Output Client Letter Style

Client Letter Style

When to use this

Apply this style whenever the output is a formal letter from a lawyer (or law firm) to a client. This covers:

• Opinion letters (legal opinions, tax opinions)
• Advice letters (advice on a specific legal question)
• Update letters (status of a matter)
• Demand letters (claims, default notices)
• Transmittal letters (covering document transmittal)
• Engagement letters (scope of retainer)

Do not apply this style for:

• Internal memos (use CREAC or BLUF structure)
• Court filings or pleadings (use court-specific formatting)
• Informal email updates (those have a lighter structure)

Document structure

1. Letterhead block

[Firm Name]
[Address Line 1]
[City, Country]
[Date — written out: 14 May 2026]
[Reference / Matter number]

RE: [Subject line — concise, 1 line]

In MENA formal practice, the date is often written in full (14 May 2026 not 14/05/2026) to avoid ambiguity between day-first and month-first conventions.

For bilingual letters (Arabic + English), mirror the letterhead block in both languages.

2. Salutation

Dear [Name],

In formal firm practice:

• Use the client's full name on first reference (Dear Ms Al-Rashid,).
• For a firm or company, use the company name (Dear Team at [Company Name], or more formally Dear Sir/Madam,).
• In MENA contexts: for Arabic-speaking clients, Dear Mr/Ms [First name] is appropriate in English letters; in Arabic letters, use the appropriate honorific (عزيزي/عزيزتي [اللقب + الاسم]).

3. Opening paragraph

State in one paragraph:

• What matter or question this letter addresses
• The instruction or request received (briefly)
• The purpose of the letter

We write further to your instruction of [date] requesting our advice on the enforceability of the non-competition clause in the Employment Agreement between [Employee] and [Company] (the "Agreement").

4. Analysis / advice body

This is the substance of the letter. Structure it with clear headings if it covers multiple legal issues. Rules:

• Translate technical legal terms into plain English on first use: "penalty clause (a clause that imposes a pre-agreed sum payable on breach)".
• Cite authority in footnotes or parenthetical references — do not clutter the prose with long citations.
• Use numbered points or short headings for multiple issues.
• Present the analysis before the conclusion within each section — lead with context, then the legal rule, then the application to the client's facts.

Exception: if the letter opens with a BLUF summary per [[output-executive-summary-first]], the conclusion appears first at the top.

5. Recommendation and next steps

Close the analysis with clear action items:

**Recommendations**
1. Revise the non-compete clause to reduce the geographic scope to the UAE (from "MENA-wide").
2. Reduce the duration from 24 to 12 months to align with recent MOHRE guidance.
3. Confirm the legitimate interest the non-compete is designed to protect, which must be documented to withstand challenge.

**Next steps**: we recommend scheduling a call to discuss the revised clause before the employment contract is signed. We can prepare a redlined version of the clause for your review.

6. Closing and signature block

We remain at your disposal for any further questions.

Yours sincerely / Yours faithfully,

[Signatory Name]
[Title]
[Firm Name]
[Direct telephone]
[Email]

Use "Yours sincerely" when the letter begins with the client's name (Dear Ms Al-Rashid); use "Yours faithfully" when it begins Dear Sir/Madam.

Voice

Mandatory cautions

Privilege marking

If the letter contains legal advice (almost always), mark it at the top:

PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL — ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATION

In DIFC/ADGM/UK contexts, the equivalent is:

LEGALLY PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL

In Lebanon and UAE civil-law contexts, legal privilege exists but is narrower than in common-law systems. Include the marking but note to the supervising lawyer that privilege scope should be confirmed.

Reservation of rights

In demand letters and default notices:

Nothing in this letter constitutes a waiver of any of our client's rights, all of which are expressly reserved.

Reference to engagement letter

For opinions and advice letters:

This advice is given within the scope of our retainer as defined in our engagement letter dated [date]. It does not extend to [any matters not covered].

Avoiding outcome promises

Never state:

• "We will succeed" / "You will win"
• "There is no risk"
• "This is definitely enforceable"

Use calibrated language:

• "The clause is likely enforceable if..."
• "We consider there to be a strong argument that..."
• "Based on current law, the risk of...is low, but cannot be eliminated."

Jurisdiction-specific considerations

Related skills

• [[output-executive-summary-first]] — BLUF opening for partner/client letters where the bottom line comes first
• [[output-creac-structure]] — the analytical structure within the body of the letter
• [[output-bilingual-formatting]] — for bilingual Arabic-English letters
• [[conversation-disclaimer]] — whether and where to include legal advice disclaimers