How to write a short summary for your lawyer
For education only. Not legal advice. Tellbrief is not a law firm.
You do not need to know the legal name for your problem. Start with what happened and what you want to ask.
Say why you are calling now
Start with the change. A customer sent an agreement. Someone wants to invest. You are about to hire. Put that in the first sentence, then add any date you have been given. Say who set it and whether it is written down.
Separate what happened from what you think it means
“We discussed an equal split” and “we each own half” are not the same account. Describe what was said, what was signed and what you are not sure about. Let the lawyer assess what follows from it.
Use a short timeline
List the few events that explain how you got here. Dates can be approximate if you label them that way. If an email or document records an event, note where to find it rather than pasting an entire thread.
End with your question
“What should we check before signing?” gives the meeting a starting point. You can have several questions, but say which one matters most. If you do not know, say what decision you are trying to make.
A made-up example
We run a design agency. A new customer sent its contract on Tuesday and asked us to sign by Friday. We agreed a project price by email, but have not started work. We have the contract, proposal and email thread. What should we clarify before signing?
Ask how the firm wants to receive it
Follow the firm’s instructions about when and how to send background or documents. Do not treat a contact form as permission to upload every client file. Tellbrief can help you prepare a brief, but you still need to agree next steps with the lawyer.
Questions
What if I do not have every date?
Use approximate dates and label them. Do not fill a gap by guessing.
Should I include documents?
List the documents you have and ask the firm how and when it wants to receive them.
Get your lawyer up to speed before the first call
About 30 questions, most of them one tap, free and with no account. Tellbrief turns your answers into a brief your lawyer can work from, and you keep a copy.
Start your brief →For education only. This article is general information for founders, not legal advice, and reading it doesn’t make you anyone’s client. Tellbrief is not a law firm. For advice about your situation, talk to a licensed lawyer.