Writing a closing letter to your clients is more than just a formality; it’s an essential step that ensures a positive, professional end to the attorney-client relationship.
This letter wraps up the case or matter, provides key information clients need moving forward, and leaves the door open for future engagement.
In this post, we’ll explore best practices for writing effective closing letters that support clients and foster lasting professional relationships. We’ll talk you through drafting a closing letter, discuss what should and shouldn’t be included, and give you a sample letter to use as a starting point!
Why Closing Letters Matter
Before we dive into the details of how to write a closing letter, let’s talk some about why it matters in the first place.
A closing letter gets sent when a case you’ve been working on reaches its conclusion. This letter lets the client know that your work together is officially over and gives you an opportunity to set the tone for any future work with them.
There are several important reasons you need to send client closing letters.
- Case documentation – A closing letter can serve as an important piece of documentation that you’ve wrapped up a case. This can be important in case any questions about that particular matter arise in the future.
- Future work – On the subject of the future, just because you’ve wrapped up one case with a client doesn’t mean you’ll never work with them again. A closing letter can keep the door open for any future cases that client may need your services for.
- Clear communication – Sending a closing letter lets your client know in very definite terms that their legal matter is concluded. This sort of closure can help to set their expectations so they don’t wonder why they haven’t heard from you in a while. It may even protect you from a malpractice complaint, as a common source of these claims is clients who believe their lawyer has neglected some of their duties.
- Better client experience – In addition to protecting you from malpractice complaints, sending a closing letter can provide a more client-centered experience. Clear communication lets your client know what’s going on so they never feel like you left them guessing.
Writing a closing letter may take a few extra minutes, but that time will be well-invested.
Be Timely and Consistent
As you might expect, timing is critical when sending out a closing letter. It won’t do you much good to send out this letter six months after you’ve finished your work on a particular legal matter.
Make it a point to send out your closing letters as soon as you reasonably can after you conclude a legal matter. Using templates and automation tools can help you stay on top of this.
It’s also important to make sure you send out a closing letter at the end of every single case you work on. Even if you never expect to hear from a client again, a closing letter still provides important documentation and a client-centered experience.
Keep It Brief
Although closing letters are important, they don’t have to be lengthy. All you need to do is give your client official notice that their case is closed and let them know you’re available for any future needs they may have; you don’t need to send them a dissertation.
Stick to communicating the things you need to, and remember to keep your language simple. You want your client to be able to easily understand what you’re saying, so avoid legal jargon and over-formal writing.
Set Up a Template
One great way to save time when you’re sending out closing letters is to set up a template.
Most, if not all, of your closing letters are going to include the same basic elements and may even include some of the same language. A template allows you to drop in the details of each case, rather than writing the letter from scratch every time.
Some case management programs can even auto-draft your closing letters using the template you set up and client details it has stored.
You may need to fill in some sections manually, but this can save you a huge amount of time in drafting these letters.
Be sure to review each of your closing letters carefully before sending to be sure all fields were filled in and no previous client information or placeholder text was left accidentally.
Introduce the Letter
When you’re drafting a letter or template, it’s a good idea to start with an introduction. Although you shouldn’t need to introduce yourself at this stage, it’s still a good idea to state your name and briefly introduce the letter.
Explain in a sentence or two why you’re sending this letter: your work on this legal matter has come to an end and this portion of your working relationship is concluded.
It may also be a good idea to restate why the matter ended (you settled the case, won it in court, lost in court, etc.).
Summarize the Matter
Once you’ve introduced your letter, you’ll want to write a brief summary of the legal matter you’re concluding.
This can provide important documentation of the case that you can refer back to later as needed, as well as reminding your client about the details of the case.
In this section, summarize the premise of the case, the work you did on it, and the outcome. Be sure to include any relevant details, including court dates, settlement amounts, terms of the resolution, and any special factors that influenced the outcome of the case.
Communicate Your Obligations
After the summary of the legal matter, you need to take some time to communicate your ongoing obligations to your client.
In particular, you need to let them know how long you’re required to keep case documentation and what documents you’ll be keeping.
This notification lets clients know which information of theirs you’ll be required to keep and why. Not only can this notification help to improve client trust, you may be required to notify your clients of this information.
Outline Next Steps
At this point, you’ll want to turn your attention to the next steps that will happen in the case.
Some follow-up may be needed even after the case is concluded, and you should let your client know when that will happen.
Be sure to include any deadlines for this follow-up or action your client needs to take. This may include when they’ll receive their final bill and how long they’ll have to pay it.
Express Your Appreciation
The last thing you need to do before you close your letter is to express your appreciation for your client. Thank them for trusting you with such an important challenge in their life.
Ending on a positive note like this accomplishes a couple of things.
For one, it leaves the client feeling good, rather than harried by billing and so on. And it also may make them more inclined to recommend you to the people in their life who need legal help in the future.
This is also a good opportunity to ask your client to leave you a review. Lots of good reviews can go a long way toward helping your site to rank on Google, and the moment when you end work with a client is a perfect chance to ask (again) for that review.
Close the Letter
Finally, end the letter with a professional sign-off, such as “Sincerely” or “Best wishes.” Leave a little space before your printed name and sign the letter by hand.
This is a small detail, but it lends a personal touch to the letter that your clients will appreciate.
Review Your Letter
Before you prepare to send your letter, it’s a good idea to take a minute and review it. This is particularly important if you use a template, since you’ll need to make sure none of your placeholder text is still in place.
Read back through your letter, confirming that all the details about your client and their case are correct. You might even consider reading the letter out loud to make sure you don’t have any awkward phrasing or missed words.
Leave Out Sensitive Information
As you’re reviewing your letter, it’s a good idea to make sure you don’t have any sensitive information about your client included. Not only can sending this information via mail or email be insecure, but it may also violate some professional standards.
Never include bank account information, other personal financial information, or medical information in your closing letter.
For instance, if you’re discussing a client’s injuries or diagnoses in the closing letter of a personal injury case, don’t mention the specifics of those diagnoses. Instead, say something along the lines of “your condition” or “your medical diagnosis”.
Add Any Enclosures
Once you’re satisfied that your letter is ready for your client’s eyes, you’ll need to add any enclosures that need to go with the letter.
These documents may include court documents, settlement agreements, invoices, and so on.
Sample Closing Letter
Below, you can see an example of a closing letter template that may give you a starting point to draft your own.
[Your Firm’s Letterhead]
[Date]
[Client’s Name]
[Client’s Address]
[City, State, Zip Code]
Dear [Client’s Name],
Re: Conclusion of [Legal Matter Description]
I am writing to formally conclude our representation of you in connection with [describe legal matter, e.g., “your personal injury case,” “your real estate transaction,” “your divorce proceeding”].
We are pleased to inform you that all aspects of this matter have been successfully resolved. [Briefly recap the case.] Any necessary final documents have been filed, and all funds or property transfers have been completed as outlined.
At this time, our representation regarding this matter is complete. We have enclosed [list of documents, if any, e.g., “copies of the final settlement documents,” or “a copy of the court’s final judgment”] for your records. Please keep these documents in a secure place for future reference. [Outline your firm’s policy for keeping case documentation and which documents of theirs you’ll be keeping and for how long.]
[Discuss any next steps you or your client need to take, such as paying an enclosed invoice.]
Should any questions arise regarding this matter, or if you need assistance with other legal issues in the future, please feel free to reach out. It has been our pleasure to work with you, and we appreciate the confidence you have placed in us. If you’ve been pleased with our service, we would appreciate you leaving us a review here.
Thank you again for allowing us to assist you, and we wish you all the best moving forward.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Firm Name]
[Your Contact Information]
Bring in More Clients
Sending a closing letter to your clients is a great way to end their case on a positive note. Use templates, keep your letter brief, and be sure to ask for a review at the end of the letter. Then make sure you send the letter out in a reasonable time after the conclusion of the case.
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