Accessing and using the Client Portal by Smokeball

The Client Portal is a secure portal for discussions and sharing of documentation between you and your lawyer.

You can access the Client Portal by either using your web browser or the Communicate by Smokeball mobile app.

Please note that your personal details and data as stored in the Client Portal is kept secure and not shared with any third parties. 

Entering the Client Portal for the first time

Once your lawyer sends you a message or document using the Client Portal, you'll receive an email notification letting you know that you were sent a new message by the law firm.

To gain access to the Client Portal to see the message:

1. From within the email, click the Log in button.
   
   
   
   
2. You'll be taken to the login page which will securely provide access to the portal.
   
   Note: Depending on how long ago you received the notification email, you may have to enter your email address and select Send secure link to receive another email to log you in to the Client Portal. You may also be asked to set up multi-factor authentication if your lawyer requires it.
   
   
   
3. Once you have successfully logged into the Client Portal, you'll see the open conversation(s) your lawyer has initiated, and you can start communicating with them and sending information as needed.
   
   
   
   

How to access and navigate the Client Portal after initial access

1. Log into the Client Portal.
2. If you have conversations with multiple law firms, select the firm picker drop-down menu and select the law firm you want to communicate with.
   
   
   
   
3. The Cases section at the top of the screen allows you to choose which cases to view in your Client Portal, if you have multiple cases open with the law firm.
   
   
   
   
4. On the left-hand side of the Client Portal is your To do list. This shows all outstanding items your lawyer has assigned you to review, such as new document uploads and outstanding Intake Forms.
   
   Tick the box next to each item to acknowledge it as done.
   This will move the item to the Done tab.
   
   

View conversations and share files with your lawyer 

1. Select Msgs from the left-hand menu.  
2. Your list of conversations with the law firm will appear in the middle of the screen.
   Select a conversation from the list to view and respond to that particular request.  
   
   
   
   
3. Select the Paperclip icon in the message input box to attach a file to the conversation. 
   
   

View upcoming and past events

If your lawyer has invited you to an event, such as a court appearance, this will appear in the Events section. Select Events from the left-hand menu to view all upcoming and past events.

View files sent between you and your lawyer 

1. Select Docs from the left-hand menu.  
2. In the middle of the screen, you can view the full list of files that were shared in conversations between you and the law firm.
3. Select a file name to display a quick preview.
   From here, you can also add comments to the file or print/download it.
   
   
   
   Tip: To download multiple files at once, tick the box beside the file, then select the Download icon at the top of the list.

Complete and send Intake Forms to your lawyer

Navigate to the Docs section and select the Forms tab at the top of the document list to access all outstanding and completed Intake Forms sent by your lawyer.

Click on an Intake Form to view and complete it using the preview screen which will appear on the right-hand side of the screen.

Pay any outstanding invoices

If your lawyer has sent you an invoice, this will appear in the Billing section.

1. Select Billing from the left-hand menu to view your outstanding and paid invoices.
   
   
   
   
2. When selecting an invoice, the preview screen will appear to the right, and you should see a Pay Now button allowing you to pay the invoice.