# First steps with the legal foundation

Switch on judges and court circuits, then walk through the lawyers, the courts and the practice areas that every legal app of the firm builds on.

The legal foundation is the part of Jaah that every legal app shares: the directory of the firm's lawyers, the courts where they plead, the judges and court circuits when the firm tracks them, and the practice areas that describe what each lawyer handles. Cases, consultations, executions, contracts and agencies all pick their lawyers and courts from here, so a few minutes spent on it now saves the same correction in every file later. You need a manager level on **Lawyers** and **Courts**; the person who manages users grants it (see [Give a team member access to the legal apps](give-access-to-the-legal-apps)).

## What you will do {#what-you-will-do}

- Decide whether the firm records judges and court circuits.
- Look at the lawyers directory and what a lawyer record holds.
- Look at the courts directory.
- Review the practice areas that come with the app.

## 1. Switch on judges and court circuits {#switch-on-judges-and-circuits}

Open **Law/Configuration/Settings**. The **Law** tab opens on two blocks: **General** and **Client Requests**.

![The Law tab of Settings with its General and Client Requests blocks.](https://jaah.app/web/image/7282-a1cc0c09/law-base-first-steps-law_settings-en.png)

In **General**, tick **Judges** if the firm records the judge of a case or a hearing, and **Court Circuits** if its courts are split into circuits. Both are off at first, and their menus stay hidden until you tick them. **Multi Clients** lets a case or a consultation carry more than one client. Click **Save**: the **Judges** menu appears next to **Lawyers** and **Courts**.

![After saving, the Judges menu appears next to Lawyers and Courts.](https://jaah.app/web/image/7286-b9788629/law-base-first-steps-law_menu_judges-en.png)

## 2. Meet the lawyers directory {#meet-the-lawyers-directory}

Open **Law/Lawyers**. Each card is a lawyer of the firm with their practice areas and their supervisor; **New** adds one.

![The lawyers directory; each card shows the practice areas and the supervisor.](https://jaah.app/web/image/7290-7aa6a1f2/law-base-first-steps-lawyers_directory-en.png)

A lawyer does not need an account to appear here. When you give one a **Work Email** and save, Jaah creates their user account so they can sign in; [Add a lawyer and give them an account](add-a-lawyer) shows both ways.

## 3. Look at the courts {#look-at-the-courts}

Open **Law/Courts**. The courts carry an address, a phone and an email, and with **Court Circuits** on, a **Circuits** tab lists the circuits of each court.

![The courts directory with the courts that come with the app.](https://jaah.app/web/image/7294-d5a0fd6e/law-base-first-steps-courts_directory-en.png)

## 4. Review the practice areas {#review-the-practice-areas}

Open **Law/Configuration/Practice Areas**. The app comes with a list of practice areas (civil, commercial, criminal, labour law and more). Rename, archive or add areas so the list matches the firm; each area shows the lawyers who practise it.

![The practice areas the firm starts from.](https://jaah.app/web/image/7298-b1993cec/law-base-first-steps-practice_areas-en.png)

## Result {#result}

Judges and circuits are on or off as the firm works, the lawyers and courts directories are ready to be completed, and the practice areas describe the firm. Next, [prepare the intake of client requests](prepare-client-requests) so requests from the website reach the right lawyers.

## FAQ {#faq}

### Why do I not see the Law app? {#why-do-i-not-see-the-law-app}

The **Law** app appears to users with at least the **Read-only** level on **Lawyers**, **Courts** or **Judges**. Ask the person who manages users to set your level in the **Legal Rights** section of your user.

### Can I switch judges or circuits off later? {#can-i-switch-them-off-later}

Yes. Untick the setting and save: the menu disappears, and the judges and circuits already recorded stay in the database.

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- Source: https://jaah.app/docs/law-base/first-steps
- Updated: 2026-10-13
- Version: Legal foundation setup 19.0.2.5.50
- Verified: 2026-10-13