Parker works from the email, documents, and case files your firm already keeps in Google Workspace — so the first thing a firm does is grant it read-only access through Google Cloud. You'll create a project once, set up the consent screen, switch on each Workspace tool you want Parker to read, and generate one credentials file to hand off securely. Nothing about your Google data changes; Parker simply gains the ability to read what it needs.

Before you begin. You'll need access to the Google account whose Workspace data Parker should read, and the ability to sign in to Google Cloud. Open console.cloud.google.com in another tab and follow along — by the end you'll have one credentials file to hand to the Parker team, and your firm will be ready to connect. This is far easier on a computer than a phone.

Part one — the project setup

These first steps build the foundation. You do them once, no matter how many Workspace tools you connect — the same project and the same credentials file cover Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Calendar together.

  1. 01 Sign in to Google CloudGo to console.cloud.google.com and sign in with the Google account you want Parker to read from. If a welcome screen asks you to accept the terms of service, tick the box and click Agree and Continue.
  2. 02 Create a projectAt the top of the page, click the project dropdown to the left of the search bar, then click New Project. Name it Parker — [Your Firm Name], click Create, and once it's ready, select it from that same dropdown so its name shows at the top.
  3. 03 Open the consent screen setupClick the menu icon (☰) in the top-left, then APIs & Services → OAuth consent screen. Click Get started.
  4. 04 Fill in the app detailsFor App name, enter Parker — [Your Firm Name]. For User support email, choose your address from the dropdown, then click Next. For Audience, select External and click Next. Add your email under Contact Information, click Next, accept the policy, then click Continue and Create.
  5. 05 Add yourself as an allowed userIn the left menu, click Audience. Scroll to Test users, click Add users, enter the Google address you're connecting, and click Save.
  6. 06 Publish the appStill on the Audience page, look for a Publish app button near the top and click it, then Confirm. This keeps the connection from expiring after a few days. If you don't see the button, skip this step and continue.
  7. 07 Create and download the credentials fileIn the left menu, click Clients, then Create client. For Application type, select Desktop app — this is required for the connection to work. Name it Parker, click Create, then click Download JSON. A file named client_secret_….json saves to your computer. You'll upload that file at the end of this guide.

Part two — switch on each tool

Now you turn on the specific Google tools you want Parker to read: Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Calendar. Each one is its own short sequence below. They all follow the same shape — switch the tool on, then grant read-only permission — but we've written out every click for each tool separately, so you never have to guess. Do the ones your firm wants, and skip any you don't. You can always come back and add another later.

You'll repeat two short trips for each tool. First a trip to the Library to switch the tool on, then a trip to Data Access to grant read-only permission. The instructions below walk you through both, one tool at a time. When you see text in italics, that's a button or label to look for on screen.

Gmail

This lets Parker read and search email — client correspondence, intake threads, and the records attached to them. Parker can never send, reply to, delete, or change a message.

  1. G1 Switch on GmailClick the menu icon (☰) in the top-left, then APIs & Services, then Library. In the search box, type Gmail API and press Enter. Click the Gmail API result, then click the blue Enable button. Wait for the page to finish loading.
  2. G2 Grant read-only permission for GmailClick the menu icon (☰) again, then APIs & Services, then OAuth consent screen, then Data Access in the left menu. Click Add or remove scopes. In the filter box that appears, paste the Gmail permission below, press Enter, tick the checkbox next to the result, click Update, then click Save.

The Gmail permission to paste is: https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.readonly

Drive

This lets Parker find and read the files your firm stores in Drive — pleadings, medical records, exhibits, and case folders. Parker can open and read them, never edit, move, or delete them.

  1. D1 Switch on DriveClick the menu icon (☰) in the top-left, then APIs & Services, then Library. In the search box, type Google Drive API and press Enter. Click the Google Drive API result, then click the blue Enable button. Wait for the page to finish loading.
  2. D2 Grant read-only permission for DriveClick the menu icon (☰) again, then APIs & Services, then OAuth consent screen, then Data Access. Click Add or remove scopes. In the filter box, paste the Drive permission below, press Enter, tick the checkbox next to the result, click Update, then click Save.

The Drive permission to paste is: https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.readonly

Docs

This lets Parker read the contents of Google Docs in detail — demand letters, memos, and drafts your team keeps as documents. It reads the words on the page; it never rewrites the original.

  1. O1 Switch on DocsClick the menu icon (☰) in the top-left, then APIs & Services, then Library. In the search box, type Google Docs API and press Enter. Click the Google Docs API result, then click the blue Enable button. Wait for the page to finish loading.
  2. O2 Grant read-only permission for DocsClick the menu icon (☰) again, then APIs & Services, then OAuth consent screen, then Data Access. Click Add or remove scopes. In the filter box, paste the Docs permission below, press Enter, tick the checkbox next to the result, click Update, then click Save.

The Docs permission to paste is: https://www.googleapis.com/auth/documents.readonly

Sheets

This lets Parker read spreadsheet data — case trackers, damages tabulations, and intake logs. Parker pulls the figures it needs for its work and never changes a cell.

  1. S1 Switch on SheetsClick the menu icon (☰) in the top-left, then APIs & Services, then Library. In the search box, type Google Sheets API and press Enter. Click the Google Sheets API result, then click the blue Enable button. Wait for the page to finish loading.
  2. S2 Grant read-only permission for SheetsClick the menu icon (☰) again, then APIs & Services, then OAuth consent screen, then Data Access. Click Add or remove scopes. In the filter box, paste the Sheets permission below, press Enter, tick the checkbox next to the result, click Update, then click Save.

The Sheets permission to paste is: https://www.googleapis.com/auth/spreadsheets.readonly

Calendar

This lets Parker see deadlines, hearings, and case events so it can frame its work against your firm's timeline. Parker views the calendar; it never creates or moves an event.

  1. C1 Switch on CalendarClick the menu icon (☰) in the top-left, then APIs & Services, then Library. In the search box, type Google Calendar API and press Enter. Click the Google Calendar API result, then click the blue Enable button. Wait for the page to finish loading.
  2. C2 Grant read-only permission for CalendarClick the menu icon (☰) again, then APIs & Services, then OAuth consent screen, then Data Access. Click Add or remove scopes. In the filter box, paste the Calendar permission below, press Enter, tick the checkbox next to the result, click Update, then click Save.

The Calendar permission to paste is: https://www.googleapis.com/auth/calendar.readonly

Why read-only everywhere? Every permission above ends in .readonly — that single word is what keeps Parker locked to viewing. It produces drafts for your review inside the tools your team already uses; it never writes back to your inbox, your Drive, or your documents. If the screen ever suggests a broader permission without the .readonly ending, don't add it — Parker doesn't need it, and you shouldn't grant it.

Upload your credentials file

This is the final step. Click the button below to open a secure upload form, then attach the client_secret_….json file you downloaded in Part One. The Parker team takes it from there.

Upload your credentials file →

Don't have the file handy? It's the client_secret_….json that downloaded to your computer in Part One, Step 7 — most likely in your Downloads folder. If you can't find it, go back to Clients in Google Cloud, find the Parker client you created, and click the download icon on its row to get it again.

What happens next

Once you've uploaded the credentials file above, the Parker team completes the connection on our side and sends you a single Google approval link. Click it, choose the account you set up, and approve read-only access — you may see a notice that the app isn't verified, which is normal for a private firm connection. From there, Parker works from your email and files inside the tools your firm already uses — Slack, Telegram, Outlook, and more — across whatever practice areas you handle. There's no platform to migrate onto and nothing new for your team to learn.

And because every firm runs in an isolated environment with Zero Data Retention, your clients' information is never stored by the model provider or used to train any model. Attorney–client confidentiality was a design constraint from day one.