# Law firms: client portal using Next.js

## Summary

A client portal blueprint for law firms built with Next.js on Ample. Domain schema: client_entities (name, entity_type, conflict_check_reference): clients with conflict-check status; matters (client_entity_id, practice_area, opened_at, closed_at, status): engagement periods as matters; document_requests (matter_id, title, due_at, status, uploaded_object_key): documents requested from the client; shared_documents (matter_id, title, object_key, authorized_role): documents released to authorized client contacts; document_access (document_id, principal_reference, role, granted_at): who may read which document. Public information: practice areas and attorney profiles, intake process and fee structure overview, office locations. Kept out of scope until handling is reviewed: privileged communications and case files, identity and financial documents, opposing-party information. Matter documents are privileged; the portal models per-matter authorization only. Professional-conduct and confidentiality obligations are not established here. Technical basis verified on Next.js: a role-to-document access model with negative tests (401 without identity, 403 for the wrong role) and a private-bucket round-trip for the allowed role (private=ok).

## Infrastructure requirements

- **Compute**: verified (Apps run in isolated x86_64 Firecracker microVMs that auto-pause when idle and wake on request; sizes are the priced VM sizes.)
- **Postgres**: verified (Managed PostgreSQL 16 runs in its own microVM and is auto-provisioned when an app needs a database and no DATABASE_URL is supplied.)
- **S3-compatible object storage**: verified (Buckets are S3-compatible with issued credentials; PutObject and GetObject are verified by canary. Other S3 operations are not verified.)

## Prerequisites

- A Next.js project (next build then next start -H 0.0.0.0 -p $PORT on the node-22 template)
- A PostgreSQL driver reading DATABASE_URL (auto-provisioned when omitted)
- Bucket credentials from `ample bucket create` passed as encrypted S3_* environment variables
- A review of which law firms data classes may be handled at all; this blueprint models public information only

## Exact tested configuration

- template: `node-22`
- runtime: `node`
- size: `s-1vcpu-1gb`
- install: `npm install`
- build: `npm run build --if-present`
- start: `npm run start`

## Steps

1. **Model the law firms domain.** Create the tables client_entities, matters, document_requests, shared_documents, document_access. Clients with conflict-check status lives in client_entities; keep the sensitive classes (privileged communications and case files, identity and financial documents, opposing-party information) out of this schema.
2. **Workflow step 1.** Model client entities and engagement periods; every document belongs to one engagement.
3. **Workflow step 2.** Authorize by client entity and role before any storage access (401 without identity, 403 for the wrong client).
4. **Workflow step 3.** Store documents in the private bucket and stream them through the app.
5. **Workflow step 4.** Deploy and verify the negative authorization tests and an authorized download.
6. **Deploy.** Run the synchronous deploy once and read the result. Re-running with no change is a no-op.
   
   ```
   ample deploy . --name <app-name> --public --env S3_ENDPOINT=... --env S3_REGION=... --env S3_BUCKET=... --env S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID=... --env S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY=...
   ```
7. **Verify.** Run the pattern self-test(s) from the example (/p/private-document-library) and your own acceptance checks for the law firms workflow.
   
   ```
   ample logs <deployment_id> --kind build
   ```

## Tested examples

- **Next.js pattern fixture** (tests/deploy-canaries/next-js-patterns): Verified private document library basis for this blueprint.

## Success checks

- app responds on its public URL (`/` on the live URL, expect ample canary next js patterns)
- private-document-library self-test from the example (`/p/private-document-library` on the live URL, expect see the pattern fixture checks)

## Limitations

- The technical basis (private document library on Next.js) was verified with the pattern fixture; the law firms schema and workflow are an original design for this blueprint and were not executed as a separate application.
- No health, financial, privacy or other compliance claim is made. Matter documents are privileged; the portal models per-matter authorization only. Professional-conduct and confidentiality obligations are not established here.
- Public content and synthetic examples only until actual data-handling requirements have been reviewed.
- Verified on the node-22 template at s-1vcpu-1gb; region, request-duration limits and other sizes are unknown or unverified.
- Managed PostgreSQL 16 only; extensions, connection limits and backup or restore procedures are not verified.
- PutObject and GetObject with path-style addressing are verified; other S3 operations and CDN cache rules are not.