> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.matter-vault.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Roles & Permissions

> The firm roles and what each one can see and do.

Every member of your firm has a role, and that role decides what they can see and do. There are six firm roles, plus a limited "matter-specific" role for someone added to a single matter without a firm-wide role.

<Frame caption="The Roles & Permissions matrix, managed in Firm Settings">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/layereightconsulting/gx7ZVZUrfAg1MFpm/images/how-it-works/firm-settings-roles.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=gx7ZVZUrfAg1MFpm&q=85&s=eb327ca3e8ffbdd76215f0323a824b65" alt="The Roles & Permissions matrix" width="2880" height="1800" data-path="images/how-it-works/firm-settings-roles.png" />
</Frame>

## At a Glance

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Six Firm Roles" icon="users-gear">
    From Administrator down to read-only Observer.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Matter-Specific Role" icon="user-tag">
    A limited role for someone added to a single matter.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Visibility & Actions" icon="eye">
    Who sees every matter, and who can edit, send, and create.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Enforced by Design" icon="lock">
    Permissions sit on top of the system's underlying security.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## The Roles

* **Administrator** — full control of the firm and its settings.
* **Lead Attorney** — full case work plus firm-wide visibility.
* **Co-Counsel** — full case work on their matters.
* **Paralegal** — day-to-day case work, assigned matters.
* **Legal Secretary** — supporting case work, assigned matters.
* **Observer** — read-only on assigned matters.

## What Each Role Can Do

The meaningful differences come down to a few questions:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Who sees every matter?" icon="eye">
    Only Administrators and Lead Attorneys see all matters firm-wide. Everyone else sees only the matters they are assigned to.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Who can edit cases and send email?" icon="pen-to-square">
    Administrators, Lead Attorneys, and Co-Counsel can edit case fields and send communications. Paralegals can prepare and queue but not send; Legal Secretaries are more limited; Observers are read-only.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Who can create matters?" icon="folder-plus">
    Everyone except Observers.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Who manages the firm?" icon="user-shield">
    Firm settings and user management are Administrator-only.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

These permissions sit on top of the system's underlying security, so a user genuinely cannot reach a matter they are not entitled to see.