# Draft an engagement letter with a clear scope of representation

An engagement letter that defines exactly what the firm will and will not do, the fee terms, and client responsibilities, written in plain English.

- Topic: Legal & Compliance
- Framework: Few-Shot
- Level: Standard
- Tags: Legal, Write, Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/draft-an-engagement-letter-with-a-clear-scope-of-representation

## Prompt

```text
Draft an engagement letter for a new client of my law firm.

**Client:** [NAME and whether individual or entity - and who at the entity we represent]
**Matter:** [DESCRIPTION]
**Work included:** [SPECIFIC TASKS]
**Work excluded:** [e.g. "appeals", "tax advice", "collection of any judgment"]
**Fee arrangement:** [hourly rates by timekeeper / flat fee / contingency percentage and how costs are handled / hybrid]
**Retainer or advance deposit:** [AMOUNT, whether it goes to trust, evergreen or not]
**Billing and payment terms:** [INVOICE FREQUENCY, DUE DATE, LATE TERMS]
**State whose rules apply:** [STATE]

Include sections for: who the client is (and is not, e.g. officers or family members); scope and exclusions; staffing; fees, costs, and how the retainer is held and applied; billing increments; client responsibilities (honesty, cooperation, timely payment); communication; no guarantee of outcome; conflicts disclosures or waivers if any [ADD IF NEEDED]; termination and withdrawal; file retention and destruction period; and signature blocks.

Rules:
- Plain English, short paragraphs, defined terms only when needed.
- For a contingency fee, include the items many states require in writing: the percentage at each stage, whether costs come off before or after the fee, and which expenses the client pays regardless of outcome.
- Mark any state-specific requirement I should verify as [CONFIRM - STATE RULE], e.g. fee dispute arbitration notices or required statements.

Return: the letter, then a checklist of state rules to verify before sending. This is a draft for attorney review, not a substitute for it.
```

## What to fill in

- DESCRIPTION
- SPECIFIC TASKS
- e.g. "appeals", "tax advice", "collection of any judgment"
- AMOUNT, whether it goes to trust, evergreen or not
- INVOICE FREQUENCY, DUE DATE, LATE TERMS
- STATE
- ADD IF NEEDED
- CONFIRM - STATE RULE

Free to copy and use. From ThinkWithPrompt (https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/), a library of 2,663 curated AI prompts.