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Lawyers & law firms
Electronic signature for lawyers and law firms
Fee agreements, power of attorney, settlement protocol, settlement agreement, attorney representation, electronic legal deed: dematerialise the entire lawyer-client relationship and agreements between colleagues with enhanced probative value. Compliant with CNB deontological rules, eIDAS regulation and Article 1366 of the Civil Code.
Use cases in a law firm
All private acts in the firm's operations can be signed electronically, from the first client consultation to the final settlement agreement.
Fee agreement
Mandatory since the Macron Law (Article 10 of the Law of 6 August 2015), the fee agreement must be signed by the client before any service. Remote signature in 2 minutes, compliance with prior information obligation.
Power of attorney
A mandate by which the client grants the lawyer the power to represent them in court. Advanced electronic signature to formally identify the principal and trace the extent of the mandate.
Settlement protocol & settlement agreement
Mediation protocols, amicable settlements, private agreements: multiple signatures coordinated by respective lawyers, common audit trail archived for 10 years.
Attorney representation
An act by which a lawyer acts for a client in proceedings: electronic signature for client notification and archiving with probative value.
Electronic legal deed
An act countersigned by a lawyer (Articles 66-3-1 to 66-3-3 of the Law of 31 December 1971): enhanced probative force, discharge from handwritten notation. Certyneo enables electronic countersigning by the lawyer and electronic signature by the client.
Confidentiality agreement & engagement letter
Confidentiality agreements between lawyer and client, engagement letters for services outside fee agreements, asset management mandates: the entire scope of the client relationship is covered.
Why Certyneo for lawyers
Six guarantees specifically tailored to the probative and deontological requirements of the legal profession.
Strong signer identification
Dual OTP email + SMS, document fingerprint verification, qualified timestamping. The signer's identity and intent are traced with an assurance level compatible with the highest probative requirements.
Legally acceptable audit trail
Each envelope produces a detailed signature certificate: timestamps, IP address, coarse geolocation, SHA-256 fingerprints, OTP identity, all embedded in the signed PDF. Admissible in all French and European courts.
Confidentiality & professional privilege
TLS 1.3 encryption in transit, AES-256 encryption at rest, strict data isolation by firm. Standard DPA available, no transfer outside the EU, compliant with lawyers' professional privilege requirements (Article 66-5 of the Law of 31 December 1971).
10-year archiving with probative value
Duration compliant with the limitation period for civil actions and most contractual disputes. Export the complete file with its audit trail at any time for transmission to a colleague or a judge.
eIDAS Compliant — Advanced Level (AES)
Signatures compliant with Regulation (EU) No 910/2014. For documents requiring qualified level (QES), our roadmap integrates a partner QTSP provider — available on request to law firms with this specific need.
Legally Admissible Audit Trail
In case of dispute, the Certyneo audit trail provides a coherent, timestamped body of evidence that facilitates demonstration of informed consent and document integrity, in accordance with Article 1366 of the Civil Code.
Enhanced Evidentiary Value
The evidentiary value of an electronic signature depends on the ability to demonstrate to a judge two elements: certain identification of the signer and document integrity (Article 1366 of the Civil Code).
Certyneo delivers for each signature an audit certificate embedded in the PDF, which consolidates all technical evidence:
- Signer identity (email address, telephone number verified by dual-channel OTP)
- Qualified timestamp of each action (viewing, signature, refusal)
- SHA-256 cryptographic fingerprint of the document, which proves it has not been modified since signing
- IP address and rough geolocation of the signer at the time of signature
- Detailed log of viewings, reminders, and actions on the envelope
This body of evidence is recognised by French jurisprudence (Cass. civ. 1st, 6 April 2016; Cass. com., 13 March 2019) and European case law. For documents countersigned by an attorney (electronic attorney deed), the evidentiary value is further strengthened — the client is exempt from any handwritten notation.
Compliance with CNB Rules, Civil Code and eIDAS
Certyneo operates within the legal and ethical framework applicable to the legal profession.
CNB Rules (National Bar Council)
CNB ethical rules (RIN, National Internal Regulations) govern in particular the retention of case files and confidentiality of client communications. Certyneo applies end-to-end encryption, strict isolation by law firm, and archiving with evidentiary value compatible with these obligations.
The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down the rules for the application of this Regulation.
Certyneo is not a substitute for the Attorneys' Private Virtual Network (RPVA), which remains the tool for communicating with the courts. Certyneo electronic signature is complementary: it covers the attorney-client relationship and agreements between colleagues, whereas the RPVA covers judicial documents.
Articles 1366 & 1367 of the Civil Code
Electronic writing has the same evidentiary force as paper writing provided the signer's identity can be duly established and the document's integrity is guaranteed. Certyneo's advanced signature (AES) meets both requirements.
Law of 31 December 1971 — Attorney Deed
Articles 66-3-1 to 66-3-3 define the deed under private signature countersigned by an attorney, which benefits from enhanced evidentiary force. Electronic countersigning by the attorney is permitted provided the process used guarantees identification and integrity — which Certyneo ensures.
Frequently Asked Questions by Attorneys
Can an attorney's fee agreement be signed electronically?
Yes, without difficulty. Article 10 of the law of 31 December 1971 as amended by the Macron Act requires a written agreement, but prescribes no particular form. Certyneo's advanced electronic signature (AES) fully satisfies the evidentiary requirement, with the advantage of precisely timestamping the agreement's conclusion before the service begins.
What is an electronic attorney deed and does Certyneo allow it?
An attorney deed (Articles 66-3-1 to 66-3-3 of the law of 31 December 1971) is a deed under private signature countersigned by one or more attorneys, which benefits from enhanced evidentiary force and exempts from handwritten notation. Certyneo allows the client to sign electronically (AES), then the attorney to countersign electronically — everything is archived with a unified audit trail.
What is the difference between advanced signature (AES) and qualified signature (QES) for a lawyer?
Advanced signature (AES), which Certyneo delivers natively, covers the vast majority of firm documents: fee agreements, engagement letters, protocols, incorporations. Qualified signature (QES) is reserved for documents where the law explicitly requires it (electronic authentic acts, certain notarial documents): in that specific case, we can direct you to a QTSP partner. Native QES integration is planned in our roadmap.
Is the Certyneo audit trail admissible before a French court?
Yes. The audit trail embeds in the signed PDF all elements required by Article 1366 of the Civil Code: signer identification (dual-channel OTP), qualified timestamp, document cryptographic fingerprint, IP and geolocation. It constitutes a coherent body of evidence admissible before civil, commercial and employment courts.
Is law firm data protected by legal privilege?
Yes. Certyneo applies TLS 1.3 encryption in transit and AES-256 at rest, strict data isolation by law firm, and 100% Germany / EU hosting (IONOS) with no subcontracting outside the EU. A standard DPA is available at signup and complies with GDPR requirements — it incorporates specific clauses for the confidentiality owed by legal professions.
Can a settlement agreement be signed by multiple parties each represented by an attorney?
Yes. Certyneo natively handles sequential or parallel signatures between multiple parties and allows each attorney to countersign the protocol on behalf of their client. The unified audit trail brings together all signatures and timestamps, facilitating archiving in each law firm's file.
How long are signed documents retained?
Our plans include 10-year archiving with evidentiary value, which corresponds to the standard civil limitations period (Article 2224 of the Civil Code). For documents requiring longer retention (estate, succession matters), extended archiving is available on request. Documents remain downloadable at any time by the law firm.
Does Certyneo interfere with the RPVA or e-Barreau?
No, Certyneo is complementary: the RPVA covers communication with courts (procedural documents), whilst Certyneo covers the attorney-client relationship and communication between attorneys (fee agreements, protocols, settlement agreements). The two coexist without conflict and Certyneo stores no RPVA data.
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