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Managing Matter-Based Access Permissions

Nicola Bootes

Overview

To restrict or manage access to a matter, permissions must be updated at the matter level:
  • Teams with general access can be restricted 
  • Specific users can be granted explicit Read/Write access 
    Users with the User Role permission "Access All Matters" will still be able to view the matter, regardless of restrictions.

Access Matter Permissions

  1. Open the matter you want to update.
  2. Click the gear icon (settings).
  3. Select Permissions from the menu.

Add Users to the Matter

  1. Click Add Entry.
  2. In the new line, type the name of the user who should have access.
  3. Select the user from the dropdown list.
  4. Tick the boxes for Read and Write to grant access.
  5. Repeat for all users who need access.
Only users explicitly added with Read/Write permissions will be able to access the matter after restrictions are applied.

Add a Team to the Matter

  1. Click Add Entry in the Permissions screen
  2. Start typing the Team Name in the new line
  3. Select the team from the dropdown list
  4. Tick the boxes for Read and Write to grant access
  5. Repeat for additional teams if needed
Teams added here will have the same access across all users in that team, unless individual user permissions override them

Restrict Team Access

  1. Locate the Default Team (and any other teams, if applicable) in the permissions list.

  2. Deselect the Read and Write boxes to remove access.

This prevents the team from accessing the matter, while allowing the explicitly added users to retain access.

Save Changes

  • Click Save to apply the updated permissions
  • All changes take effect immediately
  • Users with Access All Matters will bypass these restrictions

This ensures that: Only selected users can access the matter. Default team and non-authorised users are restricted. Compliance with internal access policies is maintained.

Best Practices

  • Grant access only to individuals who truly need it to maintain confidentiality on sensitive matters.
  • Remove Team-level access first before adding individual users to avoid accidental visibility.
  • Document access decisions (e.g., why a user was restricted) for compliance or audit purposes.
  • Regularly review matter permissions, especially for long-running or high‑risk matters.
  • Check for users with ‘Access All Matters’ permission when troubleshooting unexpected access.
  • Ensure the Person Acting's Team is correct, as this determines the default starting permissions.
  • Use a consistent internal process for requesting and approving matter-level access changes.