Quick Start
Get your firm fully operational on Akili Suite in under 30 minutes. From your first login to your first client update - this guide walks you through every step.
Four Steps to Command
01
Receive your invitation & sign in
After your free trial or beta application is approved, you'll receive an invitation email. Click Sign In to Akili Suite. No password required - we use secure magic links. The link is valid for 15 minutes. You'll land directly in your firm's Command Centre.
02
Add your first client and open a matter
From the Nexus Command Centre, click + New Client and enter their details. Then click + New Matter - select the client, choose a practice area, set the billing rate and due date. The 10-step milestone workflow activates automatically.
03
Invite your client to their portal
Open the client's profile in the Client Intelligence Hub and click Send Portal Invite. Your client receives a magic-link email. When they click it, they land on their personal portal - matters, documents, messages, and invoices, all in one place.
04
Send your first matter update
Open the matter and click Send Update. Write your update, optionally attach a document, and check Advance Milestone to move the matter to the next stage. Your client sees it on their portal instantly.
Your firm is now operational. From here, explore the Matter Intelligence Hub to view your portfolio risk at a glance, or add billing rates to start capturing time and revenue automatically.
All Nine Modules
Click any module below to jump to its guide.
Accessing Your Portal
Akili Suite uses passwordless sign-in. There are no passwords to create, remember, or reset. Every login is a fresh, secure magic link sent directly to your registered email address.
How Sign-In Works
01
Enter your firm email
Go to your firm's portal URL and enter the email address registered to your account.
02
Check your inbox for the magic link
You'll receive an email within seconds. Click the Sign In button inside. If you don't see it within 60 seconds, check your spam folder. The link is valid for 15 minutes.
03
You're in - session lasts 24 hours
Once clicked, you're authenticated and redirected to your interface. Your session remains active for 24 hours. After that, simply request a new magic link.
Link expired? Magic links are single-use and expire after 15 minutes. Return to the sign-in page and request a new one - it takes seconds.
Installing as a Mobile App
Akili Suite works as a Progressive Web App - install it to your phone's home screen without going through an app store.
iOS
On iPhone (Safari)
Open your portal in Safari → tap the Share icon → tap Add to Home Screen → tap Add.
APK
On Android (Chrome)
Open your portal in Chrome → tap the ⋮ menu → tap Add to Home screen → tap Add.
User Roles
Akili Suite has three distinct user types - each with their own interface, permissions, and view of the firm's data.
The Three Roles
Admin - Full Command
The firm principal or managing partner. Admins have access to all matters, clients, invoices, documents, reports, and firm settings. Admins invite advocates and set billing rates.
Advocate - Assigned Work
Associates, paralegals, and fee earners. Advocates see only their assigned matters and clients. They can log time, send updates, attach documents, and message clients - but cannot access firm-wide billing or other advocates' work.
Client - Their Journey
Clients access a dedicated portal showing their own matters, documents, invoices, and messages. They can see nothing from other clients and have no access to firm data.
Clients are invited by admins from the Client Intelligence Hub. Advocates are invited from Firm Settings → Team. Neither can self-register - all access is invitation-only.
Nexus Command
Your firm's real-time intelligence dashboard. The first thing you see on login - a live view of everything that matters about your practice right now.
What You See
The Nexus dashboard surfaces the metrics that define a healthy practice: active matter count, overdue matters, outstanding invoices, this month's billed revenue, client health scores, and a real-time activity feed of everything happening across the firm. All data refreshes automatically.
Quick Actions
The Quick Actions row lets you create a new matter, invite a client, generate an invoice, or log time - all in under 10 seconds, without navigating away from the dashboard.
Filtering & Focus
Use the centre filter tabs - Transaction Centre and Resolution Centre - to focus on one practice area at a time. Filter by advocate to see any team member's workload at a glance.
Matter Intelligence
Akili Suite doesn't just track matters - it analyses them. Predictive scoring, risk signals, and milestone-driven progress for every active matter in your firm.
The 10-Step Milestone System
Every matter has a 10-step milestone workflow tailored to its practice area. Each step is a discrete, trackable stage in the legal process. When you advance a milestone, the client sees the update on their portal instantly.
Risk & Success Scoring
Each matter carries a risk score and success probability, calculated from milestone velocity, days since last update, invoice status, client engagement, and due date proximity. These scores update in real time - high-risk matters are impossible to miss in a busy portfolio.
Sending Matter Updates
Open any matter and click Send Update. Write your update, optionally attach a document, and check Advance Milestone to move the matter forward at the same time. The client receives the update on their portal the moment you send it.
Matter updates are permanent and timestamped. They form the complete audit trail for every client engagement - useful for billing disputes, compliance reviews, and client handovers.
Client Intelligence
Every client has a living profile - not just contact details, but a full picture of their engagement, history, and health as a client relationship.
Client Health Score
Each client profile displays a health score - a composite measure of how engaged and active the relationship is. A declining score is an early warning to re-engage before the relationship drifts.
Complete Relationship History
The client profile shows every matter, every invoice, every document shared, and every message exchanged - in one scrollable timeline. Nothing gets lost across email threads or file folders.
Inviting Clients to Their Portal
From any client profile, click Send Portal Invite. The client receives a branded email with a magic link to their personal portal. Once they've accessed it, a Portal Active badge appears on their profile.
Secure Messaging
Encrypted, in-platform messaging between your team and your clients. Every conversation is tied to a matter - structured, searchable, and permanently attached to the right file.
How It Works
Each matter has a dedicated message thread. Advocates send messages from the Command Centre. Clients respond from their portal. All messages are timestamped, read-receipted, and stored against the matter permanently.
Sending Documents in Messages
Attach any document directly to a message. The file is immediately accessible to the client on their portal under My Documents. Documents attached in messages are shared with the client by default; documents uploaded without a message are private by default.
Do not share highly sensitive information (passwords, ID numbers) via the messaging system. Use the platform for standard legal correspondence and matter-related documents only.
Invoice Intelligence
Proforma invoicing with M-PESA built in. Smart dunning that chases your fees automatically. The Invoice Intelligence Hub turns billing from a chore into a system.
Creating an Invoice
01
Select the matter and client
Click + New Invoice. The client's name and matter details are pre-populated.
02
Add line items
Add professional fees, disbursements, and other charges. Set the currency (KES or USD), VAT rate, and due date.
03
Review and send
Preview the invoice - it includes your M-PESA block automatically if configured. Click Send to Client. The invoice appears on the client's portal immediately.
Automatic Dunning
Payment reminders are sent automatically at 7 days, 14 days, and 30 days overdue. Each reminder escalates in tone. Pause or cancel dunning for any invoice at any time from the IIH. Mark as paid and dunning stops immediately.
Client Portal
A private, branded portal for every client. Their complete legal journey - matters, documents, messages, and invoices - in one beautiful, mobile-ready interface.
What Your Client Sees
Clients see a Legal Journey Timeline - every matter, the current milestone, the last update, and the next step. They can read all updates, download shared documents, check invoices, and message their advocate. All data is scoped strictly to their own matters.
Install on Any Device
The client portal is a Progressive Web App. Clients can install it to their iPhone or Android home screen - it works exactly like a native app with offline access and a full-screen experience. No app store required.
Firms using the client portal report an immediate reduction in status-update calls and emails. Clients who can see their own progress in real time need less hand-holding - and feel more confident in their choice of firm.
Document Intelligence
Every document your firm has ever worked on - searchable in seconds using plain language. Powered by AI, so you can search the way you think, not the way files are named.
AI-Powered Search
Type a plain-language query - "all sale agreements from Q1 for Macharia Group" or "employment contracts with restraint of trade clauses" - and the DIC surfaces the most relevant documents with a natural-language explanation of why each one matches.
Uploading Documents
Upload from within any matter - drag and drop or click to browse. Supported formats: PDF, Word, Excel, and images. Every document is automatically associated with its matter and client. Storage limits depend on your plan - see Plans & Features.
Sharing with Clients
Every document has a Share with Client toggle. When enabled, the document appears in the client's portal. When disabled, it's visible to your team only. Toggle this at any time from the document's detail view.
Task Command
A focused task system built on the Eisenhower Matrix - four quadrants that separate urgent-important work from everything else.
The Four Quadrants
| Quadrant | Urgent | Important | Action |
|---|
| Do First | ✅ | ✅ | Handle immediately |
| Schedule | - | ✅ | Block time, plan ahead |
| Delegate | ✅ | - | Assign to an advocate |
| Eliminate | - | - | Remove from your list |
Linking Tasks to Matters
Every task can be linked to a specific matter. Linked tasks appear in both the Task Command Centre and within the matter view. When a matter closes, its linked tasks are automatically archived.
Deadlines & Calendar
Tasks with due dates appear in the Calendar & Deadlines view alongside all matter deadlines - your firm's complete operational horizon in one unified view.
Time Tracking
Close the billable hour leak. Every minute spent on a matter can be invoiced - but only if it's captured. Time Tracking makes that effortless.
Logging Time
From any matter, click + Log Time. Enter the duration (or use the built-in timer), select the activity type, and add a brief note. The entry is immediately visible in the matter's billing summary.
Converting to Invoices
When you're ready to bill, open the matter and click Invoice from Time Entries. Akili Suite calculates the billable amount from your logged time and hourly rate, populating the invoice automatically. Review, adjust if needed, and send.
Time entries can be added retroactively. All entries carry the advocate's name and timestamp for accurate billing attribution.
Plans & Features
Four plans for firms at every stage. All plans include all nine modules. The difference is capacity, seats, and advanced capabilities.
Plan Comparison
| Feature | Essentials | Intelligence | Command | Enterprise |
|---|
| Monthly price | $49/mo | $99/mo | $199/mo | Custom |
| Admin seats | 1 | 2 | 3 | Unlimited |
| Advocate seats (base) | 2 | 5 | 10 | Unlimited |
| Extra advocate seats | +$15/seat/month on all plans | Unlimited incl. |
| Document storage | 10 GB | 50 GB | 100 GB | Unlimited |
| Client portal | All plans | All plans | All plans | All plans |
| Intelligence layer (risk, scoring, briefs) | - | Intelligence+ | Included | Included |
| War Room (per-matter team chat) | - | Intelligence+ | Included | Included |
| AI document search (Claude) | - | Intelligence+ | Included | Included |
| Advanced analytics & reporting | - | - | Command+ | Included |
| REST API access | - | - | Read + Write | Full + Webhooks |
| Custom portal domain | Add-on $19/mo | Add-on $19/mo | Included | Included |
| Dedicated onboarding session | - | - | Command+ | Included |
| White labelling | - | - | - | Enterprise |
| SSO / SAML identity | - | - | - | Enterprise |
| Support SLA | Email (standard) | Priority queue | 4-hour SLA | 1-hour SLA |
| Dedicated success manager | - | - | - | Enterprise |
For full pricing details, annual billing discounts, and add-on options, see the Pricing page.
You can change plans at any time from Firm Settings. Upgrades apply immediately. Downgrades apply at the start of the next billing period. Your data is never deleted when changing plans.
M-PESA Payments
The only legal practice management platform with M-PESA built into the invoice template as a first-class payment method - not an afterthought, not a third-party plugin.
Configuring M-PESA on Your Invoices
01
Go to Firm Settings → Invoice Settings
Navigate to Settings in your Command Centre and open the Invoice Settings section.
02
Enter your Paybill or Till Number
Select your payment type (Lipa Na M-PESA Paybill or Buy Goods Till Number) and enter your registered number. For Paybill, also enter your account number format.
03
Save - every new invoice now includes M-PESA
Every invoice you generate will automatically include a formatted M-PESA payment section with your number, the exact amount, and step-by-step instructions for your client.
Mark invoices as paid in the IIH once you confirm receipt via M-PESA Merchant or bank SMS. Automated M-PESA Daraja API reconciliation is on the roadmap for Q4 2026.
Other Markets
| Market | Payment Method | Status |
|---|
| Kenya | M-PESA Paybill + Till | ✅ Available now |
| Kenya | Card (Stripe / Paystack) | Roadmap Q4 2026 |
| Nigeria | Paystack (Card + Bank) | Roadmap Q1 2027 |
| South Africa | Payfast (Card + EFT) | Roadmap Q1 2027 |
Creating Invoices
Step-by-step guide to building, sending, and tracking proforma invoices in the Invoice Intelligence Hub.
Step-by-Step
01
Open IIH and click + New Invoice
Click IIH in the sidebar or navigate from the Nexus dashboard.
02
Select client and matter
Search for and select the client. Select the related matter. The billing rate pre-fills as a suggested line item.
03
Add line items
Add each charge with description and amount. Toggle VAT on or off per line item. Common items: professional fees, filing fees, travel, disbursements.
04
Set currency and due date
Choose KES or USD. Set the payment due date - automatic dunning begins from this date if unpaid.
05
Preview and send
Click Preview Invoice, then Send to Client. The invoice is emailed to the client and appears on their portal.
Marking as Paid
When payment is received, open the invoice and click Mark as Paid. Enter the amount received, payment method, and date. The invoice status updates, dunning stops, and the payment records in your revenue reports.
Firm Settings
Everything that defines your firm's identity and operational defaults on Akili Suite. Settings are admin-only and apply across your entire account.
What You Can Configure
| Setting | Description |
|---|
| Firm name & logo | Displayed on the client portal and in invoice templates. Upload PNG or SVG at 400×100px or larger. |
| Portal colours | Set your firm's primary colour. Clients see your branding on their portal. |
| Default billing rate | The fallback hourly rate pre-filled when creating new matters. Override per matter or per advocate. |
| Invoice currency | Set KES or USD as your default. Overrideable per invoice. |
| M-PESA details | Your Paybill or Till number. Appears on every invoice once configured. |
| Firm email | The reply-to address on all client-facing emails sent by the platform. |
Inviting Your Team
Add advocates to your firm account so they can access their assigned matters, log time, send updates, and collaborate within the platform.
How to Invite an Advocate
01
Go to Settings → Team → Invite Advocate
Enter the advocate's name and email address. Set their default billing rate or leave blank to use the firm default.
02
They receive an invitation email
The advocate gets a magic link to their first login. No password needed. When they click it, their account is created and they land in the advocate interface.
03
Assign them to matters
From any matter, use the Assigned Advocate dropdown to assign it. Only assigned matters appear in the advocate's view.
Advocate seats are limited by plan. If you've reached your limit, upgrade before sending additional invites. See
Plans & Features for seat allocations.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most common questions from firms getting started on Akili Suite.
General
Can I change plans after signing up?
Yes. Upgrade or downgrade anytime from Firm Settings → Billing. Upgrades apply immediately. Downgrades apply at the start of your next billing period. Your data is never affected.
Is there a contract or minimum commitment?
No contracts. All plans are month-to-month. Cancel anytime from Firm Settings - access continues until the end of the current billing period. Annual billing is available at a discount but not required.
What happens to my data if I cancel?
Your data is retained for 90 days after cancellation. During this period you can export all matters, client records, invoices, and documents. After 90 days, data is permanently deleted. We recommend exporting before cancelling.
Do you support both KES and USD billing?
Yes. Set your default currency in Firm Settings. Individual invoices can be denominated in KES or USD regardless of your default. M-PESA blocks appear on KES invoices automatically.
Can I migrate data from my current system?
Yes. On Intelligence plan and above, we provide guided data migration for clients, matters, and documents from spreadsheets or other systems. Contact
[email protected] to arrange this.
Security & Privacy
Where is my data stored?
All data is stored on Cloudflare's global edge infrastructure, with your primary data location set to the region closest to your firm. Kenyan firms default to the Nairobi region. See our
Security page for details.
Is Akili Suite KDPA compliant?
Yes. Akili Suite is built in compliance with Kenya's Data Protection Act 2019. Our
Privacy Policy outlines our KDPA obligations and your rights as a data controller.
Can my clients see other clients' data?
No. Client accounts are completely isolated. Each client can only see their own matters, documents, invoices, and messages. It is architecturally impossible for one client to access another's information.
Support
How do I report a bug or request a feature?
Use the
Support & Feedback page - it takes 60 seconds. Every submission goes directly to our product team. We respond to all critical bug reports within 24 hours.
What support is included with my plan?
All plans include email support at
[email protected]. Essentials: standard email queue. Intelligence: priority support queue with faster response. Command: 4-hour response SLA + dedicated onboarding session. Enterprise: 1-hour SLA on critical issues + dedicated success manager.