A Law Firm Operates Entirely on Free Software
A small English law firm, decoded.legal, has been running its operations entirely on free and open-source software (FOSS) for over five years, relying on tools such as Debian, GNOME, and Syncthing for both client and…
The law firm, decoded.legal, has been using free software for both client and server operations since around five years ago. The firm's primary machine is a ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6, running Debian with GNOME. The firm has encountered some hardware issues with the Thunderbolt / USB-C ports, which may necessitate a replacement (source ID: 1). [1]
For email management, the firm uses Thunderbird and mutt, with Thunderbird having some issues with recurring calendar invitations. However, the firm has found ikhal to be more reliable for this task. Document production is handled using LibreOffice’s Writer, pandoc, and typst for converting Markdown files (source ID: 1). [1]
The firm uses reveal.js for creating presentations, which is highly appreciated for its ease of use with Markdown and minimal GUI. For file management, the firm relies on Nautilus, and for PDF manipulation, tools like evince, Xournal++, PDFarranger, and pdftk are used. Text expansion is managed through espanso, which the firm finds essential for efficiency (source ID: 1). [1]
The law firm decoded.legal, based in England, operates using free and open-source software (FOSS) across both client and server environments. The firm's primary laptop is a ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6 running Debian with the GNOME desktop environment, which the user finds functional for daily tasks. However, the laptop has encountered hardware issues with its Thunderbolt/USB-C ports, causing data transfer problems, which may necessitate replacement. The firm’s email is managed through Thunderbird and mutt, with Thunderbird facing some calendar-related issues that are not yet fully resolved. The firm uses LibreOffice for document production when interacting with other lawyers who use Microsoft Word, and pandoc and typst for Markdown-to-Document conversions. For presentations, the firm employs reveal.js, a lightweight and user-friendly tool that generates clean, formatted slides from Markdown with minimal effort. File management is handled through Nautilus, the default GNOME file manager, while PDFs are viewed and annotated using evince and Xournal++. [1]
Advertisement
The server infrastructure of decoded.legal is primarily based on self-hosted solutions, with Intel NUCs being the main hardware platform. The email system uses postfix and dovecot, and the firm plans to evaluate Stalwart as a potential replacement. File synchronization is managed through Syncthing, replacing the previously used Nextcloud due to compatibility and usability issues. Video conferencing is handled via Signal, a decision made after discontinuing the use of Jitsi due to low usage. For invoicing and payment tracking, the firm uses InvoicePlane, while Kimai v2 is used for time tracking. Case management is handled using EspoCRM, and the firm's network is secured with WireGuard, utilizing trailofbit’s algo ansible scripts and PiVPN. Vulnerability scanning is conducted using greenbone/OpenVAS, and system monitoring is handled by Uptime Kuma, which the user reports to be highly effective. The website is a static site generated using mkdocs and hosted on Apache2, with a simplified and faster loading experience compared to previous versions. The firm also hosts a .onion version of its site for Tor Browser users. [1]
The law firm, decoded.legal, has been using free software for both client and server operations since around five years ago. The firm’s primary email management tools are Thunderbird and mutt, with Thunderbird experiencing some issues with recurring calendar invitations, as noted in the blog post on Lobsters. The firm has used free software in its personal life for a much longer period, and the 2026 update reflects some changes in the tools it uses, though the overall approach remains largely the same. This includes continued use of Debian with GNOME on a ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6, which is described as working well for the firm’s needs. [1]
For document production, the firm uses LibreOffice’s Writer when exchanging documents with other lawyers and relies on pandoc and typst for converting Markdown files written in vim. The firm also uses reveal.js for creating presentations, which is highly appreciated for its ease of use with Markdown and minimal GUI. This tool is described as being very effective for creating well-formatted presentations with little effort. The firm utilizes various other free software tools for tasks such as file management, PDF manipulation, and text expansion, all of which contribute to its overall workflow and efficiency. [1]
On the server side, the firm uses a combination of self-hosted applications, including postfix and dovecot for email, Syncthing for file synchronization, and Signal for video conferencing. The firm moved away from Nextcloud to Syncthing and radicale for CalDAV and CardDAV, which has been a positive change. The firm also uses Kimai v2 for time tracking and EspoCRM for case management. These tools reflect the firm’s commitment to using free and open-source software for both client-facing and internal operations. [1]
Advertisement
The Cali Reporter newsletter
The stories worth your time.
California, the country, and what comes next. Join our free newsletter for reporting that keeps you informed.
More in Technology
- Google Play's Closed Testing Requirements and the Importance of Feedback
Google Play's closed testing rule emphasizes the need for developers to gather meaningful feedback from testers, not just track app installs. This approach ensures that real user experiences are evaluated and addressed…
- World Diabetes Day 2026 Focuses on Early Diagnosis and Awareness
The 2026 World Diabetes Day campaign emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis, equitable access to care, and reducing diabetes stigma, according to the WHO. The theme 'Early action on diabetes' highlights the need…
- Understanding Memory Usage on Linux VPS
This article explains how to accurately interpret memory usage on a Linux VPS, focusing on the importance of the 'available' metric and the potential pitfalls of relying on the 'free' column.