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8 min
Lawyers & Legal Firms
Electronic signature for lawyers and legal firms
Fee agreements, power of attorney ad litem, settlement protocols, settlement agreements, attorney retainer letters, electronic attorney deeds: dematerialize the entire lawyer-client relationship and agreements between peers with enhanced proof value. Compliant with CNB professional rules, eIDAS regulation, and Article 1366 of the French Civil Code.
Use cases in a law firm
All private agreements throughout the firm's lifecycle can be electronically signed, from the initial client consultation to the final settlement agreement.
Fee agreement
Mandatory since the Macron Law (Article 10 of the Law of August 6, 2015), the fee agreement must be signed by the client before any service is rendered. Remote signature in 2 minutes, compliance with prior information obligations.
Power of attorney ad litem
A mandate by which the client authorizes the lawyer to represent them in court. Advanced electronic signature to formally identify the principal and document the scope of the mandate.
Settlement protocol & settlement agreement
Mediation protocols, friendly settlements, private agreements: multiple coordinated signatures by respective lawyers, common audit trail archived for 10 years.
Attorney retainer
An act by which a lawyer undertakes representation for a client in a proceeding: electronic signature for client notification and archival with probative value.
Electronic attorney deed
A deed countersigned by an attorney (Articles 66-3-1 to 66-3-3 of the Law of December 31, 1971): enhanced probative force, waiver of handwritten notation requirement. Certyneo enables electronic countersignature by the attorney and electronic signature by the client.
Confidentiality agreement & engagement letter
Confidentiality agreements between lawyer and client, engagement letters for services outside fee agreements, wealth management mandates: the entire scope of the client relationship is covered.
Why Certyneo for lawyers
Six guarantees specifically tailored to the probative and professional requirements of the legal profession.
Strong signer identification
Dual OTP via email + SMS, document fingerprint verification, qualified timestamping. Signer identity and intent are traced with an assurance level compatible with the highest probative requirements.
Legally admissible audit trail
Each envelope produces a detailed signature certificate: timestamps, IP, rough geolocation, SHA-256 fingerprints, OTP identity, all integrated into the signed PDF. Admissible before all French and European courts.
Confidentiality & attorney-client privilege
TLS 1.3 encryption in transit, AES-256 encryption at rest, strict data isolation per firm. Standard DPA available, no transfer outside the EU, compliant with attorney-client privilege requirements (Article 66-5 of the Law of December 31, 1971).
Probative value archival for 10 years
Duration compliant with the statute of limitations for civil claims and most contractual disputes. Full case file export at any time with its audit trail for transmission to a colleague or magistrate.
eIDAS Compliant — Advanced Level (AES)
Signatures compliant with Regulation (EU) No 910/2014. For documents requiring qualified level (QES), our roadmap includes a partner QTSP provider — available on request for firms with this specific need.
Legally Defensible Audit Trail
In case 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 French Civil Code.
Enhanced Probative Value
The probative value of an electronic signature depends on the ability to demonstrate, before a judge, two elements: certain identification of the signer and document integrity (Article 1366 of the French Civil Code).
Certyneo delivers for each signature an audit certificate embedded in the PDF, which groups all technical evidence:
- Signer identity (email address, phone number verified by dual-channel OTP)
- Qualified timestamp of each action (review, signature, refusal)
- SHA-256 cryptographic hash of the document, proving it has not been modified since signing
- IP address and approximate geolocation of the signer at time of signature
- Detailed log of reviews, reminders, and actions on the envelope
This body of evidence is recognized by French case law (Cass. civ. 1st, April 6, 2016; Cass. com., March 13, 2019) and European courts. For documents countersigned by an attorney (electronic attorney deed), probative force 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)
The CNB's ethical rules (RIN, National Internal Regulations) govern document retention and confidentiality of client communications. Certyneo applies end-to-end encryption, strict isolation by firm, and archiving with probative 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 judicial communications. Certyneo's electronic signature is complementary: it covers attorney-client relationships and agreements between colleagues, while RPVA covers judicial filings.
Articles 1366 & 1367 of the Civil Code
Electronic writing has the same probative force as paper writing provided the signer's identity can be duly established and document integrity is guaranteed. Certyneo's advanced signature (AES) meets both requirements.
Law of December 31, 1971 — Attorney Deed
Articles 66-3-1 to 66-3-3 define the deed under private seal countersigned by an attorney, which carries enhanced probative force. Electronic countersigning by the attorney is permitted provided the process 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 December 31, 1971, as amended by the Macron law, requires a written agreement but prescribes no particular form. Certyneo's advanced electronic signature (AES) fully satisfies the probative requirement, with the added benefit of precisely timestamping the conclusion of the agreement before services begin.
What is an electronic attorney deed and does Certyneo enable it?
An attorney deed (Articles 66-3-1 to 66-3-3 of the law of December 31, 1971) is a deed under private seal countersigned by one or more attorneys, which carries enhanced probative 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 shared 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 authenticated deeds, certain notarial documents): in this 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 embedded in the signed PDF includes all elements required by Article 1366 of the Civil Code: signer identification (dual-channel OTP), qualified timestamp, document cryptographic hash, IP address and geolocation. It constitutes a coherent body of evidence admissible before civil, commercial, and labor courts.
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 by firm, and 100% Germany / EU hosting (IONOS) with no subcontracting outside the EU. A standard DPA is available at signup and compliant with GDPR requirements — it includes clauses specific to confidentiality obligations for legal professions.
Can a settlement agreement be signed by multiple parties, each represented by their own attorney?
Yes. Certyneo natively handles sequential or parallel signatures between multiple parties and allows each attorney to countersign the agreement on behalf of their client. The 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 archiving with probative value, corresponding to the standard civil statute of limitations (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 firm.
Does Certyneo interfere with RPVA or e-Barreau?
No, Certyneo is complementary: RPVA covers judicial communications (procedural filings), while Certyneo covers attorney-client relationships and inter-attorney exchanges (fee agreements, protocols, settlement agreements). The two coexist without conflict, and Certyneo stores no RPVA data.
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