Connector Gmail

Connector — Gmail

What it does

The Gmail connector integrates with the user's Gmail account to enable matter-linked email management within the legal-AI platform. Its three core functions are:

1. Search and retrieve — finding relevant email threads by sender, recipient, keyword, date range, or matter tag.
2. Label and organize — applying labels to tag emails with matter references, urgency flags, or workflow stages.
3. Draft and reply — composing draft replies based on context, which the lawyer reviews before sending.

The connector never sends email autonomously. All outbound email actions require explicit human confirmation.

Setup / auth

Authentication uses Google OAuth 2.0 with per-user delegation:

• Each lawyer authorizes their own Gmail account — no admin-wide delegation unless the firm has Google Workspace with explicit domain-wide delegation configured and consented to.
• OAuth scopes:
  • gmail.readonly — for search and read operations.
  • gmail.labels — for creating and applying labels.
  • gmail.compose — for creating draft messages.
  • gmail.modify — for labeling, archiving, and marking read/unread.
• Do not request gmail.send scope unless the firm has explicitly enabled AI-assisted sending (with appropriate workflow approvals). Default: drafts only, user sends manually.
• Tokens stored per-user, encrypted at rest; refresh tokens rotated every 6 months.

Capabilities

Usage patterns

Pattern 1 — Matter-linked email threading

When a lawyer opens a matter, automatically search Gmail for emails matching:

• The client's email address.
• The matter reference number (if used in subject lines).
• Key counterparty names.

Return a chronological thread summary: date, direction (in/out), snippet, and any attachments. The lawyer confirms which threads to link to the matter.

Pattern 2 — Legal notice identification

User: "Any emails from opposing counsel about the Al-Hamdan matter this week?"
→ Search: sender:opposing-counsel@firm.com after:2024-06-01 "Al-Hamdan" OR "matter ref 2024-045"
→ Returns matching threads with date, snippet, and attachment list
→ If any email contains a deadline notice or formal letter, flag for lawyer review

Pattern 3 — Draft a formal response

User: "Draft a response to this letter from opposing counsel declining mediation"
→ Read the source email thread
→ Draft a reply applying the firm's tone and the matter's procedural context
→ Mark as [DRAFT] and present to lawyer for review before sending

Pattern 4 — Deadline email monitoring

Set a Gmail search alert (via [[connector-scheduled-tasks]]) for emails containing:

• Keywords: "deadline," "notice period," "time to respond," "filing by," "limitation."
• Senders: court registries, regulatory authorities, known counterparties.

Surface matching emails to the matter dashboard with priority flagging.

Pattern 5 — Label organization for matter management

Create a Gmail label scheme mirroring the matter reference system:

• Matters/2024-045 Al-Hamdan
• Matters/2024-046 Fintech Acquisition

Apply labels to threads automatically when a new matter email is identified, or manually on lawyer instruction.

Professional-responsibility considerations

• Attorney-client privilege. Emails between lawyer and client are privileged. The connector must never route privileged email content to external services without explicit user authorization.
• No autonomous sending. Legal correspondence has professional-responsibility implications. All outbound emails require human review and explicit send confirmation.
• Opposing counsel emails. Emails to or from opposing counsel should be flagged with a note that they may be discoverable. Never automatically forward or share these.
• Confidentiality tags. If an email's subject or body contains terms like "PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL" or "WITHOUT PREJUDICE," apply a confidentiality label automatically and alert the lawyer before any further processing.

Permissions & safety

• Read before you write. Always present the email content to the lawyer before drafting a response — never draft a reply from a summary alone.
• No bulk archiving. Archiving operations must be confirmed by the user. Bulk operations require explicit approval with a preview of affected threads.
• Audit log. Every search, label application, and draft creation is logged with user ID, timestamp, and the search query used.
• Tenant isolation. Each lawyer's Gmail access is scoped to their own account. No cross-user email access.

Failure modes

Related skills

• [[connector-google-drive]]
• [[connector-calendar]]
• [[connector-notion]]
• [[connector-hubspot-crm]]