information: Provia International Patent & Trademark Office.

5. Management of Personal Information

The Firm takes the measures necessary and appropriate to prevent the leakage, loss (the periodic erasure of Personal Information will not be considered loss), or damage of Personal Information. To ensure the secure management of Personal Information, the Firm exercises the necessary and appropriate supervision over its qualified professionals and staff and, where it outsources all or part of the handling of Personal Information, exercises the necessary and appropriate supervision over the service provider.

6. Provision of Personal Information to Third Parties

Except where it has obtained the prior consent of the individual concerned, or where permitted or required by applicable laws and regulations, the Firm will not provide Personal Information to any third party.

7. Request for Notification of Purpose of Use, Disclosure, Correction, Discontinuation of Use, etc.

With respect to any Personal Information held by the Firm, if the individual concerned makes any of the following requests, the Firm will first verify that the request is made by, or on behalf of, the individual concerned and will then respond in accordance with the provisions of the Personal Information Protection Act of Japan. Please direct any such request to the contact point set forth below in Article 8 (Inquiries).
(1) notification of the purpose of use;
(2) disclosure of the Personal Information held by the Firm;
(3) correction or deletion of, or addition to, the Personal Information held by the Firm; or
(4) discontinuation of use, erasure, or discontinuation of provision to third parties.

8. Inquiries

In the case of any inquiry regarding this Privacy Policy or its application, please contact the Firm at the following:

Contact：office@provia-pat.jp

9. Modification of this Privacy Policy

The Firm may modify this Privacy Policy as necessary. Any such modification will be posted on this website.