Legal Practice on AtlasOS
AtlasOS for Legal Practice (legal_practice) adapts the platform for law firms, conveyancers, and legal consultancies. The UI relabels core concepts to match legal workflows — entities become Matters, engagements become Mandates, and compliance deadlines become Court Dates.
Default Configuration
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Firm Type Key | legal_practice |
| Solo Mode | No |
| Default Landing View | Tasks |
| Entity Types | Pty (Ltd), Individual, Trust |
Modules Enabled by Default
| Module | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Smart Inbox | ON | AI-powered email triage via Gmail |
| Tasks | ON | Matter task lists, checklists, and assignments |
| Compliance Calendar | ON | Court dates, filing deadlines, LPC/LSSA regulatory dates |
| Client Portal | ON | Secure matter-specific document exchange |
| Time Tracking | ON | Fee tracking — hourly and contingency-based billing |
| Billing | ON | Invoices, trust accounting, and payment tracking |
| Contracts | ON | Mandate letters — draft, send, and e-sign |
| Onboarding Forms | ON | Client intake forms for new matters |
| Chat | ON | Real-time chat with clients via portal |
| AI Agents | ON | Autonomous agents for workflow and advisory |
Modules Disabled by Default
Sales CRM, SLA Tracking, Project Milestones, Broadcasts, Audit, CIPC/Secretarial, Payroll Obligations, AFS Reports, Management Accounts, Accounting Sync, and all Nonprofit modules.
Compliance Bodies
| Jurisdiction | Bodies |
|---|---|
| South Africa | LPC (Legal Practice Council), LSSA (Law Society of SA) |
| Zambia | LAZ (Law Association of Zambia) |
No obligation types are pre-seeded — configure court dates and compliance deadlines manually via Settings → Compliance Templates.
Terminology
The Legal Practice vertical overrides standard AtlasOS labels throughout the UI:
| Standard Label | Legal Practice Label | Where It Appears |
|---|---|---|
| Client | Matter | Sidebar, entity cards, search, breadcrumbs |
| Clients | Matters | Sidebar group label, entity list heading |
| Engagement | Mandate | Engagement letters, billing references |
| Compliance Deadlines | Court Dates | Compliance calendar, deadline rules |
| Service | Matter Type | Service type dropdowns, reports |
Sidebar Layout
The Legal Practice sidebar is structured for matter-centric workflows:
| Group | Label | Items |
|---|---|---|
| — | (standalone) | Dashboard |
| — | (standalone) | Smart Inbox |
| Work | Matters | Matter Tasks, Calendar |
| Clients | Matters & Contacts | Matters (entities), Persons, Client Portal |
| Finance | Fees & Billing | Fee Tracking (time), Billing |
| Compliance | Court & Compliance | Court Dates & Deadlines |
| Documents | Case Files | Case Files (documents) |
| Admin | Administration | AI Agents, Settings |
Key Differences from Accounting Layout
- No Projects, Workflows, Entity Groups, Account Manager, Bank Statements
- No Financial Reports, Practice Intelligence
- No Audit & Quality group
- No Sales CRM (Quotes, Proposals, Pipeline)
- Tasks relabeled to Matter Tasks
- Time relabeled to Fee Tracking
- Documents relabeled to Case Files
- Compliance relabeled to Court Dates & Deadlines
- Entity group relabeled to Matters & Contacts
Key Features
Matter Management
Matters are the core entity in legal practice mode. Each matter has:
- A structured profile with matter number, type, status, and assigned fee earners
- Linked documents organised as Case Files
- Time entries for fee tracking (hourly, contingency, or fixed-fee)
- Compliance deadlines for court dates, filing obligations, and regulatory submissions
- Client portal access for secure matter-specific document exchange
Fee Tracking
Time tracking is calibrated for legal billing models:
- Hourly billing — Record time per matter with customisable hourly rates per fee earner
- Contingency fees — Track contingency arrangements separately from billable hours
- Fixed-fee matters — Define fixed fees per matter and track progress against budget
- WIP reports — Unbilled work-in-progress reports per matter, per fee earner, or practice-wide
Court Date Tracking
The compliance calendar adapts to track:
- Court hearing dates and adjournments
- Filing deadlines (notices, pleadings, discovery)
- Regulatory submissions to LPC/LSSA
- Custom deadline rules per matter type
Staff reminders are automated at configurable intervals (T-7, T-3, T-1 by default).
Mandate Letters
Engagement letters are relabeled to Mandates. Draft, send, and e-sign mandate letters with:
- Template-driven content with matter-specific placeholders
- Fee arrangement terms (hourly, contingency, fixed)
- Client digital signature via the client portal
Shared Features
These features work identically to the accounting vertical — refer to the linked docs:
- Smart Inbox — AI email triage
- Documents — Upload, classify, and manage files
- Client Portal — Secure document exchange
- AI Agents — Autonomous workflow agents