Sign a lawyer act online, in 2 minutes
Private deed countersigned by a lawyer (commonly called "lawyer act") between private parties, signed electronically with the countersignature of their lawyer(s). Compliant with Article 1374 of the Civil Code (created by law no. 2011-331 of March 28, 2011) and the eIDAS regulation — enhanced evidentiary force compared to a standard private deed, advanced signature recommended to trace the countersignature.
- Legal framework
- Art. 1374 Civil Code
- Signature level
- eIDAS AES recommended
- Legal archiving
- 30 years (RIN)
What is a lawyer act?
The lawyer act — or private deed countersigned by a lawyer — is a legal instrument created by law no. 2011-331 of March 28, 2011, codified in Article 1374 of the Civil Code. It consists of a private deed between parties that is further countersigned by their lawyer (or a common lawyer). The countersignature has three effects: (1) attestation by the lawyer that they have fully informed the parties of the legal consequences of the act, (2) enhanced evidentiary force — the act proves the writing and signature of the parties without any denial being admissible (except for forgery proceedings), (3) exemption from a handwritten statement by the party undertaking obligations. It occupies an intermediate position between a standard private deed and a notarized authentic act.
Why sign the lawyer act electronically?
Enhanced evidentiary force preserved
Article 1374 of the Civil Code does not distinguish the form of the act: paper or electronic, the legal effect is identical. Advanced electronic signature (AES) captures the identity of the countersigning lawyer (verification by SMS OTP on their professional telephone number registered with the Bar), which secures the countersignature in case of dispute.
Multi-signatories (parties + lawyers)
A lawyer act involves at least 3 signatories (2 parties + 1 lawyer) and often more (each party may have its own lawyer, i.e., 2 parties + 2 lawyers = 4 signatures). Our workflow handles sequential or parallel signing, with each signatory signing from their phone with their individual SMS OTP.
30-year archiving (RIN article 7.6)
The National Internal Regulations of the legal profession (RIN, art. 7.6) requires lawyers to retain countersigned acts for 30 years. Certyneo archives the signed act + its eIDAS audit trail for this duration, with restitution upon first request to respond to a Bar inquiry or inspection.
Enforceable eIDAS audit trail
Each lawyer act is delivered with a proof PDF: identity of each signatory (parties + lawyer), qualified timestamp, SHA-256 hash, IP geolocation, SMS OTP. Enforceable in court, notably in case of forgery proceedings against the act.
Sign a lawyer act in 4 steps
From drafting to lawyer countersignature, in less than 5 minutes for signing.
1. Prepare the act
Upload your act PDF (transaction, assignment of shares, protocol, mutual divorce agreement, partnership agreement, etc.). The act must be drafted in accordance with the professional ethics requirements of the RIN.
2. Add the signatories
Parties (natural or legal persons represented) + countersigning lawyer(s). If each party has its own lawyer, add all lawyers. Each receives a personalized secure link by email.
3. Choose the eIDAS level
Advanced signature (AES) strongly recommended for a lawyer act: verification of the lawyer''s identity by SMS OTP, unique certificate, qualified timestamp. The lawyer countersignature has particular evidentiary force — traceability is critical.
4. Sign and archive
Each signatory signs from their phone or computer. The finalized act + proof PDF are automatically archived for 30 years, in accordance with RIN art. 7.6, accessible at any time.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a lawyer act be signed electronically?
- Yes, without restriction. Article 1374 of the Civil Code does not distinguish the form of the act: paper or electronic. The CNB (National Council of Bar Associations) confirmed in 2014 and 2019 the full compliance of the electronic lawyer act with the RIN, provided that the electronic signature is eIDAS-compliant and the lawyer''s countersignature is clearly traced.
- Which signature level: SES, AES or QES?
- For a lawyer act, advanced signature (AES) is the professional standard. It provides traceability of the countersignature via SMS OTP on the number registered with the Bar. QES is useful for acts with high litigation exposure (share assignment > €1M, contested divorce) but remains rare. SES is undersized — the enhanced evidentiary force of article 1374 deserves better.
- Must the lawyer countersignature be separately timestamped?
- Yes, recommended. The countersignature occurs AFTER the parties'' signature (it attests that the lawyer has fully informed the parties). Advanced signature separately timestamps each signature — the chronology "parties then lawyer" is visible in the Certyneo audit trail and is evidence in case of dispute.
- What is forgery proceedings and why is it important?
- Forgery proceedings is the procedure to challenge the authenticity of a writing. Against a lawyer act (art. 1374 C. Civ.), only forgery proceedings allows one to contest the handwriting or signature — simple denial is not admissible. This is what constitutes the enhanced evidentiary force. The Certyneo eIDAS audit trail is the central element of the defense in case of forgery proceedings.
- What are the most common types of lawyer acts?
- Share assignments (SARL, SAS), partnership agreements, settlement protocols, mutual divorce agreements (since 2017), lease variations, civil partnership agreements, non-compete agreements, high-stakes confidentiality agreements. Any legal act between private parties may benefit from lawyer countersignature.
- How many lawyers can countersign?
- One lawyer is sufficient (act advised by a lawyer common to the parties) or one lawyer per party (each represented). The RIN imposes no limit. In practice, when the parties have diverging interests (assignment, divorce, settlement), each has their own lawyer — i.e., 2 countersignatures.
- Is the electronic lawyer act accepted by the court office or administrations?
- Yes — the offices of commercial courts (for share assignments), the business register, the tax authorities, the notary (for publication) accept lawyer acts signed electronically, provided that the signature is eIDAS-compliant and the audit trail is provided. The practice has been common since 2019.
- Is an electronically signed act enforceable before the courts?
- Yes — French case law unanimously recognizes eIDAS-compliant electronic signatures. Advanced signature (AES) benefits from the presumption of reliability (art. 1367 Civil Code). The electronic lawyer act retains its enhanced evidentiary force from article 1374: it proves the writing and signature of the parties without denial admissible except for forgery proceedings.
Also read
Sign your first lawyer act online
Permanent free plan (5 envelopes / month), no credit card required. Compliant with art. 1374 Civil Code and eIDAS. Audit trail and 30-year archiving included.