LSC Technology Baselines
Ciprocity, measured against the LSC Technology Baselines.
The Legal Services Corporation’s Technology Baselines Guide sets out what a grantee’s technology should do. This page goes through the baselines one by one: what the guide asks, what Ciprocity does, and where it falls short.
Summary
Where Ciprocity stands
This page rates 53 entries covering all 45 baselines. 20 are met, 8 are met with more than the guide asks, 18 are the program's own duty that Ciprocity gives a tool for, 4 are partly met, 1 is not met, and 2 belong to the program's own management, IT or insurance.
The ratings are our own reading of the guide, not an LSC assessment. If you read a baseline differently, tell us.
Crosswalk
Baseline 5.1: what a case management system must do
The guide lists 14 capacities for a CMS. It also advises an audit trail, permissions by user group and conflict checks. Ciprocity has all three.
| LSC | What the guide asks | What Ciprocity does | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1.1 | MFA, or single sign-on that requires MFA | Authenticator-app MFA; sign-in with Microsoft, Google or other SSO | Does it |
| 5.1.2 | Secure storage and routine backup, standard formats | Verified, encrypted restore points; SQL, JSON and plain files | Does it |
| 5.1.3 | Extract all stored data | One admin action exports everything, documents included; the export is logged | Goes further |
| 5.1.4 | Custom data entry and eligibility screening | Intake wizard, eligibility screens, compliance rules | Does it |
| 5.1.5 | Custom fields, displays and processes | Admins add fields, edit menu values and set each layout | Does it |
| 5.1.6 | Timely conflict checks, clients and adverse parties | Sound-alike and meaning-based matches; clearing a match needs a logged reason | Goes further |
| 5.1.7 | Real-time entry, including time | Timer, quick time entry from any screen, autosave | Does it |
| 5.1.8 | Secure transfer to and from other providers | Case transfer with an audit record; partners see only their cases | Does it |
| 5.1.9 | Remote and secure case work | Web app over HTTPS; an admin can end any session at once | Does it |
| 5.1.10 | Reports for planning, LSC and other funders | LSC CSR, self-inspection, about 35 report packs, report builder | Goes further |
| 5.1.11 | Exports that help casework: templates, summaries | Word and PDF templates, document packets, AI first drafts | Goes further |
| 5.1.12 | Funding sources on cases and activities | Funding code on each case and time entry; grants hub | Does it |
| 5.1.13 | Data integrity checks, ideally automatic | Duplicate merge, Red Flag rules, nightly compliance checks | Does it |
| 5.1.14 | Integration with external systems | REST API, LegalServer-compatible API, Salesforce, docassemble, Teams | Goes further |
Crosswalk
Security and remote work
Most of these are the program's own policies. Ciprocity supplies the controls those policies rely on.
| LSC | What the guide asks | What Ciprocity does | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | Security policies and procedures | Audit log, least-privilege roles, published OWASP ASVS Level 2 self-assessment | Helps |
| 3.2 | MFA on every system with client data | MFA or SSO; required by default for partner accounts | Does it |
| 3.3 | Cloud computing and policies | A dedicated server for each organization; the organization holds its offsite backup key | Helps |
| 3.4 | Password management | Breached-password check, lockout, forced reset | Helps |
| 3.5 | Mobile equipment for staff | A lost phone is cut off by ending its session | Helps |
| 3.6 | Mobile device management | Sessions lock when idle; an admin can end sessions | Helps |
| 3.8 | Disaster recovery plan | Verified, encrypted restore points | Does it |
| 3.9 | Incident response plan | Failed logins, exports and sessions appear in the audit log | Helps |
| 4.1 | Remote and hybrid work | Secure browser access, SSO, idle lock, Teams meeting links | Helps |
| 3.7, 3.10–3.12 | Security training, antivirus (EDR), email security, cyber insurance | The program's own IT and insurance | Not a CMS job |
Crosswalk
Case work, documents and supervision
| LSC | What the guide asks | What Ciprocity does | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.2 | Document management | Documents on the case, versions, text search; email and scans filed automatically | Does it |
| 6.1 | CMS for legal work | Ticklers, outcomes, missing-outcome reports, HUD and VOCA reports | Goes further |
| 6.2 | Calendaring | Program-wide calendar, SMS reminders, Office 365 sync | Does it |
| 6.3 | Document assembly and templates, e-signature | Templates, docassemble, e-signature. No direct court e-filing | Does it |
| 6.4 | Advanced editing for briefs: redaction, Bates numbers | Not in Ciprocity. Usually done with PDF and word processor tools | Not yet |
| 6.5 | Timekeeping | Hours by funding code for each pay period, time approval | Does it |
| 6.6 | Supervision | Supervisor dashboard: overdue ticklers, inactive cases; compliance engine | Goes further |
| 6.7 | Online legal research and brief banks | Brief, form and pleading banks. No research database | Partly |
| 7.1 | Electronic records: file, retain, dispose | Texts and email filed to the case; least-privilege access. No retention schedule tool | Partly |
| 8.1 | Knowledge management | Knowledge Hubs for staff, partners or the public; forms library | Does it |
Crosswalk
Intake, clients and pro bono
| LSC | What the guide asks | What Ciprocity does | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9.1 | Telephone systems, callbacks, online intake | Online intake and two-way SMS. Phone system links are planned | Partly |
| 9.2 | Electronic desk manual | Knowledge Hubs and eligibility guide | Does it |
| 10.1 | Legal information websites | Public legal-information assistant and public Knowledge Hub, translated | Helps |
| 10.2 | Digital divide: reminders, SMS, video | SMS reminders, phone upload by QR code, Teams video links | Does it |
| 10.3 | Community legal education | Clinics, walk-in and virtual; attendance and outreach reports | Helps |
| 10.4 | Self-service technology | Online intake, docassemble interviews, triage | Does it |
| 11.1 | Pro bono: track cases; a website where volunteers pick cases | Tracks referred cases and time; volunteer logins see only their assigned cases. A volunteer case-picking site is planned | Partly |
| 11.2 | Direct support for volunteers | Templates and a Knowledge Hub shared only with partners | Helps |
Crosswalk
Planning, training and administration
| LSC | What the guide asks | What Ciprocity does | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Planning | Outcome, demographic and need data; feeds for BI dashboards | Helps |
| 2.1 | Sustainability planning | Full export at any time; settings in place of custom code | Helps |
| 2.2 | Emerging technologies | AI off by default, local model option, personal data removed, spending cap | Helps |
| 12.1 | Technology training | Guided tours inside the app, help assistant, help docs | Helps |
| 12.2 | Training on law and skills | Knowledge Hubs hold training material | Helps |
| 13.1 | Email and collaboration tools | Teams app, staff and case messaging | Does it |
| 14.1 | Internal communication | Staff announcements with an end date, Teams notices | Helps |
| 14.2, 14.3 | HR information system, accounting | Time approval, pay-period reports, payroll split by funding source | Helps |
| 14.4 | Grants management | Grants hub, indirect-cost math, and which cases each grant paid for | Goes further |
| 15.1 | Fundraising and marketing | Dollar outcomes for clients and grant impact evidence | Helps |
| 1.2, 1.3 | Budgeting, personnel | The program's own management | Not a CMS job |
Gaps
Where the guide asks for more
Five baselines are not fully met today. We list them so you do not have to find them yourself.
| LSC | What the guide asks | Ciprocity today |
|---|---|---|
| 6.4 | Redaction and Bates numbers for briefs and discovery | Not in Ciprocity. Usually PDF and word processor tools. |
| 6.7 | Online legal research on every advocate's desk | Brief, form and pleading banks. The research database is a separate subscription. |
| 7.1 | Keep and dispose of records under the program's retention policy | Texts and email are filed to the case with least-privilege access. There is no retention schedule tool. |
| 9.1 | Phone systems, call data, callbacks | Online intake and two-way SMS. No phone system link yet; one is planned. |
| 11.1 | A website where volunteers review and take cases | Tracks referred cases and time; volunteer logins are limited to assigned cases. The case-picking site is planned. |
Beyond the guide
Things the guide does not ask for
These are not baselines. They are where Ciprocity goes past what the guide describes.
AI the program controls
Off by default, can run on the program's own hardware, personal data removed before the model sees it, and a spending cap.
Exit
One action exports all the data, documents included.
Move in
A LegalServer-compatible API, and a JusticeServer migration path.
Impact
Shows which cases and outcomes each grant paid for.
Ethical walls
They hold in reports, the API and AI features, not only on screens.