Last revised: August 10, 2026
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1. Scope and Purpose
Cardinal Intellectual Property, Inc. (“CIP” or “Cardinal”) is committed to protecting personal data and personal information (collectively, “Personal Information”). This Privacy Policy describes how CIP collects, receives, uses, discloses, retains, and protects Personal Information in connection with its websites and the intellectual property and related services CIP provides to its clients.
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This Policy applies to Personal Information collected directly from individuals, information collected automatically through CIP websites and electronic communications, and Personal Information received from CIP clients or other parties in connection with the services CIP provides.
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CIP participates in 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 applicable and as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Additional information regarding CIP’s DPF commitments appears below.
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2. Personal Information CIP Collects or Receives
Depending on the nature of an individual’s interaction with CIP and the services being provided, CIP may collect or receive:
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- name and business or professional contact information, including mailing address, telephone number, and email address;
- employer, company, organization, or professional affiliation;
- account registration and authentication information;
- billing, transaction, and payment-related information;
- inventor, applicant, owner, assignee, or other intellectual-property-related identifying information;
- information contained in invention disclosures, intellectual property records, docketing records, correspondence, instructions, and related client materials;
- communications submitted to CIP, including email messages and service requests;
- website and device information, such as IP address, browser type, domain name, access time, referring website address, and information regarding use of CIP websites; and
- other Personal Information reasonably necessary to provide requested services, administer CIP’s operations, protect CIP’s systems, or comply with applicable legal obligations.
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CIP does not ordinarily request or collect Personal Information that is unnecessary for the services it provides. Where CIP receives Personal Information from a client or another party rather than directly from the individual, CIP processes that information in accordance with applicable contractual, legal, and DPF obligations.
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3. How CIP Uses Personal Information
CIP may use Personal Information for the following purposes:
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- to provide patent, trademark, intellectual property search, monitoring, docketing, renewals, paralegal, consulting, and related services;
- to communicate with clients, prospective clients, individuals, and other authorized persons concerning CIP services;
- to organize, maintain, and administer client and intellectual property records;
- to create and administer accounts and authenticate users;
- to process transactions and payments;
- to operate, maintain, secure, and improve CIP websites, systems, and services;
- to understand website use and service interests and to generate general usage statistics;
- to send service-related communications and, where permitted by law, marketing or promotional communications;
- to detect, prevent, and address fraud, security incidents, misuse, or other harmful activity; and
- to comply with applicable law, regulation, legal process, contractual obligations, and lawful governmental requests.
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CIP will not use Personal Information covered by the DPF for a purpose that is materially different from the purpose for which the information was originally collected or subsequently authorized without providing the choice required by the applicable DPF Principles.
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4. Sharing Personal Information
CIP does not sell, rent, or lease its client lists to third parties.
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CIP may disclose Personal Information to third-party service providers, contractors, and other agents that perform services on CIP’s behalf, including technology, hosting, communications, payment processing, security, professional, administrative, and other business-support services, where such disclosure is reasonably necessary for the services they provide.
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CIP may also disclose Personal Information to a client on whose behalf CIP is performing services, to persons designated or authorized by that client, or to other parties where disclosure is reasonably necessary to perform the requested services.
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CIP may disclose Personal Information where required by law or in response to lawful requests by public authorities, including requests made to meet national security or law enforcement requirements.
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Onward Transfers
Where CIP transfers Personal Information covered by the DPF to a third party acting as an agent on CIP’s behalf, CIP will take the measures required by the applicable DPF Principles to protect that information, including requiring the third party to provide at least the same level of privacy protection required by the DPF Principles and limiting processing to specified purposes.
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CIP remains responsible under the DPF Principles if an agent processes Personal Information transferred by CIP in a manner inconsistent with the DPF Principles, unless CIP proves that it is not responsible for the event giving rise to the damage.
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5. Website and Device Information
CIP may automatically collect information about the hardware, software, and devices used to access CIP websites. This information may include IP address, browser type, domain name, access time, referring website address, and information concerning pages or services viewed.
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CIP may use this information to operate and maintain its services, protect website and system security, improve service quality, understand website usage, and provide general statistics regarding use of CIP websites.
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CIP may monitor pages or features used within its websites in order to understand service interests and improve or tailor content and functionality.
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6. Cookies and Similar Technologies
CIP websites may use cookies and similar technologies to support website functionality, remember preferences, recognize returning users, administer accounts, and understand website usage. A cookie is a small file placed on a device by a web server and may be read by the domain that issued it.
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Most web browsers accept cookies automatically, but browser settings generally allow users to decline or delete cookies. Declining cookies may affect the availability or operation of certain website features.
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7. Your Choices
Where required by the applicable DPF Principles, CIP will provide individuals with a readily available mechanism to opt out before Personal Information covered by the DPF is:
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- disclosed to a non-agent third party; or
- used for a purpose that is materially different from the purpose for which it was originally collected or subsequently authorized.
Where the DPF Principles require affirmative express consent with respect to Sensitive Personal Information, CIP will obtain such consent before using or disclosing the information for the applicable purpose.
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To exercise an applicable choice or to request that CIP limit the use or disclosure of Personal Information, contact CIP using the information in Section 16 below.
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8. Access, Correction, Amendment, and Deletion
Subject to the limitations permitted by applicable law and the DPF Principles, individuals have the right to request access to Personal Information that CIP holds about them and to request correction, amendment, or deletion of Personal Information that is inaccurate or has been processed in violation of the DPF Principles.
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Access may be limited where the burden or expense of providing access would be disproportionate to the risks to the individual’s privacy in the circumstances, or where providing access would violate the rights of another person, as permitted by the DPF Principles.
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Requests may be submitted using the contact information in Section 16 below.
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9. Security and Retention
CIP uses reasonable and appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect Personal Information from loss, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction, taking into account the nature of the information and the risks associated with its processing.
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CIP retains Personal Information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected or received, to provide requested services, satisfy contractual obligations, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, and comply with applicable legal or regulatory requirements.
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10. Links to Other Websites
CIP websites may contain links to websites operated by third parties. CIP is not responsible for the content, security, or privacy practices of third-party websites. Individuals should review the privacy notices of websites they visit.
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11. Children
CIP does not knowingly collect Personal Information from children under the age of thirteen through its websites. If a child under thirteen has provided Personal Information to CIP without appropriate authorization, a parent or guardian may contact CIP to request deletion.
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12. California Privacy Rights
If the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act and other applicable amendments, applies to an individual’s Personal Information, CIP will honor applicable rights provided by California law, including rights relating to access, correction, deletion, and other rights as required by law. Questions or requests concerning California privacy rights may be submitted using the contact information in Section 16 below.
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13. Email Communications
CIP may send service-related communications and, where permitted by applicable law, marketing or promotional communications. CIP may receive technical information indicating whether an email was opened or a link was selected for purposes of evaluating and improving communications and services.
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Individuals may opt out of marketing or promotional email communications at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions contained in the communication or by contacting mail@cardinal-ip.com. Opting out of marketing communications does not prevent CIP from sending service-related or other non-promotional communications where appropriate.
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14. Changes to this Privacy Policy
CIP may update this Privacy Policy periodically. When CIP makes material changes to the Policy, CIP will provide appropriate notice, which may include notice on CIP’s website or direct communication where appropriate.
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CIP will not apply a material change to Personal Information covered by the DPF in a manner inconsistent with the applicable DPF Principles.
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15. Data Privacy Framework
DPF Commitment
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Cardinal Intellectual Property, Inc. 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.
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CIP has certified to the U.S. Department of Commerce that it adheres to the EU-U.S. DPF Principles with regard to the processing of Personal Information 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. CIP has certified that it adheres to the Swiss-U.S. DPF Principles with regard to the processing of Personal Information received from Switzerland in reliance on the Swiss-U.S. DPF.
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If there is any conflict between the terms of this Privacy Policy and the applicable EU-U.S. DPF Principles or Swiss-U.S. DPF Principles, the applicable DPF Principles shall govern.
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To learn more about the Data Privacy Framework Program and to view CIP’s certification, please visit the U.S. Department of Commerce Data Privacy Framework Program website at www.dataprivacyframework.gov.
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Scope of DPF Protection
CIP’s commitments under the DPF apply to Personal Information received by CIP in the United States from the European Union, the United Kingdom and Gibraltar, and Switzerland in reliance on the applicable DPF.
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Such information may include Personal Information received directly from individuals as well as Personal Information CIP receives from clients in connection with the intellectual property and related services CIP provides.
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Questions, Complaints, and Independent Recourse
In compliance with the EU-U.S. DPF, the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. DPF, CIP commits to resolve DPF Principles-related complaints concerning its collection and use of Personal Information received in reliance on the applicable DPF.
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EU, UK, Gibraltar, and Swiss individuals with inquiries or complaints regarding CIP’s handling of Personal Information should first contact CIP using the information in Section 16 below.
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CIP commits to cooperate with the panel established by the EU Data Protection Authorities and, as applicable, the United Kingdom Information Commissioner’s Office, the Gibraltar Regulatory Authority, and the Swiss Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner with respect to unresolved complaints concerning Personal Information received in reliance on the applicable DPF. These independent recourse mechanisms are available to eligible individuals free of charge.
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FTC Enforcement
CIP is subject to the investigatory and enforcement powers of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission with respect to its compliance with the EU-U.S. DPF, the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. DPF.
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Binding Arbitration
Under certain conditions, an individual may invoke binding arbitration for residual claims concerning CIP’s compliance with the DPF Principles that have not been resolved through the other available DPF mechanisms. Additional information concerning this arbitration mechanism and its requirements is available in Annex I of the DPF Principles on the Data Privacy Framework Program website.
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For the avoidance of doubt, action by the Federal Trade Commission may proceed independently of or in parallel with applicable DPF dispute-resolution mechanisms, consistent with law.
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16. Contact Information
CIP welcomes questions, requests, or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or CIP’s privacy practices.
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Cardinal Intellectual Property, Inc.
1603 Orrington Avenue, 9th Floor
Evanston, Illinois 60201
mail@cardinal-ip.com
(847) 905-7122
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Please also copy:
Michael Jaro
EVP, Chief Privacy Officer
michael.jaro@cardinal-ip.com