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English technology law firm decoded.legal has published an update on its use of free software, describing tools for client work and self-hosted services. Principal Neil Brown says the setup is mostly unchanged, but the firm has moved from Nextcloud to Syncthing and Radicale and stopped running its Jitsi server.
Neil Brown, who runs the small English law firm decoded.legal, published a November 6 update describing the free software he uses for legal work and the firm’s server services. The account says the setup remains largely stable, with notable changes including a switch from Nextcloud to Syncthing and Radicale for file and calendar/contact syncing, and the shutdown of a Jitsi video-conferencing server.
On his main computer, Brown says he uses Debian with GNOME on a ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 6. He uses LibreOffice Writer when exchanging Word documents, and writes in Markdown with vim before converting some documents with pandoc and typst. For presentations, he uses reveal.js, which turns Markdown into slides. His other desktop tools include Thunderbird and mutt for email, Firefox for web browsing, Xournal++ for PDF annotations, and espanso for text shortcuts.
Brown says his firm’s services are self-hosted except for Signal. Its listed server software includes Postfix and Dovecot for email, Syncthing for file synchronization, Radicale for calendar and contacts, InvoicePlane for producing PDF invoices, Kimai for time tracking, and EspoCRM for matter management. The firm also uses WireGuard for VPN access, Greenbone/OpenVAS for vulnerability scanning, and Uptime Kuma for monitoring.
Some changes reflect how Brown says he uses the services in practice. He stopped running Jitsi after finding that he was hosting it for little use, as he more often joins meetings arranged by others on services such as Teams or Zoom. He now offers Signal instead. He reports being satisfied with Syncthing and Radicale after moving away from Nextcloud, which he says caused more problems than it solved.
How the Firm Handles Daily Work
The account offers a practical example of software choices in a small professional firm, rather than a claim that a particular system will suit every law practice. It shows how free software can support common tasks such as drafting documents, managing time, invoicing, storing files and communicating with clients, while also making clear that the arrangement requires choices about hosting and maintenance.
For firms considering similar tools, the operational details matter as much as the software list. Brown describes self-hosting most server services, but also notes that he plans to move the firm’s mail infrastructure and has not settled on a replacement laptop. His report does not provide costs, security test results, or a direct comparison with commercial products, so it cannot establish whether this approach is cheaper or more secure for other firms.
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A Five-Year Software Account
Brown says he began running decoded.legal on free software on both client and server systems around five years ago. The firm focuses on internet, telecommunications and technology law. He previously wrote about the arrangement after roughly its first year and published another update in 2024; the November 2026 post is a further account prompted by a recent question about what he uses now.
The report is a first-person description of one firm’s setup, not an independent audit or a formal evaluation of software products. Brown says he is comfortable working in a terminal and frequently uses tools such as mutt, vim, ikhal and toot. That preference helps explain why the setup includes command-line applications alongside graphical programs; it should not be read as a requirement for firms adopting free software.
“Everything here – other than Signal – is self-hosted”
— Neil Brown, decoded.legal
Open Questions on the Setup
The post does not report overall operating costs, maintenance hours, security incidents, or client feedback, leaving readers without measures to compare this setup with alternatives. Brown also says the firm’s mail infrastructure needs to move and that he wants to examine Stalwart, but gives no timetable or decision. His ThinkPad’s Thunderbolt and USB-C ports are unreliable for data, and he says he may need a replacement without knowing which laptop he will choose.
Some software issues remain unresolved in the account. Brown says Thunderbird has trouble with some recurring calendar invitations, while ikhal handles them, but he has not investigated the cause. He also says he may look at LibreWolf or another browser, though Firefox remains his current choice. The report does not specify whether any planned changes have since been made.
Mail and Hardware Decisions Ahead
Brown identifies moving the mail infrastructure as a future task and says he wants to look at Stalwart. The post does not set a date or say that the firm has chosen it. A possible laptop replacement is also undecided. Until those decisions are made, the report presents the current arrangement as an ongoing account rather than a finalized plan for the firm’s technology.
Key Questions
Which law firm is described in the report?
It is decoded.legal, a small English law firm focused on internet, telecommunications and technology law. Neil Brown wrote the account.
What changed since Brown’s previous update?
Brown says the firm moved away from Nextcloud, using Syncthing for file synchronization and Radicale for calendar and contacts. He also stopped running Jitsi and now offers Signal for video calls.
Does the firm self-host all its services?
No. Brown says the listed services are self-hosted except for Signal. He does not present the post as a complete inventory of every tool or service.
Has the firm decided to move to Stalwart for email?
No decision is reported. Brown says he needs to move the firm’s mail infrastructure and wants to look at Stalwart, but gives no schedule or confirmation of a switch.
Does the report compare free software with paid legal software?
No. It describes Brown’s own working setup but does not provide cost comparisons, security assessments, or a general recommendation for other law firms.
Source: decoded.legal
