Clio Manage API Authentication

How to authenticate Clio Manage API requests: one Bearer API key plus a connectionId. MindCloud runs the OAuth flow and refreshes Clio Manage tokens for you.

Every Clio Manage API request through MindCloud needs two things: a MindCloud API Key and a connectionId for your Clio Manage account. This page covers both, plus exactly how to send them, so you do not need to visit any other page to get authenticated.

Steps to authenticate

Create a MindCloud account at app.mindcloud.co if you do not already have one.
Generate a MindCloud API Key in API Keys. This is the Bearer token you send on every request. Keep it on your server.
Create a Clio Manage connection in Connections. Clio Manage uses OAuth. When you create the connection, you are redirected to sign in to Clio Manage and approve access — MindCloud stores the resulting tokens and refreshes them automatically, so your integration never has to.
Copy the connection’s connectionId — you will send it on every request alongside your MindCloud API Key.

How requests are authenticated

Authentication has two layers. Your MindCloud API Key authenticates the request to MindCloud, sent as a Bearer token in the Authorization header. The connectionId selects the connected Clio Manage account that should run the action. MindCloud stores and refreshes the Clio Manage credentials behind that connection, so you never send provider tokens with your requests.

Pass connectionId in the query string for GET and DELETE actions, and in the JSON body for POST, PUT, and PATCH actions.

For example, calling List Contacts with an Clio Manage connection looks like this:

curl --request POST \
  --url "https://connect.mindcloud.co/v2/universal/apps/clio/actions/list-contacts/run" \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $MINDCLOUD_API_KEY" \
  --header "Content-Type: application/json" \
  --data '{
  "connectionId": "$CONNECTION_ID",
  "arguments": {}
}'

The Authorization: Bearer <your MindCloud API Key> header authenticates you to MindCloud; the connectionId tells MindCloud which Clio Manage account to run the action against. Missing or invalid Authorization returns 401, and a missing or mismatched connectionId returns 400.

Set up your Clio Manage connection

You need a Clio Manage trial or developer account in the same region as the Clio developer application you will connect with.

Create or confirm your Clio Manage account
Sign up for a Clio Manage trial account in the region where this integration will run. Clio documents a 7-day trial window for Manage developer testing.
Clio Developers → Getting Started → Get a Developer Account
Create a Clio developer application
Open the Clio developer portal and create a Developer Application. Clio requires a name, website URL, redirect URI, accepted developer terms, and the app permissions your integration needs.
Clio Developers → Clio Manage API → Create a Developer Application
Use the MindCloud callback URL as a redirect URI
Add the MindCloud callback URL from your connection setup into the Redirect URIs list for the Clio developer application. The redirect URI must exactly match one of the redirect URLs saved in Clio.
Choose the Clio Manage permissions for this app
In the Clio developer application, enable the permissions needed for the objects you plan to use. For this initial build, the app should include permissions for Contacts, Matters, Tasks, Notes, Activities, and Calendar Entries.
Clio Developers → Clio Manage API → Permissions
Copy your App Key and App Secret into MindCloud
From the Clio developer application settings, copy the App Key and App Secret into the MindCloud connection fields when prompted.
Authorize the connection
Back in MindCloud, continue the OAuth flow and approve the app in Clio so MindCloud can exchange the authorization code for access and refresh tokens.

Keep your key safe

Keep your MindCloud API Key on your server; do not ship it in browser code, mobile apps, public repositories, or logs. Anyone with the key can call the Universal API as your MindCloud account, across every connection you have created.