A lawyer's files never sit still. A settlement draft goes to co-counsel, a client record goes to an expert, a full matter file goes to opposing counsel or the court. Every one of those hops is a chance for confidential material to end up somewhere it should not. For most firms that movement still happens by email. Here is a practical way to do it that keeps the material protected.
Why email is the wrong default
Standard email is not encrypted end to end. It rests on several servers, exposes metadata even when the body is protected, leaves readable copies in multiple inboxes, and cannot be recalled once sent. For material you are obligated to keep confidential, that is more exposure than the job can afford.
The secure way, step by step
- Encrypt before you send. Use a tool that encrypts the file on your device, not just in transit, so only the holder of the passphrase can open it.
- Split the link and the passphrase. Send the secure link one way and the passphrase another, such as a phone call, so no single channel exposes the file.
- Set an expiry and a view limit. A file shared during discovery should not still be openable a year later.
- Revoke when the matter closes. Access should end when it no longer needs to exist.
Do it without the friction
The reason people fall back to email is friction, so the fix has to be easy for the other side. With Send you drop in the file, set a passphrase, and send a link. The recipient opens it with the passphrase, with no account and nothing to install, whether it is your client or opposing counsel. You can expire it, cap the number of views, and revoke it at any time.
This article is general information, not legal advice.