For commercial law firms, trust, responsiveness and secure handling of sensitive information are non-negotiable. However, as client expectations evolve and document volumes continue to grow, many firms are finding traditional methods of file sharing and collaboration no longer meet operational or security requirements.
For KCL Law, a leading commercial law firm servicing clients across property, litigation, insolvency, construction and infrastructure, intellectual property and commercial business transactions, improving the way information was securely shared with clients had become a growing priority.
After years of searching for the right solution, and even exploring the development of a custom platform, KCL Law partnered with Com-X to implement Progress ShareFile, transforming the way the firm collaborates internally and externally.
The challenge: balancing security, usability and client trust
Like many commercial law firms, KCL Law manages large volumes of highly sensitive documentation every day. Traditional email limitations, file size restrictions and fragmented collaboration tools were creating inefficiencies for both staff and clients.
According to Mark Yaskewych, Principal Lawyer, Property at KCL Law, the firm had been searching for a robust solution for a considerable period of time.
The firm had even explored building a customised file sharing and portal solution internally to meet its requirements around secure collaboration and client access. However, developing and maintaining a bespoke platform introduced significant complexity, cost and operational overhead.
The team needed a solution that could deliver:
• Secure sharing of large legal documents
• Simple client-facing portals
• Flexible security controls
• Strong branding and trust signals
• Ease of use for both staff and clients
• A professional digital experience without the burden of custom development.
After seeing ShareFile in use, the team quickly recognised there was already a mature, proven platform available that met their requirements without the risks and expense of building internally.
“The beauty of it was it didn’t have to be built,” he said.
A secure, branded experience that builds client confidence
For legal firms, professionalism and trust are critical in every client interaction – especially when sharing sensitive documentation digitally. One of the key requirements for KCL Law was the ability to provide a fully branded client experience through secure portals and file sharing links.
“Branding was one of the first things we asked for because apart from looking professional, we know it’s coming from a trusted source,” he said.
The branded ShareFile experience helped clients immediately recognise communications as legitimate and secure – an increasingly important factor in an environment where phishing scams and fraudulent file sharing attempts are becoming more common.
Mark explained that when sharing documentation with third parties, the branded environment helped reinforce trust and credibility instantly.
Simplicity for clients and staff alike
Ease of use was another major factor in the firm’s decision.
Legal matters often involve large volumes of documentation and stakeholders with varying levels of technical capability. KCL Law needed a solution that reduced friction rather than adding complexity.
ShareFile’s intuitive interface and flexible sharing options allowed clients to securely access and upload documents without requiring complex onboarding processes or account creation.
The flexibility of the platform also allowed the firm to tailor security requirements depending on the situation – balancing governance with convenience.
For example, staff could:
• Share files via secure links
• Require user identification without passwords
• Apply password protection when necessary
• Track document access and downloads
• Provide clients with direct upload capabilities.
This flexibility proved particularly valuable when working with busy clients or less technical users. Mark recalled one example involving an elderly client who successfully uploaded a large volume of documentation with ease. “The beauty of it is it’s very quick, the upload of the documents.”
Improving operational efficiency and responsiveness
By simplifying large file sharing and client collaboration, ShareFile significantly improved productivity across the firm.
Instead of manually transferring files or dealing with email limitations, staff could quickly upload documents into secure folders and provide immediate access to clients and third parties.
The platform also reduced duplication of effort by enabling files to be shared across multiple stakeholders without repeated downloads and uploads.
“I just put the client’s details in and then they automatically have access to the file instead of duplicating and doing it twice.”
The firm also valued ShareFile’s ongoing product development and roadmap, particularly around future integration opportunities with existing document management systems.
Supporting governance and security obligations
As a commercial law practice handling confidential and regulated information, security and governance requirements remain a critical operational priority for KCL Law. The implementation of ShareFile helped strengthen the firm’s approach to secure document handling and external collaboration.
With increasing scrutiny around data handling, auditability and secure information exchange, the platform provided additional assurance that sensitive documentation was being managed appropriately.
The ability to control access permissions, track activity and securely share information externally supported the firm’s broader governance and compliance obligations.
The value of working with Com-X
Beyond the technology itself, KCL Law highlighted the value of working with a partner that deeply understood both the platform and the firm’s operational requirements.
Com-X worked closely with the team to assess licensing requirements, trial the platform and help tailor the deployment approach to the firm’s evolving needs.
“Com-X was very quick, proactive and responsive throughout the entire process,” Mark said. “Their knowledge of ShareFile and strong relationship with the ShareFile team made implementation straightforward and ensured we always had the right support when we needed it.”
The relationship between Com-X and ShareFile also helped accelerate engagement and streamline problem-solving when required.
“Nick knows the ShareFile system, which is extremely important, and he knows who at ShareFile is the responsible person to deal with to try and solve problems.”
KCL Law shows how secure collaboration doesn’t need to be complex. “With ShareFile and Com-X, they’ve replaced the limitations of traditional file sharing with a secure, professional experience that works for both their team and their clients.” said Nick Cross, Director of Sales and Marketing, Com-X.
A proven platform without the complexity of custom development
For KCL Law, ShareFile delivered the secure, professional and client-friendly collaboration experience the firm had been seeking for years – without the cost, risk and ongoing complexity of building and maintaining a custom platform internally.
By partnering with Com-X, the firm was able to rapidly deploy a trusted, enterprise-ready solution that improved efficiency, strengthened client trust and simplified secure collaboration across the business.
“It’s already a tried and tested system,” he added. “You don’t have to go through the motions of seeing if it works, because you know it does work.”
See how KCL Law transformed secure client collaboration
Facing similar challenges with secure file sharing, client collaboration or document management? Download the full KCL Law case study to see how the firm moved away from traditional file-sharing methods and avoided the complexity of building a custom platform.
Share it with colleagues who are exploring a more secure, professional and user-friendly approach to client collaboration.
About KCL Law
KCL Law is a medium-size, Melbourne law firm led by a diverse and progressive group of expert lawyers. We provide quality advice and deliver highly strategic outcomes to our clients - achieved by a balance of expert legal acumen, creative thinking and informed commercial insight - in a concise and accessible manner.
Since our establishment in 1981, the firm has grown considerably as we have welcomed new clients and developed highly specialised legal proficiency. Today, KCL Law has 14 Principal Lawyers and over 80 employees. Our service offerings have grown substantially, as we continue to partner with clients in a range of sectors providing legal and commercial advice across nine key practice areas.
About Progress ShareFile
ShareFile, now part of Progress, is where simplicity meets efficiency. The user-friendly technology streamlines document and client-facing workflows. By delivering more optimisation and collaboration, our software helps you provide a consistent digitised experience for clients and focus on work that matters. With our extensive encryption and security features, you don’t have to sacrifice data protection for more productivity.
About Com-X
Com-X is Australia’s leading digital workspace and cybersecurity specialist, supplying government and enterprise organisations with solutions that drive compliance, efficiency and resilience. Our expertise includes secure digital workspaces, Essential 8 cyber security maturity, SASE and Zero Trust architectures, endpoint protection, data governance and workflow automation. Combining technical excellence with a deep understanding of organisational challenges,
Com-X helps clients modernise, safeguard operations and embrace future technologies with confidence.
