COOKIE POLICY TEMPLATE

FOR BUSINESS SUCCESSION PLANNING COURSEWARE

[ATTORNEY/FIRM NAME]

[WEBSITE URL]

Effective Date: [Date]

Last Updated: [Date]

WHAT ARE COOKIES?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer, smartphone, or other device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently, provide a better user experience, and deliver information to website owners about how visitors use their sites.

This Cookie Policy explains how [Attorney/Firm Name] uses cookies and similar tracking technologies on our business succession planning courseware website and related services. This Policy should be read in conjunction with our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

By continuing to use our website and courseware, you consent to our use of cookies as described in this Policy. If you do not agree to our use of cookies, you should adjust your browser settings accordingly or refrain from using our website.

1. TYPES OF COOKIES WE USE

We use several types of cookies and similar tracking technologies on our website:

1.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential for the operation of our website and courseware. They enable you to navigate the site, access secure areas, and use basic features. Without these cookies, the services you have requested cannot be provided.

Examples include:

Session management cookies that remember your login status
Security cookies that authenticate users and prevent fraud
Load-balancing cookies that distribute traffic across servers

Legal basis: These cookies are necessary for the legitimate interest of operating our website and cannot be disabled.

1.2 Functional Cookies

These cookies allow our website to remember choices you make (such as your preferred language or region) and provide enhanced, personalized features. They help us provide you with a better user experience.

Examples include:

Cookies that remember your course progress
Preference cookies that store your settings
Cookies that enable video playback and interactive features

Legal basis: These cookies are used with your implied consent based on your use of our services.

1.3 Analytics and Performance Cookies

These cookies collect information about how visitors use our website and courseware, such as which pages are visited most often, how long users spend on each page, and whether users experience any errors. This information helps us improve the performance and design of our website.

Examples include:

Page view tracking
User engagement metrics (time on site, bounce rate)
Video completion rates
Error tracking and diagnostics

Legal basis: These cookies are used based on your consent (where required) or our legitimate interest in improving our services.

1.4 Advertising and Marketing Cookies

These cookies are used to deliver advertisements that are relevant to you and your interests. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advertisement and to measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns. These cookies may be placed by us or by third-party advertising partners with our permission.

Examples include:

Facebook Pixel cookies that track ad interactions
Retargeting cookies that show you relevant ads on other websites
Conversion tracking cookies that measure ad campaign performance
Audience building cookies used to create similar audiences

Legal basis: These cookies require your explicit consent before being placed on your device.

2. SPECIFIC COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES

Our website and services use cookies from both our own systems (first-party cookies) and from third-party services that help us deliver our courseware and marketing:

2.1 GoHighLevel (GHL) Cookies

Platform: GoHighLevel provides our CRM, course hosting, email/SMS communications, and appointment scheduling.

Types of cookies used:

Session cookies for login authentication
Functional cookies for course progress tracking
Analytics cookies for platform usage statistics
Tracking pixels for email open rates and link clicks

Data collected:

User login sessions and authentication status
Course viewing history and progress
Form submissions and lead information
Email and SMS engagement (opens, clicks)
Device information and IP addresses
Browser type and preferences

Duration: Session cookies expire when you close your browser. Persistent cookies may remain for up to 1 year.

More information: GoHighLevel Cookie Policy at https://www.gohighlevel.com/cookies-policy

2.2 Facebook/Meta Pixel and Cookies

Platform: Facebook (Meta) provides advertising and analytics services through the Meta Pixel and related cookies.

Primary cookies:

_fbp: First-party cookie that identifies browsers for advertising, analytics, and measurement purposes. Duration: 90 days
fr: Third-party cookie used for Facebook advertising, including ad delivery, measurement, and targeting. Duration: 90 days
_fbc: Stores the click ID from Facebook ads to track conversions. Duration: 90 days

Data collected through Meta Pixel:

Page views and website visits
Button clicks and form submissions
Course registration events
Consultation booking events
Device information (IP address, browser type, operating system)
Referrer URL (where you came from)
Time stamps of actions
Facebook profile information (if logged into Facebook)

Purpose:

Measure the effectiveness of our Facebook advertising campaigns
Optimize ad delivery to people most likely to be interested
Build custom audiences for retargeting
Create lookalike audiences to find similar potential clients
Track conversions from ads to course registrations and bookings

Important notes:

The Meta Pixel can potentially link collected data to your Facebook or Instagram profile even if you're not currently logged in
Facebook uses this data to build detailed profiles for advertising purposes across its family of apps and services
Data is shared with Facebook/Meta and processed according to their privacy policies

More information: Meta Privacy Policy at https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy and Cookie Policy at https://www.facebook.com/policies/cookies

2.3 Zoom Cookies

Platform: Zoom provides video consultation services for scheduled appointments.

Types of cookies used:

Strictly necessary cookies for meeting functionality
Functional cookies for user preferences and settings
Analytics cookies for service quality monitoring
Marketing cookies for Zoom's own advertising (on Zoom properties only)

Data collected:

Meeting participant information (name, email, join/leave times)
Device information (IP address, device type, operating system)
Technical data for meeting quality (connection speed, audio/video quality)
User preferences and settings

Important notes:

Zoom does not use meeting content (audio, video, or chat) for marketing or advertising purposes
Meeting recordings are only made with explicit participant notice and consent
Zoom encrypts meeting data in transit

Duration: Varies by cookie type; session cookies expire when the meeting ends or browser closes

More information: Zoom Privacy Statement at https://www.zoom.com/en/trust/privacy/privacy-statement

3. SIMILAR TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES

In addition to cookies, we use other tracking technologies:

Web Beacons (Pixels): Small electronic images embedded in web pages or emails that allow us to count visitors who have accessed specific pages or opened emails, and track engagement with content.

Local Storage: Technology that allows websites to store data locally in your browser, enabling functionality like remembering your course progress even after you close your browser.

Session Storage: Similar to local storage but data is cleared when you close your browser tab or window.

Device Fingerprinting: Techniques that collect information about your device configuration to create a unique identifier, used for security and fraud prevention.

4. HOW TO MANAGE COOKIES

You have several options for managing cookies and your privacy preferences:

4.1 Browser Settings

Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can modify your browser settings to decline cookies if you prefer. Here's how to manage cookies in common browsers:

Google Chrome: Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data

Mozilla Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data

Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Cookies and website data

Microsoft Edge: Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Cookies and site data

Note: If you disable all cookies, you may not be able to access certain features of our website or courseware. Strictly necessary cookies cannot be disabled as they are essential for the website to function.

4.2 Opt-Out of Advertising Cookies

You can opt out of targeted advertising cookies through several methods:

Facebook Ad Preferences: Control Facebook's use of your data for advertising by visiting your Facebook Ad Preferences at https://www.facebook.com/ads/preferences

Digital Advertising Alliance: Opt out of interest-based advertising from participating companies at http://optout.aboutads.info

Network Advertising Initiative: Opt out at http://optout.networkadvertising.org

Your Online Choices (EU): European users can opt out at http://www.youronlinechoices.com

4.3 Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers have a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that signals to websites that you do not want to have your online activity tracked. Our website does not currently respond to DNT signals because there is no industry consensus on how to respond to them. However, you can use the other opt-out methods described above to control tracking.

4.4 Mobile Device Settings

If you access our website through a mobile device, you can control advertising tracking through your device settings:

iOS: Settings > Privacy > Tracking (disable "Allow Apps to Request to Track")

Android: Settings > Google > Ads > Opt out of Ads Personalization

5. CONSENT AND LEGAL BASIS

5.1 Consent for Non-Essential Cookies

For cookies that are not strictly necessary (such as marketing and analytics cookies), we obtain your consent before placing these cookies on your device. By continuing to use our website after being notified of our use of cookies, you consent to our use of cookies as described in this Policy.

5.2 Withdrawing Consent

You can withdraw your consent to cookies at any time by:

Adjusting your browser settings to block or delete cookies
Using the opt-out mechanisms described in Section 4
Contacting us using the information in Section 8

Please note that withdrawing consent may limit your ability to use certain features of our website and courseware.

5.3 Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For users in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, or Switzerland, we rely on the following legal bases for processing personal data through cookies:

Consent: For marketing and analytics cookies, we process data based on your explicit consent
Legitimate Interest: For functional and performance cookies, we process data based on our legitimate interest in providing and improving our services
Contractual Necessity: For strictly necessary cookies, we process data because it is necessary to provide the services you have requested

6. IMPACT OF BLOCKING COOKIES

If you choose to block or delete cookies, your experience on our website may be affected:

Strictly Necessary Cookies: Blocking these cookies will prevent you from accessing the courseware and may disable essential features like login and course progress tracking.

Functional Cookies: Blocking these cookies may result in reduced functionality, and you may need to re-enter preferences each time you visit.

Analytics Cookies: Blocking these cookies will prevent us from understanding how you use our website, which may limit our ability to improve the user experience.

Advertising Cookies: Blocking these cookies will not reduce the number of ads you see, but the ads may be less relevant to your interests.

7. UPDATES TO THIS COOKIE POLICY

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or other operational factors. We will notify you of any material changes by:

Posting the updated Policy on our website
Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this Policy
Sending an email notification if the changes significantly affect how we use cookies

Your continued use of our website after such updates constitutes acceptance of the revised Cookie Policy. We encourage you to review this Policy periodically to stay informed about our use of cookies.

8. CONTACT US

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Cookie Policy or our use of cookies, please contact us:

[ATTORNEY/FIRM NAME]

[STREET ADDRESS]

[CITY, STATE ZIP]

Email: [EMAIL ADDRESS]

Phone: [PHONE NUMBER]

ATTORNEY CUSTOMIZATION CHECKLIST

DISCLAIMER: This checklist provides practical implementation guidance for using this template. It is not legal advice. Each attorney must review this Cookie Policy, determine its appropriateness for their specific practice and jurisdiction, and consult with privacy counsel or their professional liability carrier as needed before adopting any cookie policy.

Before publishing this Cookie Policy, please:

☐ Replace all bracketed placeholders [LIKE THIS] with your specific information
☐ Verify that all third-party service descriptions accurately reflect your current usage
☐ Add any additional cookies, tracking technologies, or services you use
☐ Remove any services listed that you do not actually use
☐ Ensure consistency with your Privacy Policy and Terms of Service
☐ Consider whether you need a cookie consent banner or tool on your website
☐ Review GDPR and ePrivacy requirements if you have EU visitors
☐ Review CCPA requirements if you have California visitors
☐ Have this reviewed by your professional liability insurance carrier
☐ Consider having this reviewed by privacy counsel familiar with your jurisdiction
☐ Link this Cookie Policy from your Privacy Policy and Terms of Service
☐ Add link to Cookie Policy in your website footer
☐ Set calendar reminder to review and update this policy at least annually

IMPLEMENTATION NOTES

Cookie Consent Management:

GoHighLevel has a built-in cookie consent banner feature that can be enabled on funnels and websites
Consider implementing a cookie consent management platform (CMP) if you have EU visitors
Popular CMPs include OneTrust, Cookiebot, and Termly
Make sure cookie consent is obtained BEFORE any non-essential cookies are placed

Best Practices:

Link to this Cookie Policy from your Privacy Policy
Include a link in your website footer alongside Privacy Policy and Terms of Service
Keep a log of what cookies you're using and when you add new ones
Review your cookie usage annually to ensure this policy remains accurate
Update this policy whenever you add new tracking technologies or services

Compliance Considerations:

GDPR (EU): Requires explicit consent for non-essential cookies before they are placed
ePrivacy Directive (EU): Regulates cookie use and requires prior consent
CCPA (California): Requires disclosure of data sales and opt-out mechanisms
Other US States: Various state privacy laws may have cookie-related requirements

Technical Implementation:

Ensure your cookie banner or consent tool actually blocks cookies until consent is given
Test to make sure non-essential cookies are not firing before consent
Provide granular options (accept all, reject all, customize)
Keep records of user consent preferences
Make it easy for users to withdraw consent and manage preferences

End of Cookie Policy Template