Every client engagement, case, transaction, or project lives as a matter. The matter connects documents, tasks, hearings, time entries, invoices, calendar events, and team assignments into one place. Matters are organized by practice area tabs: All Matters, Corporate, M&A, GC, Securities & Capital Markets, Corporate Governance, Disputes & Litigation, Employment & Labor, and Wealth Management.
Click "+ Add Matter" or use Quick Add.
Matter Creation Fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Yes | Descriptive name for the engagement. |
| Practice Area | Yes | Determines which tab the matter appears in. |
| Client | Yes | Linked to Contacts. Start typing to search. |
| Status | Yes | Current state of the engagement (e.g., Active, Pending, Closed). |
| Date Opened | Yes | When the matter was formally opened. |
| Opposing Party | No | The other side in the matter. |
| Assigned Team Member | No | Primary lawyer responsible for this matter. |
| Custom Fields | No | Firm-specific fields configured by your administrator (e.g., Opposing Counsel, Engagement Letter Date, Conflict Check Status). |
Scenario
New client calls with a commercial dispute
A new client calls with an urgent commercial dispute. You need to open a matter immediately.
Steps
Click "+" > New Matter > Title: "Al Rashidi v. Gulf Trading LLC" > Practice Area: Disputes & Litigation > Client: search and select (or create new contact on the spot) > Status: Active > Assigned: yourself > Save.
Result: Matter is open. You can immediately start logging time, creating tasks, uploading documents, and scheduling hearings — all linked to this matter.
Matter Detail Tabs
| Tab | What It Contains | Key Actions |
|---|---|---|
| Matter Info | All details, status, assigned team, custom fields | Edit any field, update status |
| Tasks | Tasks linked to this matter | Create tasks here for automatic linking |
| Calendar | Events related to this engagement | Schedule meetings, set deadlines |
| Reminders | Important dates and follow-ups | Set automated reminders |
| Milestones | Key events in the matter lifecycle | Track major progress points |
| Files | All documents with drag-and-drop upload | Upload, organize, search documents |
| SharePoint | External documents via M365 integration | Access linked SharePoint folders |
| Financial | Invoices, expenses, payments for this matter | Create invoices, log expenses |
| Hearings | All court dates for this case | Create and track hearing dates |
| Time Log | All time entries billed to this matter | Review logged hours, check billable time |
From any matter, click the Legal AI bar to start a conversation with Justinian. The Legal AI has full context: the client, practice area, jurisdiction, all related documents, time entries, and notes. Ask it to draft documents, summarize case status, recommend next steps, prepare filing packages, or draft client communications - all with the matter context already loaded.
Matters can be linked to related engagements. When a client has multiple interconnected cases or a transaction spawns follow-on work, linked matters keep everything connected while maintaining separate billing and task tracking.
Tip
Summary
The matter is the core of HAQQ - 10 tabs connecting documents, tasks, hearings, time, billing, files, SharePoint, and AI, all in one place.