Ethical Walls & Conflict Detection
Ethical walls (also known as Chinese walls) prevent conflicts of interest by restricting access to specific matters. Lawzana Flow provides automatic conflict detection and access controls.
What Are Ethical Walls?#
In law firms, ethical walls prevent team members from accessing matters where they have a conflict of interest — for example, if a lawyer previously represented the opposing party, or if two matters involve related parties on opposite sides.
How Conflict Detection Works#
Lawzana Flow can automatically check for conflicts:
- When a new matter is created, the system checks the client name against existing restricted parties
- When a client or party is added to a matter, the system runs a conflict check
- Detected conflicts are flagged with severity levels
Conflict Severity#
| Severity | Meaning | Action Required |
|---|---|---|
| Detected | Potential conflict found | Review and assess |
| Critical | High-risk conflict requiring immediate attention | Must be resolved before proceeding |
| Resolved | Conflict cleared or waived | No further action |
Restriction Types#
When a conflict is confirmed, you can apply restrictions:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Ethical Wall | The user is completely blocked from viewing the matter. They cannot see it in lists, search results, or access any of its documents. |
| Confidential | The matter is marked as sensitive with heightened access controls. |
| Limited Access | Restricted access that can be overridden by a manager with proper approval. |
Viewing Conflicts#
Conflicts Page#
Go to Settings → Ethical Walls or the Conflicts section to see:
- Stats cards — Total unresolved conflicts, critical conflicts, breakdown by severity
- Conflict list showing:
- Involved parties
- Affected matter(s)
- Severity badge (color-coded)
- Resolution action options
On Matter Detail#
When a matter has an active restriction:
- A lock icon appears next to the matter title
- A restriction badge shows on the matter header with the reason
- Team members without access see the message: "You don't have access to this matter"
Resolving Conflicts#
From the conflicts page, you can:
- Resolve — Mark the conflict as cleared (e.g., after confirming no actual conflict exists)
- Waive — Acknowledge the conflict but allow controlled access with documentation
- Add Note — Document the reasoning for your decision
All resolutions are recorded in the audit log for compliance.
Access Logging#
Every access attempt to a restricted matter is logged:
- Who attempted access
- When the attempt was made
- Whether access was granted or denied
- The restriction type in effect
This log is available to Owners and Admins in the audit section.
Setting Up Ethical Walls#
- Go to Settings → Ethical Walls
- Enable ethical walls for your organization
- Configure:
- Which roles can create and manage walls
- Whether to run automatic checks on matter creation
- Notification preferences for detected conflicts
Best Practices#
- Review conflicts promptly — Don't leave detected conflicts unresolved
- Document waivers — Always add notes when waiving a conflict
- Regular audits — Periodically review the access log and active walls
- Train your team — Ensure all team members understand that ethical wall restrictions are mandatory and cannot be circumvented