2.Steps to Write a Letter
There are many factors to be considered in legal letter writing.Please follow the followingsteps to write a complete legal letter.
(1)Find a letter form.
Find a similar letter you have sent in the past,or see the sample letters in this Chapter.
(2)Do not send a letter to another lawyer’S client without that lawyer’S consent.Before sending the letter,find out if the non-lawyer is represented by someone else.Startby asking your client.
(3)Outline your thoughts in a checklist.
Before turning on your computer or dictating machine,pull out a yellow pad and jot downthe main points for your letter.List what you want the letter to say.Write the points in any or—der;write them as they come into your mind.
(4)Start your letter carefully.
Letters begin with boring things like the date and recipient’S name and address,but if anyof these are missing or wrong,the letter writer will look pretty careless,to say the least.So becareful when starting the letter.
(5)Date your letter.
Date your letter the day you write it,and send it the same day.Consider using the in-ternational dating convention of day—month—year rather than the U.S.convention of month—day-year.
(6)Indicate the time of your letter.
If you are sending a fax or email,then type the time next to the date.While letters“crossin the mail”in days.faxes and emails“cross in the wires”in hours and minutes.
(7)Remind your client to preserve attorney--client confidentiality.
Sometimes clients show your letters to others without realizing they can lose the attorney—client privilege of that communication.Add this phrase at the top of the letter to remind themnot to do this:
CONFIDENTIAL ATTORNEY—CLIENT COMMUNICATION
DO NOT COPY OR DISCLOSE TO ANYONE ELSE
If the letter is written during or in anticipation of litigation,the following phrase can beused:
CONFIDENTIAL ATTORNEY—CLIENT COMMUNICATION AND WORK PRODUCT
DO NOT COPY OR DISCLOSE TO ANYONE ELSE
(8)Be sure to use the recipient’S correct legal name and address.
……