Effective Date: September 1, 2026
Last Updated: September 1, 2026
1. Introduction
Baird Crews Schiller & Whitaker P.C. (“we,” “our,” “us,” or the “Firm”) is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at www.bcswlaw.com, communicate with us by telephone, text message (SMS/MMS), email, or other electronic means, or otherwise interact with our Firm.
This Privacy Policy is provided in compliance with applicable federal and state laws, including the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations governing 10-Digit Long Code (10DLC) messaging campaigns, the Texas Identity Theft Enforcement and Protection Act (Texas Business & Commerce Code Chapter 521), the CAN-SPAM Act, and other applicable regulations.
Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By accessing or using our website or services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access or use our website or services.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Personal Information You Provide
We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us, including but not limited to:
- Full name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number(s), including mobile phone numbers
- Information submitted through our website contact forms or intake questionnaires
- Information provided during consultations or in connection with our legal services
- Billing and payment information
- Information necessary to provide legal representation, including information protected by attorney-client privilege
- Text message (SMS/MMS) consent and opt-in information
- Any other information you choose to provide to us
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain information about your device and usage, including:
- IP address, browser type, and operating system
- Pages viewed, links clicked, and time spent on our website
- Referring website or source
- Device identifiers and mobile network information
- Date and time of your visit
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 7 below)
2.3 Categories of Personal Data Under the TDPSA
Pursuant to the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act, the categories of personal data we may process include:
- Identifiers (name, address, phone number, email address)
- Commercial information (records of services obtained or considered)
- Internet or other electronic network activity information
- Professional or employment-related information (to the extent relevant to legal representation)
- Sensitive personal data, as defined under TDPSA, only when necessary for the provision of legal services and with appropriate consent
3. SMS/Text Messaging Communications
This section describes our practices with respect to SMS/text messaging communications, in compliance with the FCC 10DLC Campaign Registry requirements and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), 47 U.S.C. § 227.
3.1 Consent and Opt-In
By providing your mobile phone number and opting in to receive text messages from the Firm, you expressly consent to receive SMS/MMS messages from Baird Crews Schiller & Whitaker P.C. regarding matters related to your legal representation, case updates, appointment reminders, and other communications pertinent to the attorney-client relationship. Your consent to receive text messages is not a condition of receiving legal services from the Firm.
Consent may be obtained through:
- Written consent forms signed at intake or during representation
- Electronic consent provided via our website or electronic communications
- Verbal consent documented in our records
- Responding affirmatively to an opt-in text message
3.2 Message Frequency and Content
Message frequency varies depending on the nature of your legal matter and the communications necessary to provide legal services. Messages may include:
- Case status updates
- Appointment reminders and scheduling communications
- Responses to your inquiries
- Information related to your legal matter
- Administrative communications regarding your representation
Message and data rates may apply. Your mobile carrier’s standard messaging and data rates apply to all text messages sent or received. The Firm is not responsible for any charges incurred through your mobile carrier.
3.3 Opt-Out
You may opt out of receiving text messages from the Firm at any time by:
- Replying “STOP” to any text message received from us
- Calling us at (254) 743-7300
- Emailing us at the address provided in Section 14 of this Privacy Policy
- Notifying your attorney or our staff in writing
After opting out, you will receive a confirmation message, and no further text messages will be sent unless you re-consent. Opting out of text messages does not affect other forms of communication between you and the Firm regarding your legal representation.
3.4 Use of Consumer Data in Text Messaging
The personal data collected in connection with our text messaging services (including your mobile phone number and the content of messages) is used solely for the following purposes:
- To communicate with you regarding your legal matter or inquiry
- To provide case updates, appointment reminders, and other information pertinent to your representation
- To respond to your questions or requests
- To maintain records of communications as required by professional and ethical obligations
We do not sell, rent, lease, or share your mobile phone number, messaging data, or opt-in/opt-out status with third parties for marketing or promotional purposes. Consumer data collected through text messaging will not be shared with third parties except as described in Section 5 of this Privacy Policy.
3.5 Contacting Us About Text Messaging
If you have questions about our text messaging practices, your data, or wish to modify your preferences, you may contact us at:
Baird Crews Schiller & Whitaker P.C.
15 North Main Street
Temple, TX 76501
Phone: (254) 743-7300
Website: www.bcswlaw.com
4. How We Use Your Information
We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:
- To provide legal services and represent you in legal matters
- To communicate with you regarding your legal representation, including via telephone, text message, email, and mail
- To respond to your inquiries, requests, and communications
- To manage and administer our attorney-client relationships
- To process payments and manage billing
- To comply with legal and ethical obligations, including those imposed by the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct
- To maintain and improve our website and services
- To protect our rights, property, and safety, and the rights, property, and safety of our clients and others
- To comply with applicable law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request
- For any other purpose with your consent
5. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:
5.1 Service Providers
We may share your information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as IT support, telecommunications providers, website hosting, document management, billing and payment processing, and similar operational support. These providers are contractually obligated to use your information only for the purposes for which it was disclosed and to maintain its confidentiality.
5.2 Legal and Professional Obligations
We may disclose your information when required or permitted by law, including:
- In response to a subpoena, court order, or other legal process
- To comply with applicable laws, rules, and regulations
- To protect and defend our rights or property
- To prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing
- As otherwise required by our professional and ethical obligations
5.3 With Your Consent
We may share your information with third parties when you have given us your express consent to do so, including in connection with the provision of legal services on your behalf (e.g., filing documents with courts, communicating with opposing counsel, or corresponding with government agencies).
5.4 Text Messaging Data
We do not share, sell, or disclose your phone number, messaging opt-in status, or the content of text message communications to any third party for marketing or advertising purposes. Your messaging data may be accessible to our VoIP/telecommunications service provider solely for the purpose of transmitting messages and maintaining the messaging platform.
6. Attorney-Client Privilege and Confidentiality
Nothing in this Privacy Policy is intended to waive, diminish, or otherwise affect the protections afforded by the attorney-client privilege, the work product doctrine, or any other applicable privilege or protection. Information you share with us in the course of seeking or receiving legal representation remains subject to the protections of attorney-client privilege and our ethical obligations of confidentiality under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct.
Our obligations of confidentiality extend to all forms of communication, including text messages (SMS/MMS), emails, telephone calls, and other electronic communications. We implement reasonable security measures to protect the confidentiality of all client communications, regardless of the medium used.
7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our website may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies are small text files placed on your device that allow us to:
- Remember your preferences and settings
- Understand how you use our website
- Improve our website functionality and content
- Analyze website traffic and usage patterns
You may control the use of cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies or alert you when a cookie is being placed. Please note that disabling cookies may limit certain functionality of our website.
8. Data Security
We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. These measures include, but are not limited to:
- Encryption of data in transit and at rest, where appropriate
- Secure access controls and authentication procedures
- Regular security assessments and updates
- Employee training on data privacy and security obligations
- Secure storage and disposal of records containing personal information
- Compliance with the security requirements of Texas Business & Commerce Code Chapter 521
While we take reasonable measures to protect your information, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your personal information.
9. Data Breach Notification
In compliance with the Texas Identity Theft Enforcement and Protection Act (Texas Business & Commerce Code § 521.053), in the event of a breach of system security resulting in the unauthorized acquisition of your sensitive personal information, we will notify you as quickly as possible and without unreasonable delay, consistent with the legitimate needs of law enforcement and any measures necessary to determine the scope of the breach and restore the reasonable integrity of the data system.
10. Your Rights Under the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act
If you are a Texas resident, the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA), effective July 1, 2024, provides you with the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Right to Access: You have the right to confirm whether we are processing your personal data and to access such data.
- Right to Correction: You have the right to correct inaccuracies in your personal data, taking into account the nature of the data and the purposes of the processing.
- Right to Deletion: You have the right to request deletion of your personal data that we hold about you.
- Right to Data Portability: You have the right to obtain a copy of your personal data in a portable, readily usable format, to the extent technically feasible.
- Right to Opt Out: You have the right to opt out of the processing of your personal data for purposes of targeted advertising, the sale of personal data, or profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects.
To exercise any of these rights, please submit a verifiable request to us using the contact information provided in Section 14 below. We will respond to your request within 45 days of receipt. If we require additional time, we will inform you of the extension and the reason. We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your TDPSA rights.
Limitations: Certain rights under the TDPSA may be limited where the processing of personal data is necessary for us to comply with our legal and ethical obligations, including the provision of legal services, compliance with professional conduct rules, and the preservation of information subject to attorney-client privilege or litigation holds. We will not delete or alter information that is subject to a legal hold, court order, or professional retention obligation.
11. Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) Compliance
In compliance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 47 U.S.C. § 227, and FCC regulations thereunder, we will not send text messages or make autodialed or prerecorded telephone calls to your mobile telephone number without first obtaining your prior express consent. We maintain internal do-not-call and do-not-text records and honor all opt-out requests promptly. If you believe you have received a communication from us in error, please contact us immediately at (254) 743-7300.
12. Email Communications and CAN-SPAM Act Compliance
To the extent we send commercial electronic mail messages, we comply with the CAN-SPAM Act (15 U.S.C. § 7701 et seq.). Our commercial emails will:
- Clearly identify the Firm as the sender
- Include a valid physical postal address
- Provide a clear and conspicuous mechanism to opt out of future commercial emails
- Honor opt-out requests within 10 business days
- Not use deceptive subject lines or misleading header information
Communications directly related to your legal representation (e.g., case updates, document transmittals, and scheduling communications) are transactional or relationship messages and are not subject to CAN-SPAM opt-out requirements.
13. Children’s Privacy
Our website and services are not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 years of age. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete such information as soon as practicable, in compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), 15 U.S.C. §§ 6501–6506. If you believe that a child under 13 has provided personal information to us, please contact us immediately using the information provided in Section 14 below.
14. Contact Information
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, your personal information, our text messaging practices, or wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact us at:
Baird Crews Schiller & Whitaker P.C.
Attn: Privacy Inquiries
15 North Main Street
Temple, TX 76501
Telephone: (254) 743-7300
Website: www.bcswlaw.com
15. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We reserve the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time. When we make changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page and post the revised policy on our website. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information. Your continued use of our website or services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.
16. Financial Information (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act)
To the extent that we receive nonpublic personal financial information in the course of providing legal services (for example, in connection with estate planning, real estate transactions, or business matters), we protect such information in accordance with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. §§ 6801–6809) and applicable regulations. We do not disclose nonpublic personal financial information to nonaffiliated third parties except as permitted or required by law.
17. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not operated or controlled by us. This Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party websites.
18. Data Retention
We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, to comply with our legal and ethical obligations (including record retention requirements under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct), to resolve disputes, and to enforce our agreements. The retention period may extend beyond the conclusion of your legal matter due to applicable statutes of limitations, professional conduct rules, and other legal requirements.
19. Do Not Track Signals
Some web browsers transmit “Do Not Track” signals. Our website does not currently respond to “Do Not Track” signals due to the lack of a uniform industry standard. We will update this policy if a standard is adopted in the future.
20. Governing Law
This Privacy Policy is governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas and applicable federal law, without regard to principles of conflicts of law.
21. Acknowledgment
By using our website, communicating with us, or engaging our services, you acknowledge that you have read this Privacy Policy and understand its terms.