Case study
SentryFirm
An engineering and product look at how SentryFirm was designed and built — and the security choices behind it.
Overview
A focused intake tool for small law firms.
SentryFirm replaces scattered emails and basic contact forms with one protected workflow: clients submit details and documents, and staff manage everything from a single admin dashboard.
Problem
Intake was leaking detail.
Small firms relied on basic contact forms and email threads to start client work. Documents arrived late or not at all, context got lost between staff, and there was no single place to see where each new client stood. The handoff from first contact to active work was messy and easy to drop.
Solution
One protected workflow.
A public intake form feeds structured submissions into an admin dashboard. Clients can upload supporting documents directly or via an upload-later link. Staff track status and priority, leave internal notes, and manage attachments — all backed by authenticated access and a clear record of key actions.
Under the hood
Built with reliable infrastructure.
Client portal
Modern web app built for fast, responsive intake.
Backend services
Java/Spring Boot API with structured validation and audit logging.
Database
Postgres database with versioned migrations.
Access control
Authenticated staff access and secure password handling.
File storage
Private AWS S3 storage for uploaded documents.
Hosting
Hosted on Vercel, Render, and Neon.
Security choices
Designed to handle sensitive files carefully.
Screenshots
A look at the interface.
A quick look at the client form, staff dashboard, intake review workspace, and document upload flow.
Client intake form
Collect contact details, matter information, and supporting documents.
Staff dashboard
Track new intakes, statuses, priorities, and follow-up from one queue.
Intake review
Review submitted details, documents, internal notes, and status in one place.
Document upload flow
Let clients upload files during intake or through a secure follow-up link.
Roadmap & lessons learned
What's next, and what we'd carry forward.
- Tighter notification and reminder flows for upload-later links.
- Configurable intake fields per firm without a redeploy.
- Richer reporting on intake volume and turnaround time.
- Lesson: scoping the workflow tightly up front kept the build focused and shippable.
Curious how this would map to your workflow?
We’ll walk through what you have today and where a small, focused, protected tool could help.