---

name: connector-gmail
description: Use when a lawyer or legal-operations user wants to search, label, draft, or manage email threads in Gmail in the context of a legal matter — including matter-linked email tracking, client correspondence management, counterparty communication review, and deadline-triggering emails. Requires Google OAuth per-user authorization. Triggers on requests to search email, draft a reply, track correspondence for a matter, or identify emails containing legal notices or deadlines.
license: MIT
metadata:
id: connector.gmail
category: connector
jurisdictions: [multi]
priority: P2
intent: [connector]
related: [connector-google-drive, connector-calendar, connector-notion, connector-hubspot-crm]
source: Louis — HAQQ Legal AI (github.com/sboghossian/mini-claude-for-legal)
version: "1.0"

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

Capability	Scope required	Notes
Search threads by keyword, sender, date	gmail.readonly	Full Gmail search operators supported
Read full email thread content	gmail.readonly	Including attachments metadata (not content)
Apply / remove labels	gmail.labels + gmail.modify	Create matter-reference labels
Create draft reply	gmail.compose	Draft created; not sent until user approves
Create draft new email	gmail.compose	As above
Mark as read / unread	gmail.modify	Used in workflow automations
Archive thread	gmail.modify	Removes from inbox; does not delete
Download email attachment	gmail.readonly	Returns attachment as bytes; routes to [[connector-google-drive]] or matter workspace

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

Failure	Cause	Resolution
Insufficient permission	Scope not granted for the operation	Prompt user to re-authorize with additional scope
Search returns too many results	Overly broad query	Narrow by date range, sender, or matter reference
Draft created but not visible	Gmail filter hiding drafts	Direct user to check Drafts folder and any filters
Attachment too large	>25MB limit for Gmail attachments	Split or route via [[connector-google-drive]] share link
Thread deleted	User deleted the email	Irretrievable; check Google Vault if firm uses it

Related skills

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