Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. The Heppner ruling turned on two provisions in consumer AI terms: the right to train on user data, and the absence of a direct commercial contract between the firm and the AI provider. KrisLegal uses Anthropic's commercial API. Anthropic's commercial terms contractually prohibit training on API-submitted data. Your firm holds a direct commercial agreement with Anthropic via your own API key. Those are the specific facts the court found missing in Heppner. They are present here.

Yes. Your firm creates an Anthropic commercial account at console.anthropic.com and supplies the API key in platform Settings. All queries travel to Anthropic under your firm's credentials, establishing a direct contractual relationship between your firm and Anthropic for that data flow. KrisLegal stores your key encrypted at rest and transmits it only to Anthropic's API endpoint.

Your documents and case files are stored on KrisLegal's servers, isolated to your organization. No other firm can access them. KrisLegal staff access client files only when you open a specific support request and grant access for that purpose. We do not browse, review, or use your data for any other reason. Files are retained for the duration of your subscription and deleted within 30 days of termination. You can delete individual uploaded files at any time from the Documents section, and you can request written certification of deletion at any time.

No. Anthropic's commercial API terms contractually prohibit using API-submitted data to train AI models. This applies to every query and document your firm submits through KrisLegal. It is one of the core structural differences between the commercial API and the consumer products at issue in Heppner.

Most law firms are not HIPAA covered entities, so HIPAA does not apply to most attorney work. If your practice regularly handles protected health information, contact us before uploading PHI. We can discuss a Business Associate Agreement and the appropriate data handling arrangement for your specific situation.

KrisLegal connects to your existing Clio account via OAuth. It reads matters, contacts, documents, notes, tasks, time entries, and calendar events to give the assistant context for your open matters. It can create notes, tasks, and time entries in Clio, but only when an authorized user explicitly instructs it to do so. KrisLegal never writes to Clio on its own. You can disconnect the integration and revoke access at any time from Settings.

Most firms are running within one week of the setup call. Setup covers connecting your Clio account, configuring your practice areas, adding attorney profiles with bar numbers and billing rates, loading your document templates, and supplying your Anthropic API key. We handle the configuration work; you review and approve before going live.

Yes. Upload any DOCX template and it becomes a workflow available to your whole team. The built-in templates are starting points, not requirements. Custom templates use the same AI field-population pipeline as the built-in ones.

No. Each attorney profile carries their bar number, billing rate, active practice areas, and signature block. The assistant loads the right context for whoever is logged in. Attorneys only see matter data and tools relevant to their own configuration.

The AI assistant uses CourtListener, operated by the Free Law Project, for federal and state court opinions and dockets going back decades. For very recent opinions, Westlaw or Lexis will have more complete coverage. Download from either and upload directly to KrisLegal for analysis. No Westlaw or Lexis subscription is required for anything else.

No. Conflicts screening sits outside KrisLegal's scope. Run your conflicts process through your existing system before opening matters here. KrisLegal is designed to work alongside your current practice management workflow, not replace the parts that already work.

Most professional liability insurers distinguish between consumer AI tools and commercial API deployments where the firm holds the contract. KrisLegal falls in the latter category. Your firm holds a direct contract with Anthropic, data is not used for training, and we provide a Data Processing Addendum for your due diligence file. If your insurer asks for documentation, send them the DPA and your Anthropic commercial API agreement. We can also provide a summary letter on request.

KrisLegal's architecture is built around ABA Formal Opinion 512 (2024): commercial API terms, no training on client data, and a Data Processing Addendum establishing confidentiality obligations with the vendor. Attorneys remain responsible under Model Rule 1.1 for supervising AI-generated work product and verifying accuracy before filing or reliance. State ethics guidance on AI and cloud computing varies; we recommend checking your jurisdiction's formal opinions.

Describe it and we'll tell you whether it's in development or can be built for your firm. New practice area suites ship regularly. Custom document types, analytical tools, and integrations are part of the onboarding conversation for firms with specific workflow requirements.

Pricing is per firm, based on attorney count and the practice area suites your firm activates. We send quotes the same day you reach out. There are no per-query fees or usage surprises; your Anthropic API costs are billed directly by Anthropic to your firm's account and are separate from the KrisLegal subscription. Contact us at hello@krislegal.com for a specific quote.

Email support at hello@krislegal.com with a target response time of one business day. Issues affecting firm operations are treated as priority. During onboarding and the pilot period, you have direct access to the team.

Your data remains accessible for export for 30 days after your subscription ends. All firm data is permanently deleted within 30 days after that window closes. You can export case data, documents, and contacts at any time through the platform, and you can request written certification of deletion at any point.