Confidential files and ethical walls
A file marked confidential is visible only to its access list and the firm’s administrators. The database checks it on every read.
Who is inside the wall
- Whoever opened the file
- The people on its access list
- The firm’s administrators
Nobody else can tell the file exists. It is missing from Matters, and so are its tasks, events, memo, parties, time entries and invoices, and its limitation dates are missing from the limitation date register they print. A partner is not an administrator, so a partner outside the list is walled out too.
Walling off a file that is already running does not take a task away from someone already assigned to it, reviewing it or working on it. Check who holds its tasks when you mark it.
Who decides
Only a lawyer, partner or administrator can open a file as confidential, whatever the firm’s settings. Whoever marks it and the lawyers who carry it go on the access list as it is saved, so the file cannot be handed to someone who then cannot see it.
The access list is kept by the lawyers who carry the file, whoever opened it, and the administrators. The flag itself is on the file’s edit form, which by default only lawyers can use; an administrator can widen who may edit a file.
Work stays inside
Assigning a task on the file, sending it for review, delegating it or adding a colleague to it all refuse anyone outside the access list. Moving a task onto the file refuses anyone who is not inside it themselves.
The conflict check at intake still searches confidential files. Someone outside the wall is told only that a confidential file may conflict, and to ask an administrator.
What leaves the wall
Where a firm sends events to another system by webhook, a confidential file is never sent. Where a firm has the nightly copy to a Google Sheet set up, that Sheet holds every file, confidential ones included, and who it is shared with is the only control on it.
A task’s assignee, who has to be inside the wall, sees it in their own connected Google or Outlook calendar. Who else can read that calendar is set in Google or Outlook.
The security log records each file opened and whether it was opened confidential. Later changes to the flag or the access list are not kept as a history.
Questions this page answers
Who can see a confidential file in Freeboard?
Whoever opened it, the people on its access list, and the firm's administrators. Anyone else does not see the file at all, nor its tasks, events, memo, parties, time entries or invoices.
Can a partner see a confidential file they are not on?
No. A partner is not an administrator. A partner outside the access list is walled out like anyone else.
Who can mark a file confidential?
Only a lawyer, partner or administrator can open a file as confidential, whatever the firm's settings. Afterwards the flag is on the file's edit form, which by default only lawyers can use; an administrator can widen who may edit a file.
Can work on a confidential file be given to someone outside the wall?
No. Assigning a task, sending it for review, delegating it or adding a colleague to it all refuse anyone not on the access list. Add them to the file first.
Does Freeboard keep a history of who was given access?
Not yet. The security log records each file opened and whether it was opened confidential. Later changes to the flag or the access list are not kept as a history.
Try it in the demo
The demonstration firm has a confidential file under Matters. Open it and choose Edit to see who can see it.
Sign in as dana@example.com, password freeboard-demo