A client- lawyer relationship is considered to be pure, professional as well as personal. You should, however, be able to understand how much personal should or should not get across your lawyer. Professionally, a lawyer can be of much importance for you and your company. These days all companies have corporate lawyers for them who look into the corporate workings of the company and assist in other tasks as well.
Even if you share a personal bond with your lawyer, understand when and what information you share with your lawyer. However, lawyer is like another employee in your company, who deserve the same treatment as any other employee of the company. However, you must also keep in mind that if you are not happy with the lawyer’s work and want to fire him/her, you have every right to remove him from the post. And you can do so by efficiently drafting an end of representation letter.
Who is a lawyer?
A lawyer is a legal counsel who represents you or your company in the court of law. A lawyer will fight legal battles on behalf of your organization and will do so in exchange for financial benefits. Hence a lawyer is same as an employee in your company. They too have fixed working hours along with fixed salary and fixed week offs.
Lawyers seek to provide you with proper counsel and guidance. They are the mouthpiece for the law of the land. Constitutionally they are well-read, knowledgeable and can be a good source of advice when it comes to understanding your duties, rights.
Every company is run by rules given by the government. These rules are the same for all. However, while there are rules to follow, there are standards to maintain by all. And there is tough competition indeed. If you fail to maintain quality standards, equal job opportunities, there is a chance that others may file a complaint against you. Also, there is the company grievance portal, where the internal employees may lodge concerns.
These are a few instances where a lawyer can help you sort out the problem and also attend and give their negotiations in front of the court of law. Do keep in mind, if you hire a lawyer, you hire them for a specific time. You are bound to pay the lawyer for that awfully specific time. Depending on your experience, a lawyer can charge you the minimum fees or even the maximum fees. However, when it comes to saving yourself from the wrong doings of others, money can not be of any concern.
What is the importance of a lawyer?
Being a lawyer and representing a company is not an easy task. There are a number of other roles you need to look into. Here are a few points which can help you understand the importance of and significance of a lawyer.
· Being a lawyer, you uphold the entire legal system. You are a crucial representative of the court of law, and you must find means to protect it.
· Being a lawyer gives you an upper hands as you know inside outside the constitution. Your knowledge can help others in more ways than one.
· Lawyers enforce the law of the land and seek justice of the law is ever challenged.
· Lawyers offer a sense of safety and security for others. They promote social peace.
· Lawyers act as an advisor of the society. They consult their clients with regard to their rights, freedom, and their duties. Without the proper counsel of a lawyer you will not be able to follow and understand the law of the land and follow it.
· Lawyers are bound to keep their conversations with their clients confidential. They discuss the matters in private with the clients and hence give a sense of security and understanding to their clients.
Drafting an end of Representation Letter
Having worked with a specific lawyer for quite some time, you may have some problems letting them go. However, if you are not happy with the quality of work, you will have to let them go. There are, after all no excuses when it comes to work and the quality of work. You have been paying the lawyer by the hour. If the results are not as per your satisfaction and expectation, you have every right to let the lawyer go. However, how can you let the lawyer go or fire the lawyer. You can either be direct and let the lawyer know face to face about the issues you have been facing and how things are not working out.
There are different ways to let your lawyer go or to fire them. If you want to do the work decently, you can simply draft an end of representation letter to the lawyer and let them know gently that their services are no longer required. This is a more professional way of firing someone. However, depending on your circumstance, you can either choose to be direct with your lawyer. You can also send across a letter passing on the same statement in a more decent and professional manner.
While drafting an end of Representation letter, there are things which you need to consider. Understand, you are firing a person and that person will no longer be coming to work in your organization. Hence, it becomes all the more important for you to do the task gently and professionally. Here are a few pointers which can help you while you are drafting an end of representation letter.
· Ensure the letter is typed in the letter head of the company. This shows that the letter is genuine and also final.
· Do not unnecessarily write lengthy sentences. Keep the letter short and absolutely to the point so that the recipient of the letter understands the undertone of the letter.
· Mention the Subject right on top of the letter. This gives a quick idea to the recipient about the contents of the letter. Even though in this case, the letter has no good news, yet it tells the recipient as to what to expect from the letter. Many a time if the subject line is missing from the letter, people have confused the letters tremendously.
· Explain why you are letting go. An end of representation letter can be little emotional and challenging, however if you have taken this discussion there would be a reason behind your actions. You need to let the recipient understand the reasons behind your actions accordingly.
· The letter is definitely for letting go the lawyer. But this in no way gives you levy to vent out your grievances against the lawyer. Ensure to keep the letter professional.
· Never write the letter in your own handwriting. Always prefer to type the letter and keep a copy of the letter saved in your organization’s data for reference.
· Assure the lawyer that they will be paid during their notice period and their contract.
· Also do not forget to mention the case files the lawyer may have with them. Collect all the files and data which is of no use for the lawyer going forward- ask them to clear their desk.
· Mention the date in the letter in dd/mm/yy format.
Sample End of Representation Letter
Keeping all the above pointers in mind, when you sit to write the end of representation letter, do be kind and forgiving. Do not take out your frustration in the letter. Hence, it is very much important that when you sit to write the letter, your mind is at peace. You should be calm and quiet. However, using the above pointers, here are a few sample templates of end of representation letter which may come handy to you. These letters are designed in such a way that you can directly copy and paste from them. You can also make your own minor changes before printing it on your company’s letterhead.
Template 1
End of Representation Letter (Subject right on top)
(Name of Lawyer)
(address of Lawyer with pin code)
Date: dd/mm/yy
Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. (full name of lawyer)
This letter is in regard to the termination of your services going forward. I appreciate your services in regard to my case, however I have been waiting for the past six months for a resolution, and we are nowhere near a resolution. I am not even getting into the financial aspect of it, but it has been observed you are never on time for the court hearings, and you have prioritized other cases over mine.
Due to all these reasons, I have decided to terminate our contract. Please send across my case file to (your address) at the earliest.
Thanks and regards,
Your name
Your address
Your contact number
Template 2
Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. (full name of lawyer)
This is to inform you that the legal contract has been terminated going forward. We appreciate your services and your dedication, but we have already contacted other legal counsel.
We are upset with the case progress and it has been more than a year that we are chasing the case with no resolution. Unfortunately we cannot let the trend continue and have decided for other legal counsel to get a quicker and faster response.
Please return our case file at the earliest on (your address). Also share the final bill at the same address so that we can clear the dues.
Thanks and regards,
Your name
Your address
Your contact number
Template 3
Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. Full name of Lawyer
It was a pleasure working by your side for the past 5 years and witnessing the many ups and downs in the process. As a company, we have progressed and come a long way. We would require legal services and counsel from a bigger legal firm. We would discontinue our legal relationship going forward, but this is not a reflection on any displeasure from our side. Also, we have appreciated your dedication and hard work for the same.
Kindly forward the file of the corporate case over to our head office along with the final bill. Please be rest assured all the dues will be cleared in time.
Thank you for all your services. And all the best for your future endeavors.
Thanks and regards,
Your name
Your address
Your contact number
Template 4
Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. Full name of Lawyer/Attorney
This is to bring to your kind attention that we are terminating our legal counsel services going forward. We have been closely following on the Case which has shown no new development or progress in these past 7 months. This has caused us lot of money and displeasure.
Hence, we have decided to discontinue the services going forward. Kindly share the case file along with the final bill to our head office address at the earliest.
Thanks and regards,
Your name
Your address
Your contact number
Template 5
Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. Full name of lawyer / attorney
In these past 10 years we have received impeccable support and dedication from your legal counsel team. However, it is time for us to move on now and associate ourselves with a bigger counsel depending on our organization too has developed over the years.
We have achieved great success and achievements with your cooperation and coordination as well. Thank you for being such a constant source of support for us.
We shall always be grateful to you and would always refer your services to our other companies who will reach out to you shortly.
In the meanwhile, kindly send across our case files and the final bill across to our head office address.
Wishing you all the absolute best with your future endeavors. Please feel free to reach out to us for any concerns or queries.
Thanks and regards,
Your name
Your address
Your contact number
