Privacy Policy Statement

At BenchPrep, we realize that your privacy is important to you. This privacy policy applies to all software applications, services and websites offered by BenchPrep, its partners and subsidiaries, or, collectively, BenchPrep's services.

BenchPrep adheres to the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use, and retention of personal information transferred from European Union member countries to the United States. BenchPrep has self-certified that it complies to the Privacy Shield Privacy Principles of Notice, Choice, Accountability for Onward Transfer, Security, Data Integrity and Purpose Limitation, Access, Recourse, Enforcement and Liability. If there is any conflict between the terms in this privacy policy and the Privacy Shield Principles, the Privacy Shield Principles shall govern.

BenchPrep notifies Individual Customers about its adherence to the EU-US Privacy Shield through its publicly posted website privacy policy, available at: https://benchprep.com/privacy-policy. To learn more about the Privacy Shield program, and to view our certification, please visit www.privacyshield.gov.

Types of Personal Data Collected

When we collect your personal information, we'll give you timely and appropriate notice describing what personal information we're collecting, how we'll use it, and the types of third parties with whom we may share it.

While we may offer services that do not require registration, many of our products and services will require you to register your personal details. In order to provide you with the best possible service, we may collect the following information:

  • Information Provided by You: Due to the nature of our products and services, you may be required to register your name and email address. You may also be required to provide your credit card information when registering for a paid service. In certain cases, we may combine your information with information from other services we provide, and services provided by third parties.
  • Communications: When you send us an email or support ticket, we may retain those queries on file. These communications may be used to resolve your queries, or to improve our service.
  • Cookies: When you visit our site, or the sites of our partners, we might send you cookies to store your preferences and improve the quality of our service to you. We do not place third party cookies on your computer. Any cookies may be deleted following each session.
  • Server logs: When you access our server, we may record certain information on our server logs. This information could include your IP address, browser information such as type and language, and usage data from sessions that may identify your computer.
  • Links: At times, BenchPrep may present links in a format that allows us to discern whether these links have been followed.

Purposes for Personal Information Collection and Usage

BenchPrep collects only as much personal information as we need for specific, declared purposes, and won't use it for other purposes without obtaining your consent.

The purposes for which we use your information, in addition to any reasons stated above, include:

  • Providing our services.
  • Research, analysis and auditing, in order to improve our services, or to protect or maintain the same.
  • Maintaining and ensuring the viability and integrity of our network.
  • Protecting the rights or property of BenchPrep, or our users or partners.
  • Creating, researching and developing new products and services.

Due to the global nature of our company, BenchPrep may process information on our server in the US, or in another country. We may process information for our own purposes, or occasionally, we may process information for one of our partners.

Information Sharing

Except as described in this policy, BenchPrep will not share your personal information with third parties without your consent. For personal data received by BenchPrep under the Privacy Shield and disclosed to a third party, BenchPrep remains responsible and liable under the Privacy Shield Principles if a third-party engages with the personal data in a manner inconsistent with the Principles, unless BenchPrep proves that it is not responsible for the event giving rise to the damage.

BenchPrep will only share your personal information with the following types of third parties for the following purposes:

  • If we have your consent. We employ an opt-in consent system, whereby you provide your permission for information sharing.
  • For processing of said information. The companies, partners or affiliates who process this information agree to do so in accordance with our instructions, and according to this privacy policy.
  • If BenchPrep is involved in any merger, acquisition or any other form of sale. We will endeavor to protect the privacy of personal information, and notify you before such sale or acquisition, and the transfer to a new privacy policy, if applicable.

Please note that BenchPrep may also disclose personal data for purposes other than those outlined above or to other third parties when an individual has consented to or requested such disclosure. Additionally, be aware that BenchPrep may be required to disclose an individual's personal information in response to a lawful request by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements.

Individual Rights to Access Personal Data

Individuals have the right to know what personal data of theirs is stored by BenchPrep and to ensure that such personal data is accurate and relevant for the purposes for which BenchPrep collected it. BenchPrep will make its best effort to allow individuals access to view their own data as well as to correct, to alter or to delete such data.

However, where such access is unreasonable, requires a disproportionate effort, jeopardizes the privacy of other BenchPrep users, or contravenes the law, our policies, or reasonable business practice, requests to access data may be declined. User identification is required to access data for these reasons, and the process and procedures for various types of access may differ. Please contact us for further information.

Choices Relating to Use of Personal Information

We'll give you choices about the ways we use and share your personal information, and we'll respect the choices you make. Although signing up for some or all of our services may require you to submit personal information, we will ask for your consent if we intend to use that information for any purpose other than that specifically stated during registration or in this document.

In the case of us wishing to use your private information for any purpose not specified upon registration or in this privacy policy, we will offer you a means to opt out of that use.

Most browsers allow you to set preferences regarding the download of cookies, or block the download. Note that if you choose to block these cookies, some or all of the services we provide may not function.

You may choose to decline to submit any personal information for any of our products or services. Please note that this may result in our being unable to provide said service.

Information Security

We take every available physical, technical, and organizational measure to protect your personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorized access or disclosure, alteration, and destruction, in order to maintain the security and integrity of your personal information.

Access to data is restricted to employees of BenchPrep, as well as their affiliates and contractors, who have a need to access said information for processing, research, or another reason. All individuals who have access to such information are required to sign confidentiality agreements, and may be subject to termination and/or criminal prosecution for any violation of these policies and agreements.

Data Integrity and Updating

BenchPrep collects and processes data only for the purposes it was collected, and in accordance with this privacy policy. We periodically review our collection, storage and processing procedures and policies, however the onus remains on our users to correct or update this data when necessary. BenchPrep keeps your personal information only as long as we need it for the purposes for which we collected it, or as permitted by law.

Enforcement and Independent Dispute Resolution

For EU residents:

To access your information, ask questions about our privacy practices, or issue a complaint, contact us at:

BenchPrep
111 S Wacker Drive, Suite 1200
Chicago, IL 60606
privacy@benchprep.com

If your inquiry is not satisfactorily addressed, contact your European Data Protection Authority (http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/article-29/structure/data-protection-authorities/index_en.htm). As further explained in the Privacy Shield Principles, a binding arbitration option will also be made available to you in order to address complaints not resolved by any other means. To learn more about our privacy practices, see our Privacy Policy details.

For non-EU residents:

To access your information, ask questions about our privacy practices, or issue a complaint, contact us at:

BenchPrep
111 S Wacker Drive, Suite 1200
Chicago, IL 60606
privacy@benchprep.com

If your inquiry is not satisfactorily addressed, contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) directly (https://ftccomplaintassistant.gov), and afford the FTC time to attempt to resolve the issue. To learn more about our privacy practices, see our Privacy Policy details.

Compliance Verification and Privacy Policy Updates

BenchPrep ensures to regularly review, self-assess, and verify that the attestations and assertions made about our Privacy Shield privacy practices are true and these privacy practices have been implemented as represented and in accordance with the Privacy Shield Principles. As part of the annual compliance verification process, BenchPrep will follow the steps below in an independent manner:

  1. Review this Privacy Shield policy and BenchPrep’s publicly posted website privacy policy to ensure that they accurately and comprehensively describe the practices in place around collection of personal information received from the EU.
  2. Ensure that the publicly posted privacy policy indicates BenchPrep’s adherence to the Privacy Shield Principles.
  3. Confirm that BenchPrep’s published privacy policy regarding personal information received from the EU is prominently displayed, completely implemented, and accessible to individuals.
  4. Ensure that individuals are informed of any in-house arrangements for handling complaints and of the independent mechanisms through which they may pursue complaints.
  5. Ensure that BenchPrep has implemented processes and procedures for training our employees in the execution of Privacy Shield policies, including appropriate disciplinary action for failure to follow it.

Our privacy policy may be subject to change or alteration without notice from time to time, in which case this policy remains in force until it is replaced or superseded by a newer version. In most instances, changes will be minor and posted on this page. More significant changes may be posted as a notice elsewhere, or sent to you via email.

We undertake not to reduce your rights to privacy as set out in this policy without your consent. If you have any complaints or queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.

How to Contact Us

If you have any questions or complaints about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at privacy@benchprep.com. For EU customers, please note that under the Privacy Shield Principles, BenchPrep commits to responding to any message within 45 days of receiving a complaint. You may also contact us by mail at 111 S Wacker Drive, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL 60606.