Your Files, From Open
to Certified Destruction.

Every document has a lifecycle — active matter, retention period after close, long-term archive, and lawful destruction. LegalMatters Vault calculates retention schedules from the matter close date, flags wills and conveyancing for extended retention, and generates destruction batches with certificates for your compliance records. Your files stay on your hardware, in Australia, fully exportable at any time — we hold no lien over your data. See the legal basis for the retention and privacy legislation behind this.

Your Files.
Your Control.
Your Law.

Client files belong to the practice — not a software vendor, not a cloud provider, and not us. LegalMatters Vault enforces complete data sovereignty from the moment a matter opens through to legally-compliant destruction, with every stage tracked and auditable.

ActiveOpen matter — full access
ReviewMatter closed — retention period
Archive7+ years — long-term storage
DestroyCertified destruction batch
LPA 2007 Legal Profession Act 2007 (QLD) — 7-year minimum retention, trust account records
UCPR 1999 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules — service requirements and court deadlines embedded in workflow
LA 1974 Limitation of Actions Act 1974 (QLD) — limitation periods flagged against matter dates
PA 1988 Privacy Act & APPs — client data handling, breach notification, overseas disclosure restrictions
ETA Electronic Transactions Act — digital signatures and electronic service validity

Absolute Data Sovereignty

Files live on your hardware — physical servers in Australia under your control. No cloud provider terms of service. No data processing agreements with overseas entities. No situation in which a foreign court order, service provider insolvency, or policy change affects your access to client files. Australian law governs your data, full stop.

Your Files Are Always Yours

You can request a full export of your matters, documents, and correspondence at any time — in standard formats that open in any application. There is no lock-in and no leverage. In the event of any dispute about fees or services, your access to download and take your files is unconditional. We hold no lien, claim, or interest over your practice data under any circumstances.

Bring Everything With You

Moving to LegalMatters doesn't require starting over. Existing files, archived emails, and documents from prior practice management systems can be migrated across and linked to your matters. Your history comes with you — searchable, privilege-aware, and properly organised from the start.

Archive Lifecycle Management

Retention schedules are automatically calculated from matter close date, adjusted for document type. Wills and property conveyancing matters are flagged for extended or indefinite retention. Destruction batches are generated with certificates of destruction for your compliance records — aligned with the Legal Profession Act 2007.

Legislative & Jurisdictional Awareness

The system understands Queensland legal practice — court listing formats, UCPR service procedures, limitation periods, and QLS practising certificate requirements. Compliance isn't a checklist you complete; it's built into how the system works by default.

Monthly Backup Export

Scheduled automated backups with integrity verification run continuously. On request, a complete encrypted export of all your data — every matter, document, correspondence record, and file — can be delivered in portable format. Verify your backups. Run them yourself. Your data is never inaccessible.