Overview of Ethical Walls

Introduction

An ethical wall is a screening mechanism that protects clients from a conflict of interest by preventing one or more attorneys from participating in any matters for which they have a conflict. Once a matter is blocked, all the matter's linked notes, documents, and emails will also be blocked.

Ethical walls can operate in two different security modes. In one mode, default viewing privileges are set for all new matters by attorney and/or by matter case code and can be changed/overridden at the individual matter level optionally. In the other mode, viewing privileges can be set at the individual matter level only.

Click here for a video demonstration of building an ethical wall with default Viewing privileges.

Click here for a video demonstration of building an ethical wall with optional viewing privileges.

Ethical Wall Limitations

• Base name contact information (address, phone numbers, email address, etc.) are not limited by ethical walls, but notes, documents, and events attached to matters will be screened.

• Default viewing privileges will only apply to new matters. Viewing privileges for existing matters must be set at the individual matter level.

• All database users must have system passwords in order for the Ethical Wall feature to be fully effective.

• Document text search is not restricted by ethical walls. Raw results of document text search within Global Search may contain documents from screened matters.

• Ethical Wall is not enabled in Abacus Accounting in order to provide complete financial reports.

Ethical Wall Tasks

Do any of the following to build and customize your firm's ethical wall:

• Build an ethical wall

• Set default viewing privileges for high security ethical walls

• Set ethical wall viewing privileges at the individual matter level