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Legal software

Privilege respected, from first upload to last invoice.

You hold the most confidential documents your clients have, and many of them still travel by email. We build the portals, review models and knowledge tools that keep privileged material where it belongs. Your professionals make the call, never the software.

Start a projectSee the example projects

// what you are up against

The problems we hear most.

01

Privileged documents by email

Clients send signed agreements, financial records and personal details as attachments, and matter updates arrive as a phone call the client has to make.

02

A playbook in someone's head

Which clauses the firm accepts, pushes back on or refuses is known by the senior partners, and junior reviewers learn it one redline at a time.

03

Past work nobody can find

Years of memos, opinions and precedents sit in the document management system, searchable by file name and the memory of whoever wrote them.

04

Proving a document has not changed

When the date or integrity of a file is contested, the firm has an email timestamp and someone's word, which is a weak answer under cross-examination.

// example projects

Systems we could build for you.

Each one is hypothetical, labelled as such, and priced live from our rate card. Open any of them in the estimator and make it yours.

Example projectWeb app

Secure law firm client portal

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A firm exchanges privileged documents with clients by email attachment, and clients phone to ask where their matter stands and what they owe.

// What we would build

A branded web portal where clients sign in with two-factor authentication, exchange documents on each matter, see status and next steps, sign engagement letters and pay invoices, connected to the firm's practice management system.

// What is in it

  • Document exchange per matter, encrypted at rest and in transit
  • Matter status, key dates and tasks for the client
  • Engagement letters signed in the portal
  • Invoices paid by card or bank transfer through your processor
  • Integration with Clio or your practice management system
  • English and French for clients

// Stack

  • Next.js
  • PostgreSQL
  • Clio or practice management API
  • Electronic signature API
  • Microsoft Azure

// estimate

Build
≈ US$98,700 to US$151,000, delivered within 22 weeksCAD 140,500 to 214,900
Hosting
≈ US$751 a monthCAD 1,070 a month
Support
≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery
2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Design approved
6.4 to 10.4 weeks
Core features
2.9 to 4.4 weeks
Full build
1.9 to 2.9 weeks
Testing and fixes
0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Launch
0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

API access from your software vendor
1 to 4 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%
CAD 28,100 to 42,980
Discovery 7.7%
CAD 10,818.50 to 16,547.30
Design approved 7.7%
CAD 10,818.50 to 16,547.30
Core features 23.3%
CAD 32,736.50 to 50,071.70
Full build 15.5%
CAD 21,777.50 to 33,309.50
Testing and fixes 7.7%
CAD 10,818.50 to 16,547.30
Launch 8.1%
CAD 11,380.50 to 17,406.90
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%)
CAD 14,050 to 21,490
Start from this example
Example projectWeb appAICustom LLM

On-premises contract review

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

Reviewing a counterparty's paper against the firm's positions takes a senior reviewer hours, and juniors miss clauses the firm always pushes back on.

// What we would build

A custom model fine-tuned on the firm's own marked-up agreements and playbook, running on a GPU server in the firm's office or data centre so client documents never leave, that flags each clause against the firm's position for the reviewer to decide.

// What is in it

  • A model fine-tuned on your past markups and your written playbook
  • Each clause marked as accepted, flagged or outside your positions, with the reason
  • Suggested fallback language from your own precedents, for the reviewer to accept or reject
  • Measured against agreements your reviewers have already marked, before every release
  • Runs on a GPU server you own, with nothing sent to a model provider

// Stack

  • PyTorch
  • Python
  • Microsoft Word add-in
  • PostgreSQL
  • Lenovo GPU server on premises

// estimate

Build
≈ US$137,000 to US$208,000, delivered within 31 weeksCAD 195,000 to 296,300
Hosting
≈ US$176 a monthCAD 250 a month
Support
≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month
Hardware
≈ US$47,800 to US$197,000CAD 68,000 to 280,800

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

AI route
Custom LLM
Model running cost
≈ US$176 a monthCAD 250 a month

Timeline by milestone

Discovery
2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Data and evaluation plan
0.4 weeks
Design approved
2.4 to 3.9 weeks
Core features
1.9 to 2.9 weeks
Full build
1.4 to 1.9 weeks
Training
6.4 to 11.4 weeks
Testing and fixes
0.4 weeks
Evaluation and red-teaming
3.9 to 4.4 weeks
Launch
0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Production
0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

Hardware delivery, after it is ordered
2 to 6 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%
CAD 38,760 to 59,020
Discovery 1.5%
CAD 2,907.00 to 4,426.50
Data and evaluation plan 7.9%
CAD 15,310.20 to 23,312.90
Design approved 1.5%
CAD 2,907.00 to 4,426.50
Core features 4.6%
CAD 8,914.80 to 13,574.60
Full build 3.1%
CAD 6,007.80 to 9,148.10
Training 23.9%
CAD 46,318.20 to 70,528.90
Testing and fixes 1.5%
CAD 2,907.00 to 4,426.50
Evaluation and red-teaming 15.9%
CAD 30,814.20 to 46,920.90
Launch 1.5%
CAD 2,907.00 to 4,426.50
Production 8.6%
CAD 16,666.80 to 25,378.60
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%)
CAD 19,380 to 29,510
GPU time for training and testing, at cost
CAD 1,200. Billed up front, at cost, outside the milestones
GPU server for AI, for the model
CAD 68,000 to 280,800. Billed up front, at cost, outside the milestones
Start from this example
Example projectWeb appAIOpen-source model

Search the firm's past work

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

Associates spend hours looking for a memo or precedent the firm has already written, because the document system only searches file names and metadata.

// What we would build

An assistant that searches the firm's memos, opinions and precedents by meaning and answers with links to the source documents, on an open-source model in a cloud account the firm controls, respecting each matter's ethical walls and access rights.

// What is in it

  • Memos, opinions and precedents indexed from your document management system
  • Answers that link to the documents they came from, never to a summary alone
  • Access rights and ethical walls applied to every search
  • An evaluation set of real research questions, run before every change
  • An open-source model on GPUs in your own cloud account

// Stack

  • Llama or Mistral (open-source)
  • vLLM
  • PostgreSQL with pgvector
  • iManage or NetDocuments API
  • AWS

// estimate

Build
≈ US$105,000 to US$160,000, delivered within 22 weeksCAD 148,900 to 227,700
Hosting
≈ US$6,710 a monthCAD 9,550 a month
Support
≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

AI route
Open-source model
Model running cost
≈ US$6,530 a monthCAD 9,300 a month

Timeline by milestone

Discovery
2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Specification and evaluation plan
0.4 weeks
Design approved
2.4 to 3.4 weeks
Core features
1.4 to 1.9 weeks
Full build
0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Working pilot
3.9 to 6.9 weeks
Testing and fixes
0.9 to 1.9 weeks
Launch
0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Production
0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

API access from your software vendor
1 to 4 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%
CAD 29,720 to 45,480
Discovery 1.8%
CAD 2,674.80 to 4,093.20
Specification and evaluation plan 10.5%
CAD 15,603 to 23,877
Design approved 1.8%
CAD 2,674.80 to 4,093.20
Core features 5.6%
CAD 8,321.60 to 12,734.40
Full build 3.7%
CAD 5,498.20 to 8,413.80
Working pilot 31.7%
CAD 47,106.20 to 72,085.80
Testing and fixes 1.8%
CAD 2,674.80 to 4,093.20
Launch 1.8%
CAD 2,674.80 to 4,093.20
Production 11.3%
CAD 16,791.80 to 25,696.20
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%)
CAD 14,860 to 22,740
GPU time for training and testing, at cost
CAD 300. Billed up front, at cost, outside the milestones
Start from this example
Example projectWeb appWeb3

Evidence on a public chain

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A firm needs to show that a document or a set of files existed in a given form on a given day, and an email timestamp is easy to dispute.

// What we would build

A service that records a fingerprint of each file, never the file itself, in a small contract on a public chain, with a portal to register files and produce a verification report. A trusted timestamping authority under RFC 3161 does a similar job without a chain; we explain both and you choose.

// What is in it

  • Files fingerprinted in the browser, so the content never leaves your systems
  • Fingerprints recorded on a public chain anyone can check independently
  • A verification report showing the fingerprint, the block and the time
  • Batch registration for evidence sets and disclosure productions
  • A contract audited before it is deployed

// Stack

  • Solidity
  • Ethereum layer 2
  • Next.js
  • PostgreSQL
  • AWS

// estimate

Build
≈ US$68,800 to US$105,000, delivered within 20 weeksCAD 97,900 to 149,800
Hosting
≈ US$176 a monthCAD 250 a month
Support
≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery
2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Specification
0.4 weeks
Design approved
2.4 to 3.9 weeks
Core features
1.4 to 2.4 weeks
Full build
0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Contracts and tests
1.4 to 2.4 weeks
Testing and fixes
0.4 weeks
Testnet deployment
2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Launch
0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Mainnet
0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

An outside audit of the contracts, if you want one
2 to 4 weeks
API access from your software vendor
1 to 4 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%
CAD 19,580 to 29,960
Discovery 4.2%
CAD 4,111.80 to 6,291.60
Specification 5.3%
CAD 5,188.70 to 7,939.40
Design approved 4.2%
CAD 4,111.80 to 6,291.60
Core features 12.6%
CAD 12,335.40 to 18,874.80
Full build 8.4%
CAD 8,223.60 to 12,583.20
Contracts and tests 16%
CAD 15,664 to 23,968
Testing and fixes 4.2%
CAD 4,111.80 to 6,291.60
Testnet deployment 5.3%
CAD 5,188.70 to 7,939.40
Launch 4.2%
CAD 4,111.80 to 6,291.60
Mainnet 5.6%
CAD 5,482.40 to 8,388.80
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%)
CAD 9,790 to 14,980
Start from this example
Example projectWeb appAPI

Practice, billing and e-signature joined

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A firm opens each matter in its practice management system, again in its billing system and again in its document system, and signed engagement letters are filed by hand.

// What we would build

An integration that opens a matter once and creates it everywhere it is needed, files signed documents from your e-signature service to the right matter, and keeps clients and matter numbers in step, with a log your records team can check.

// What is in it

  • A new matter created once, everywhere it is needed
  • Signed documents filed to the right matter automatically
  • Clients and matter numbers kept in step
  • A log your records team can review

// Stack

  • Node.js
  • PostgreSQL
  • REST
  • OpenAPI
  • AWS Canada

// estimate

Build
≈ US$98,200 to US$150,000, delivered within 25 weeksCAD 139,800 to 213,800
Hosting
≈ US$176 a monthCAD 250 a month
Support
≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery
2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Design approved
2.4 to 3.4 weeks
API contract agreed
1.4 to 1.9 weeks
Core features
1.4 to 2.4 weeks
Full build
0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Core resources built
2.4 to 4.4 weeks
Security, gateway and connections
1.9 to 3.4 weeks
Testing and fixes
0.4 to 0.9 weeks
Docs, SDKs and load tests
1.4 to 1.9 weeks
Launch
0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Launch and first callers
0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

API access from your software vendor
1 to 4 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%
CAD 27,960 to 42,760
Discovery 2.3%
CAD 3,215.40 to 4,917.40
Design approved 2.3%
CAD 3,215.40 to 4,917.40
API contract agreed 6%
CAD 8,388 to 12,828
Core features 7%
CAD 9,786 to 14,966
Full build 4.7%
CAD 6,570.60 to 10,048.60
Core resources built 18.3%
CAD 25,583.40 to 39,125.40
Security, gateway and connections 12.1%
CAD 16,915.80 to 25,869.80
Testing and fixes 2.3%
CAD 3,215.40 to 4,917.40
Docs, SDKs and load tests 6%
CAD 8,388 to 12,828
Launch 2.3%
CAD 3,215.40 to 4,917.40
Launch and first callers 6.7%
CAD 9,366.60 to 14,324.60
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%)
CAD 13,980 to 21,380
Start from this example
Example projectWeb app

Matter and billing dashboard

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A firm's partners learn how matters are tracking against budget only when the month's bills go out, and work in progress builds up unbilled without anyone noticing.

// What we would build

A dashboard loaded every night from practice management and billing, showing time recorded against each matter's budget, unbilled work in progress by age, and collections by practice group, with each partner seeing their own matters.

// What is in it

  • Time and billing data loaded every night
  • Each matter's time against its budget
  • Unbilled work in progress by age
  • Partners see their own matters, management sees all

// Stack

  • Next.js
  • PostgreSQL
  • dbt
  • Metabase
  • AWS Canada

// estimate

Build
≈ US$61,400 to US$93,800, delivered within 15 weeksCAD 87,400 to 133,600
Hosting
≈ US$344 a monthCAD 490 a month
Support
≈ US$1,000 a monthCAD 1,425 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery
2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Design approved
2.4 to 3.9 weeks
Core features
1.9 to 3.4 weeks
Full build
1.4 to 2.4 weeks
Testing and fixes
0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Launch
0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

API access from your software vendor
1 to 4 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%
CAD 17,480 to 26,720
Discovery 7.7%
CAD 6,729.80 to 10,287.20
Design approved 7.7%
CAD 6,729.80 to 10,287.20
Core features 23.3%
CAD 20,364.20 to 31,128.80
Full build 15.5%
CAD 13,547 to 20,708
Testing and fixes 7.7%
CAD 6,729.80 to 10,287.20
Launch 8.1%
CAD 7,079.40 to 10,821.60
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%)
CAD 8,740 to 13,360
Start from this example

// by service

Go deeper on one kind of work.

Pages for the services we have the most to say about in this industry.

~/apps

Law firm client portal

Secure client portals for law firms: document exchange per matter, status and key dates, signed engagement letters and invoice payment, connected to your practice management system.

Read more

~/ai

AI for law firms

Contract review on a custom model fine-tuned on your own playbook and run on your servers, and knowledge assistants over your firm's past work on open-source models, with no client data sent to a provider.

Read more

~/web3

Evidence timestamping

Record a fingerprint of each file on a public chain, never the file itself, and produce a verification report showing a document existed in that form at that time.

Read more

// questions

What buyers in this industry ask us.

Do you understand the rules law firms work under?

We build to the requirements your firm sets out, including solicitor-client privilege, your law society's rules on technology, records and trust accounting, and privacy law such as PIPEDA. We do not give legal advice and do not replace your own review.

Do you work with in-house legal departments too?

Yes. We are in British Columbia and work with firms and legal teams anywhere; prices are in Canadian dollars.

How do payments work?

A deposit to start, then payments at agreed milestones, with 10% held until 30 days after launch. The deposit is a smaller share on larger projects.

Who owns the code and the models?

You do, once the work is paid for, including any model fine-tuned on your documents.

// other industries

Nearby industries.

~/real-estate

Real estate and proptech

Resident apps for property managers, brokerage listing sites, building assistants and portable rental history credentials.

See the examples

~/government

Government and public sector

Provincial and federal service portals, inspector apps, plain-language services assistants and verifiable licences and permits.

See the examples

~/finance

Finance and fintech

Lending apps with identity checks, support agents, underwriting document readers and partner settlement ledgers.

See the examples

All industries

// where we work

Find your market.

We work from Kelowna with clients across Canada, the United States and further afield. Each market page covers working hours, hosting, the privacy law that applies, and prices in your currency.

Every market

// next

Not quite your project?

Tell us what you have in mind. We will come back to you with a range and the questions that would narrow it. Or book a call and talk it through.

Start a projectBook a call
Software for law firms: client portals and contract review AI | Atheron Network Labs