Secure File Sharing For Law Firms, Lawyers, & Attorneys
Legal & Regulatory Obligations for Law Firms When Sharing Files
The table below outlines how Filemail supports secure file sharing for law firms, across major jurisdictions. We also aid in aligning with professional conduct obligations such as ABA Model Rule 1.6 on client confidentiality in the US, Norwegian Code of Conduct (Sec 2.3) & Lawyers Act, and SRA Principle 6 in the UK.
| Region | Primary Regulations | File Transfer Key Requirements | Specific Technical Stipulations |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | ABA Model Rules, State Privacy Laws (CCPA/CPRA, VCDPA, CPA, etc.), HIPAA (health), GLBA (financial). | Protect client information. Prevent unauthorized disclosure. Must comply with industry-specific privacy laws and mandates if applicable.
| Abstracted principles such as “reasonable safeguards”. Encryption is considered best practice. |
| Norway | EU GDPR, Norwegian Personal Data Act. | Same as EU GDPR. Law firms must protect personal data, and ensure secure transfers. Regulated by Datatilsynet (Norwegian Data Protection Authority). | GDPR-level “appropriate measures”. Encryption strongly recommended. Follows and adheres to EU guidance.
|
| Europe (EU) | EU GDPR.
| Lawful, fair, and secure processing of personal data. Confidentiality, integrity, accountability. | No specific technological requirements listed in the text. EU Data Protection Board names encryption and pseudonymization as key safeguards. |
| UK | UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018, SRA Standards & Regulations. | Protect personal data, maintain confidentiality, secure transfers, preserve legal professional privilege.
| “Appropriate technical and organizational measures” required. ICO guidance explicitly recommends encryption.
|
How Filemail Enables Secure File Sharing For Law Firms
Secure Client & Partner Access
Our intuitive, easy-to-use platform enables secure file sharing for law firms, attorneys, and clients. There is no complicated setup, training, nor configuration. Just navigate to our website with a browser, and start sharing.
Up & Running In Seconds: Clients can send legal documents, exhibits, or contracts without creating an account or installing software.
As Easy as Email: Sending large files is as straightforward as sending an email, but with the security and compliance email can’t offer.
Drag & Drop Flexibility: Even clients who are not tech-savvy can securely share documents with you.
Securely Receive Client Data
We provide multiple, ways for clients to send documents securely to you. Each method protects privacy and fits in with your preferred working practices.
Subdomain Client Portals: Send clients to your custom branded portal to receive evidence, contracts, and other client information.
Secure File Upload Form on Your Site: Embed a secure file upload form to enable sensitive document sharing through your firm’s website.
Private File Requests: Send a secure file request with additional instructions, for collecting time-sensitive or high-value documents.
Ensuring Privacy For Sensitive Documents
We apply AES 256-bit encryption to protect all data throughout the file transfer journey. All shared files remain confidential, from sender to recipient, as we operate a zero-knowledge file sharing service when using end-to-end encryption.
End-to-End Encryption
Files are encrypted before they are uploaded from the senders device. They remain encrypted when downloaded to the recipients device.
Encryption at Rest
Files stored on our servers remain encrypted until accessed by authorized parties.
Encryption in Transit
We use HTTPS TLS 1.2 to protect and secure data while it’s moving between devices.
Access Control & Management
Our file sharing platform provides a number of measures that facilitate controlled access, thereby limiting damaging exposure of sensitive information. Our secure file sharing solution includes:
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Add a second verification step when any user in the account logs in.
Password Protection: Use a password to protect the download page from unauthorized access attempts.
Expiration Date: Automatically remove files after a custom period, aligning with retention policies.
Document Management: Disable a shared link instantly if circumstances change.
SAML/SSO: Automatic login is supported if your organization uses major Identity Providers such as Microsoft Entra (Azure AD) and Google Workspace.
Clear Auditable Trail
Detailed logs of uploads, downloads, IP addresses, and timestamps provide a transparent overview for a law firm's file sharing activity.
MD5 Checksums
We use checksum validation to make sure transferred files are identical to the original source file.
Real-Time Updates
Stay informed via email, and optionally SMS, when any major activity occurs, such as files received.
Region-Specific Storage
Store files within your region to satisfy data residency requirements.
Handle Any File on Any Device
Legal personnel handle a sizable volume of high resolution images, multimedia recordings, and extensive scanned documents. We enable secure file sharing for law firms, so they can securely send documents, and handle them without restriction.
Any Size: Share large files of any size, as we have no size limits on our Legal plan.
Any Type: Accept any file format, including video, audio, and high-resolution images.
Resume Transfers: Continue interrupted uploads without starting over.
Batch Transfers: Send or receive multiple files or folders in a single action.
Individual Forwarding: Share specific files from a larger batch with relevant parties only.
Cross-Platform: Access via web, desktop, or mobile apps.
Fast Transfer Speeds: Our global network enables fast speeds and short delivery times.
Professional & Branded Legal File Sharing
Every interaction with clients and partners reflects on your firm. Present a secure and professional image throughout the file sharing process.
Customization and Branding
Customize the look and feel of your custom subdomain to make it truly representative, and coherent with your firm’s visual identity.
Personalized Communication
Emails we send out on your behalf can be customized to fit. You can even change the language used in the emails
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FAQ
In the US, we can aid compliant file transfer with:
- Sector-specific laws such as HIPAA.
- State privacy laws, including:
- California CCPA / CPRA (California Consumer Privacy Act / Privacy Rights Act)
- Virginia VCDPA (Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act)
- Colorado CPA (Colorado Privacy Act)
- Utah UCPA
- Connecticut CTDPA
- Requirements as stipulated by:
- State Bar rules
- ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct
In Norway, we adhere to:
- EU GDPR
- Norwegian Personal Data Act
In Europe (general):
- EU GDPR
In the UK, we can aid compliant file transfer with:
- GDPR & Data Protection Act 2018
- SRA Standards & Regulations
Yes, it certainly is. To comply with the multitude of aforementioned regulations you must use secure file-sharing software, to reduce your risk-exposure. Email is not a secure method of communication for a number of reasons:
- Emails are not encrypted. Malicious actors can intercept them to steal personal and sensitive information.
- The magnitude of phishing attacks is ever-increasing. Emails can appear to come from trusted sources, deceiving the recipient into a false sense of security. These types of emails often contain either malware attachments masquerading as legitimate documents, or links to compromised websites.
- Emails typically have an attachment size limit of around 25 MB, depending on the email provider. This is woefully inadequate for evidentiary material, which can often be many GB in size.
No, it is not an issue. Our Legal plan has no limits on the number of files you share, the size of the files, and unlimited transfer sessions.