Email to Case: A Privacy-First Approach
Learn how LawCentral handles email integration without reading your inbox — and why that matters for advocate-client confidentiality.
Most legal tech platforms want full access to your inbox. They sync every email, scan for case-related content, and automatically categorize your correspondence. Convenient? Maybe. But is it the right approach for lawyers handling privileged communications?
We built LawCentral's email features differently. Here's why — and how to use them.
The Problem with Full Inbox Sync
When you connect your email to a practice-management platform with full inbox sync, you typically grant it broad permissions. This means it can:
- Read every email in your inbox (past, present, and future)
- Scan email content for automatic case matching
- Access attachments, including privileged documents
- Store copies of your emails on their servers
For lawyers, this raises serious concerns:
- Professional confidentiality — Section 132 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (formerly s.126 of the Evidence Act) protects your client communications. Are you comfortable with a third party scanning them?
- Data security — If the platform is breached, your entire email history is exposed
- Professional conduct — Rule 17 of the Bar Council of India Rules (Part VI, Chapter II) bars an advocate from breaching that confidentiality obligation, directly or indirectly
- Client consent — Did your clients agree to their communications being processed by AI?
Our Approach: You Control What Enters
LawCentral never connects to your inbox. Instead, we give you control:
1. Forward Emails You Choose
Each case in LawCentral has a unique forwarding address:
case-abc123@inbox.lawcentral.ai
When you receive an email relevant to a case, forward it (or BCC) to this address. The email is:
- Saved to your case file
- Summarized by AI for quick scanning
- Attached with any files included
You decide which emails enter the system. Privileged strategy discussions with co-counsel? Keep them in your inbox. Client communications about the case? Forward them in.
This works with any email provider — Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or any client that supports forwarding.
2. Draft Emails with AI
Use the /email command in Nyra:
/email draft a letter to opposing counsel requesting
an extension for filing the written statement
The AI uses your case context — parties, court, deadlines, previous correspondence — to draft a professional email. It provides compose links for both Gmail and Outlook so you can:
- Open the draft in your preferred email client
- Review and edit it
- Send when ready
We never auto-send anything.
How to Use It
Step 1: Get Your Case Email Address
Open any case and look for the Email to Case card. You'll see an address like:
case-9f4d4d5f@inbox.lawcentral.ai
Click Copy to copy it to your clipboard.
Step 2: Start Forwarding
When relevant emails arrive:
- Open the email in your mail client
- Click Forward
- Paste the case email address
- Send
The email will appear in your case within seconds, complete with an AI-generated summary.
Pro tip: Add the case email to BCC when sending emails. This automatically logs your outgoing correspondence without any extra steps.
Step 3: Draft with /email
In Nyra, use the /email command:
/email follow up with the client about the settlement offer we discussed
The agent will:
- Use case context to personalize the email
- Draft professional correspondence
- Give you Gmail and Outlook compose links
- You review, edit, and send from your email client
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can you read my inbox?
No. LawCentral never connects to your email account. We have zero access to your inbox.
Q: What happens to forwarded emails?
They're stored encrypted in your case file. Only you and your team (if you have one) can access them.
Q: Can I use this with Outlook or other email providers?
Yes! Both forwarding and the /email command work with any email provider.
The Trade-Off
Yes, this approach requires more manual work than full inbox sync. You have to forward emails yourself instead of having them auto-categorized.
But we believe this trade-off is worth it for lawyers. You maintain control over privileged communications, reduce your attack surface, and can confidently tell clients that their emails aren't being scanned by third-party AI.
Privacy isn't just a feature. For lawyers, it's a professional obligation.
Get Started
- Open any case and copy the email address
- Start forwarding relevant emails
- Use the
/emailcommand to draft correspondence
/email draft a professional email to [recipient] about [topic]
Questions? Reach out to us at support@lawcentral.ai.
LawCentral Team
LawCentral India
