EIRL vs SARL: Complete Comparison of Legal Structures in 2026
Choosing between EIRL and SARL is a strategic decision that affects your assets, taxation and professional future. Discover the complete comparison for 2026.
8 min
Lawyers & law firms
Electronic signature for lawyers and law firms
Fees agreement, mandate ad litem, settlement protocol, transaction agreement, letter of retainer, electronic legal deed: digitise the entire lawyer-client relationship and inter-professional agreements with enhanced probative value. Compliant with CNB deontological rules, the eIDAS regulation and article 1366 of the French Civil Code.
Use cases in a law firm
All private deeds throughout the law firm's operations can be electronically signed, from the initial client consultation to the final settlement agreement.
Fees agreement
Mandatory since the Macron Act (article 10 of the Act of 6 August 2015), the fees agreement must be signed by the client before any service is provided. Remote signature in 2 minutes, compliance with prior information obligations.
Mandate ad litem
Mandate by which the client entrusts the lawyer with the power to represent them in court. Advanced electronic signature to formally identify the principal and trace the scope of the mandate.
Settlement protocol & transaction agreement
Mediation protocols, amicable transactions, private agreements: multiple signatures coordinated by the respective lawyers, common audit trail archived for 10 years.
Letter of retainer
Deed by which a lawyer engages to represent a client in proceedings: electronic signature for client notification and archiving with probative value.
Electronic legal deed
Deed countersigned by lawyer (articles 66-3-1 to 66-3-3 of the Act of 31 December 1971): enhanced probative force, exemption from handwritten notation. Certyneo enables electronic countersignature by the lawyer and electronic signature by the client.
Confidentiality undertaking & engagement letter
Confidentiality undertakings between lawyer and client, engagement letters for services outside the fees agreement, wealth 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 signatory identification
SMS OTP on a channel separate from the signing link, document fingerprint verification and RFC 3161 timestamping. The signer's identity and intent are recorded with a level of assurance compatible with the highest evidentiary requirements.
Legally admissible audit trail
Each envelope produces a detailed signature certificate: time stamps, IP address, coarse geolocation, SHA-256 fingerprints, OTP identity, all embedded in the signed PDF. Admissible before all French and European courts.
Confidentiality & legal privilege
TLS 1.3 encryption in transit, AES-256 encryption at rest, strict data isolation by firm. Standard DPA available, no transfers outside the EU, compliant with legal privilege requirements for lawyers (article 66-5 of the Act of 31 December 1971).
10-year probative archiving
Duration compliant with civil action limitation periods and most contractual disputes. Export the complete file with its audit trail at any time for transmission to a colleague or judge.
eIDAS Compliant — Advanced Level (AES)
Signatures compliant with Regulation (EU) No 910/2014, with all three levels available: simple (SES), advanced (AES) and qualified (QES). QES — the legal equivalent of a handwritten signature throughout the EU — is billed per act (€14.90/signature) for notarial deeds, public procurement and authenticated instruments.
Enforceable Audit Trail
In the event of dispute, the Certyneo audit trail provides a coherent and 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, before a judge, two elements: certain identification of the signatory and document integrity (article 1366 of the Civil Code).
Certyneo delivers for each signature an audit certificate embedded in the PDF, which compiles all technical evidence:
- Signer identity (email address, phone number verified through an SMS OTP code)
- RFC 3161 timestamp of each action (view, signature, refusal)
- SHA-256 cryptographic fingerprint of the document, which demonstrates that it has not been modified since signature
- IP address and approximate geolocation of the signatory at the time of signature
- Detailed log of views, reminders and actions on the envelope
This body of evidence falls within the framework of Articles 1366 and 1367 of the French Civil Code and the eIDAS Regulation; the French Court of Cassation (Cour de cassation) has thus accepted an electronic signature whose identification process, certified by the contracting platform, was reliable (Cass. civ. 1re, 6 April 2016, No. 15-10.732). For deeds benefiting from a lawyer's countersignature (electronic lawyer's deed), the probative force is strengthened further — the client is exempt from any handwritten statement.
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)
The CNB ethical rules (RIN, National Internal Regulations) govern in particular file retention and confidentiality of client communications. Certyneo applies end-to-end encryption, strict isolation by firm, and evidentiary-grade archiving compatible with these obligations.
RPVA & e-Barreau
Certyneo is not a substitute for the Private Virtual Network for Lawyers (RPVA), which remains the tool for communicating with the courts. Certyneo electronic signature is complementary: it covers the solicitor-client relationship and agreements between colleagues, whereas RPVA covers judicial documents.
Article 1366 & 1367 of the Civil Code
Electronic writing has the same evidentiary force as paper writing provided that the identity of the signatory can be duly established and the integrity of the document is guaranteed. Certyneo advanced signature (AES) satisfies both requirements.
Law of 31 December 1971 — Solicitor Document
Articles 66-3-1 to 66-3-3 define the deed under private seal countersigned by a solicitor, which benefits from enhanced evidentiary force. Electronic countersignature by the solicitor is permitted provided the process used guarantees identification and integrity — which Certyneo ensures.
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Frequently Asked Questions from Solicitors
Can a solicitor's fee agreement be signed electronically?
Yes, without difficulty. Article 10 of the law of 31 December 1971 as amended by the Macron Law requires a written agreement to be concluded, but prescribes no particular form. Certyneo advanced electronic signature (AES) fully satisfies the evidentiary requirement, with the advantage of precisely timestamping the conclusion of the agreement before service begins.
What is an electronic solicitor document and does Certyneo enable it?
A solicitor document (articles 66-3-1 to 66-3-3 of the law of 31 December 1971) is a deed under private seal countersigned by one or more solicitors, which benefits from enhanced evidentiary force and relieves the need for handwritten notation. Certyneo allows the client to sign electronically (AES), then the solicitor to countersign electronically — everything is archived with a common audit trail.
What is the difference between advanced signature (AES) and qualified signature (QES) for a lawyer?
The advanced signature (AES), which Certyneo delivers natively, covers the vast majority of a firm's documents: fee agreements, engagement letters, protocols and incorporations. The qualified signature (QES) is reserved for documents where the law explicitly requires it (electronic authenticated instruments, certain notarial deeds) — the legal equivalent of a handwritten signature throughout the EU. Certyneo integrates it natively through a qualified QTSP from the EU trust list: billed per act (€14.90/signature without a subscription, €9.90 with one, no commitment), available on every plan including Free, and triggered in one click from the sending wizard.
Is the Certyneo audit trail admissible before a French court?
Yes. The audit trail embeds in the signed PDF every element required by Article 1366 of the Civil Code: signer identification (SMS OTP code), RFC 3161 timestamp when obtained, cryptographic fingerprint of the document, IP and geolocation. It forms a coherent body of evidence admissible before civil, commercial and industrial tribunals.
Are firm data protected by attorney-client privilege?
Yes. Certyneo applies TLS 1.3 encryption in transit and AES-256 at rest, strict data isolation per firm, and fully EU-based hosting (IONOS) with no subprocessing outside the EU. A standard DPA is available at signup and meets GDPR requirements — it includes the confidentiality clauses specific to the legal professions.
Can a settlement agreement be signed by multiple parties each represented by a solicitor?
Yes. Certyneo natively manages sequential or parallel signatures between multiple parties and allows each solicitor to countersign the agreement on behalf of their client. A single audit trail brings together all signatures and timestamps, facilitating archiving in each firm's file.
How long are signed documents retained?
Our plans include 10-year evidentiary-grade archiving, which aligns with the standard civil limitation period (article 2224 of the Civil Code). For documents requiring longer retention (heritage, succession), extended archiving is available on request. Documents remain downloadable at any time by the firm.
Does Certyneo interfere with RPVA or e-Barreau?
No, Certyneo is complementary: RPVA covers communications with the courts (procedural documents), whilst Certyneo covers the solicitor-client relationship and communications between solicitors (fee agreements, protocols, settlement agreements). Both coexist without conflict and Certyneo stores no RPVA data.
