Open a matter

Start the matter

1. Open Matters and choose New matter.
2. Choose the matter type. It sets the practice area, the defaults, the stages, the folders and the workflow the matter starts with.
3. Name the matter, the responsible partner and the client.
4. Save. The matter is numbered from the firm's scheme and starts as an enquiry.

Add the parties and the team

On the Parties tab, add everyone involved in their role: client, opposing party, opposing counsel, witness, surety and so on. There must be at least one client and exactly one billing client, the one who pays.

On the Team tab, add the supervising partner, the fee earners and support staff.

The opening checklist

The matter shows its checklist until every line is done:

• A client and a matter type.
• A responsible partner and a billing arrangement.
• A decided conflict check covering the current parties.
• KYC for the client, as a warning or a block, as the firm has set it.
• The engagement letter, generated from the firm's template, sent, and returned signed.

When the conflict check is cleared and the checklist allows it, choose Open. The matter's default workflow lays out its tasks the moment it opens.

Sub matters

A matter may have sub matters one level deep, such as the appeal in a suit. A sub matter has its own number, team and billing, and inherits its parent's client and conflict clearance.

Hold, decline, resume

Put a matter on hold with a reason, and resume it later. An enquiry the firm does not take is declined with a reason and stays on the record, so a later check still finds it.