The written brief

Set the matter down before we speak.

Most first calls are spent on background. This form takes that off the call. Twelve minutes here, and the conversation starts at the decision instead of the history.

It is read by Raul, not by a clerk or an assistant. Nothing here is legal advice and no solicitor and client relationship arises from sending it; that begins only on a written engagement. Sending it does not put the matter on the calendar, and it should not be relied on to stop a limitation period or meet a court deadline.

Step 1 of 6 · The matter 1 / 6

What is the matter about?

Pick the closest. If two apply, pick the one the money turns on.

Where does it stand today?

This decides how quickly it has to be looked at, and by whom.

A hearing, a deadline to file, an expiry, or the day an offer lapses. Leave blank if none.

Who is on the other side?

This is the conflict check and it has to come before anything else is read closely. Full names as they appear on documents, and the company name and number if there is one.

If you do not know the exact name, write what you have.

What happened, and when?

Dates carry more weight than adjectives. Six lines in order of time is worth more than three pages of context. Write it as if you were telling it to someone who will act on it.

0 characters. Aim for at least a few hundred.

Say it in your own words. It is the single most useful line on this form.

What do you already hold?

Do not send anything yet. This is only so the first call is spent on what the documents show rather than on finding out whether they exist.

Asked because it changes how a matter is best structured, not as a test.

Where to reach you.

If the matter is one this practice should take, you will have a reply with a time and a written scope.

The first call runs fifteen minutes. It is to confirm there is no conflict and that this is the right practice for the matter.