Drafting a Professional Letter of Advice

Note: Want to skip the guide and go straight to the free templates? No problem - scroll to the bottom.
Also note: This is not legal advice.

Introduction

Letter of advice is an essential part of any legal advice process, used to communicate vital information between parties and provide guidance on the matter in hand. By providing clear and accurate advice, lawyers can help build trust and understanding between themselves and their clients, as well as protect themselves from potential legal liability. At Genie AI - the world’s largest open source legal template library – we believe everyone should have access to clear, concise guidance when drafting a professional letter of advice for their own unique needs.

At its core, a letter of advice is written by a professional in response to a client’s specific question or query on the matter in hand; it must be tailored to their individual situation, as the advice provided may be used directly in court proceedings. It seeks to explain applicable laws and regulations relevant to the case at hand alongside an analysis of available facts, together with associated risks and benefits which must also be taken into account before making an informed decision on the best course of action based on these details.

The purpose of such documents is threefold: firstly it serves as an official record which can be referenced back to if further questions or clarifications arise; secondly it helps establish a solid relationship between lawyer and client; finally, by offering clear direction without ambiguity it enables professionals to protect themselves from potential civil claims against them down the line due negligence or avoidance of responsibility concerning their own decision making processes.

At Genie AI we strongly believe everyone should have access high quality legal documents which they can draft themselves quickly and easily with our free template library - no qualifications needed! We provide step-by-step guidance so anyone can create professional letters that are tailored specifically to fit their needs - giving them complete confidence that they’ll have taken all necessary steps towards achieving success in any given case. Read on below for more information about how you can access our templates today!

Definitions (feel free to skip)

Letter of Advice: A letter written by an individual to provide advice on a particular topic, to give guidance on a certain decision, to help someone make an informed choice, or to explain the risks and rewards of a certain course of action.

Recipient: A person or group that receives a letter of advice.

Tone: The attitude and style of communication used in a letter of advice.

Language: The type of words and phrases used in a letter of advice.

Introduction: The beginning of a letter of advice that introduces the topic and establishes the purpose of the letter.

Scope: The range of topics or issues addressed in a letter of advice.

Evidence: Facts, figures, and examples used in a letter of advice to support the advice being provided.

Recommendations: Suggestions or solutions proposed in a letter of advice.

Summary: A brief overview of the main points of a letter of advice.

Logical Order: The arrangement of ideas in a letter of advice so that they make sense.

Headings: The titles or topics used to organize ideas in a letter of advice.

Subheadings: Titles or topics that are used to further organize ideas in a letter of advice.

Accuracy: The correctness of facts and figures presented in a letter of advice.

Proofreading: The process of checking a letter of advice for errors in grammar or punctuation.

Contact Information: Information provided in a letter of advice such as an email address, phone number, or mailing address.

Delivery Method: The way in which a letter of advice is sent to the recipient, such as by mail, email, or courier.

Secure: The quality of being protected from unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction.

Contents

• Understanding the purpose of the letter of advice
• Researching the recipient of the letter
• Analyzing the recipient’s background and needs
• Investigating their current situation
• Selecting the right tone and language
• Considering the recipient’s preferences
• Establishing a formal and professional tone
• Crafting the main body of the letter
• Creating an introduction
• Outlining the purpose and scope of the advice
• Presenting relevant evidence and examples
• Making recommendations
• Summarizing the main points
• Structuring the letter
• Ensuring the main points are in logical order
• Using appropriate headings and subheadings
• Checking for accuracy and proofreading
• Verifying all facts and figures
• Correcting any errors in grammar or punctuation
• Signing and delivering the letter
• Including contact information
• Choosing the most appropriate delivery method
• Ensuring the letter is securely delivered

Get started

Understanding the purpose of the letter of advice

• Take some time to think about the purpose of your letter of advice; why are you writing it, and what do you want to accomplish?
• Consider who you are writing the letter to, and what their current situation is.
• Take a few minutes to brainstorm the main points you want to cover, and the advice you want to provide.
• You know you have completed this step when you have identified the purpose of your letter of advice and have an outline of the main points and advice you wish to provide.

Researching the recipient of the letter

• Identify the recipient of the letter of advice (e.g. name, address, etc.)
• Research the recipient’s background, such as education, experience, previous work, etc.
• Check if the recipient has any particular interests or requests that you should be aware of
• Look up any potential contacts of the recipient that you may need to include in the letter
• You can check off this step when you have a solid understanding of the recipient’s background and needs.

Analyzing the recipient’s background and needs

• Review any additional information you may have on the recipient of the letter, such as their education, experience, and interests
• Make a list of the recipient’s key needs that you’ve identified from your research
• Consider any additional relevant details that could be helpful in crafting the advice in your letter
• Once you’ve collected and thoroughly analyzed the necessary information, you’ll be ready to investigate their current situation and begin writing your letter.

Investigating their current situation

• Gather all the relevant information about the recipient’s current situation, such as their company, job title, current career goals, and financial details
• Ask the recipient questions to gain more clarity and better understanding of their current situation and needs
• Research any industry-specific regulations, guidelines, or best practices that may be relevant to the recipient’s current situation
• Make sure to keep track of any information gathered about the recipient’s current situation

Once you have gathered all the relevant information, asked the necessary questions, and researched any industry-specific regulations, guidelines, or best practices, you can move on to the next step of selecting the right tone and language.

Selecting the right tone and language

• Assess the level of formality of the letter - it should match the level of formality of the situation
• Use language that is professional and appropriate to the situation, avoiding slang and jargon
• Be respectful and courteous, regardless of the situation
• Use clear, concise language
• When appropriate, use the recipient’s name in the salutation
• Check for typos and grammar errors before sending

When you have selected the right tone and language for the letter and checked for typos and grammar errors, you can check this off your list and move on to the next step.

Considering the recipient’s preferences

• Consider the recipient’s age, occupation, background, and any other relevant factors
• Think about the preferred style and language of the recipient
• Research the recipient’s communication style, if necessary
• Make sure you use the appropriate tone and language so your message is well-received

Once you have considered the recipient’s preferences and ensured you are using the right tone and language, you can move on to the next step.

Establishing a formal and professional tone

• Use a formal greeting, such as “Dear [Name],” or “To [Name],”
• Use a formal salutation, such as “Sincerely,” or “Best Regards.”
• Use a professional and respectful tone throughout the letter.
• Avoid using casual language and slang.
• Use the active voice, rather than the passive voice, when possible.
• Avoid including personal opinions or anecdotes.

You can check off this step when you have used a formal greeting, salutation and professional and respectful tone throughout the letter.

Crafting the main body of the letter

• Identify the purpose of the letter and focus on providing advice that will help the recipient
• Consider the recipient’s needs and provide clear, concise and actionable advice
• Outline the advice in a logical order and provide supporting evidence to back up your advice
• Use language that is precise, professional and free of jargon
• Avoid making assumptions about the recipient’s knowledge
• Summarize the advice you have provided and provide any additional resources that may be of help

When you have checked off the above points, you can move on to the next step: Creating an introduction.

Creating an introduction

• Introduce yourself and the purpose of the letter. Be sure to include pertinent information, such as your name, the company you work for, and the role you play.
• Introduce the recipient, if applicable.
• Explain the context of the advice.
• Summarize the advice in a few sentences to provide a preview of the contents of the letter.
• When you have completed the introduction, proofread and edit it for grammar, spelling, and clarity. Once you are satisfied with the introduction, you can move on to the next step of outlining the purpose and scope of the advice.

Outlining the purpose and scope of the advice

• Identify the purpose of the letter of advice and the scope of the advice you are providing
• Consider the context in which you are writing the letter and the desired outcome from the advice
• Research any relevant laws, regulations, and policies that may apply to the advice
• Identify any relevant facts and circumstances that should be taken into account
• Outline the key elements of the advice you are providing in the letter
• Confirm that you have provided the advice in accordance with applicable professional standards

When you have outlined the purpose and scope of the advice, you can move on to the next step: presenting relevant evidence and examples.

Presenting relevant evidence and examples

• Collect evidence to support your advice. This may include legal documents, relevant case studies, statistics, and/or other research.
• Check the accuracy of your evidence and ensure it is relevant to the advice being provided.
• Present the evidence in a clear and logical manner.
• Summarize your evidence in the letter.
• Make sure to cite the sources you used for your evidence.

When you have collected and presented relevant evidence, you can move on to the next step: making recommendations.

Making recommendations

• Consider the audience’s needs and interests when making a recommendation
• Provide a realistic and achievable solution that fits the context
• Explain why the recommendation is the best course of action
• Use language that is clear, concise and confident
• Think about any potential drawbacks or risks that the recommendation might have
• When done, make sure to re-read the letter to ensure that the recommendation is appropriate and correct.

How you’ll know when you can check this off your list and move on to the next step:

• Once you have carefully considered the information provided and written a clear and concise recommendation, you can move on to summarizing the main points.

Summarizing the main points

• Review the content of the letter and highlight the key points.
• Identify the main points to be included in the summary.
• Include a brief summary of the main points in the beginning of the letter.
• Make sure that the summary is concise and clear.
• When you have finished summarizing the main points, double-check that the summary accurately reflects the content of the letter.
• Once you have confirmed that the summary is accurate, you can move on to the next step.

Structuring the letter

• Identify the main points that need to be included in the letter
• Organize your main points into a logical order
• Make sure the body of the letter flows smoothly from one point to the next
• Include any supporting evidence or additional information, such as quotes or statistics, as needed
• Ensure that the conclusion of the letter ties in with the main points
• Check for grammar and spelling errors

Once you have completed this step and ensured that all of your main points have been structured in a logical order, you can move on to the next step of the guide.

Ensuring the main points are in logical order

• Re-read your letter and ensure that your points are in a logical order
• Start with the most important points and end with the least important points
• If needed, rearrange the points in the letter to make it easier to understand
• When you are satisfied with the order of the points, you can move onto the next step which is using appropriate headings and subheadings.

Using appropriate headings and subheadings

• Read through the letter of advice and identify the main topics
• For each topic, determine the most relevant heading and subheading
• Ensure that the headings and subheadings are clear, concise, and accurately reflect the content they refer to
• Incorporate the headings and subheadings into the letter of advice
• Once you have added the appropriate headings and subheadings to the letter of advice, you can be confident that you are ready to move on to the next step of checking for accuracy and proofreading.

Checking for accuracy and proofreading

• Read through your letter of advice several times and look for any spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors
• Check that any facts and figures you have provided are correct and accurate
• Make sure that all of the headings and subheadings are in the correct order and that they make logical sense
• Ask a colleague to review your work and provide feedback
• Once you have made the necessary corrections, you can move on to verifying all facts and figures.

Verifying all facts and figures

• Carefully review all facts and figures that you have included in the letter
• Use external sources such as websites, government documents, and reports to back up your claims
• Double-check all sources to ensure accuracy and validity of the information
• Once these facts and figures have been verified, you can move on to the next step.

Correcting any errors in grammar or punctuation

• Carefully read through the letter and look for any spelling, grammar, punctuation, or formatting errors.
• If any errors are found, correct them accordingly.
• Read through the letter again to make sure all errors have been corrected.
• Once you are sure that all errors have been corrected and the letter is ready for delivery, you can check this step off your list and move on to signing and delivering the letter.

Signing and delivering the letter

• Sign and print the letter of advice.
• Start with your name and title and sign your name in ink.
• Add the date of the letter.
• Print out a copy of the letter for your records.
• Deliver the letter via mail, email, or in person, depending on the recipient.
• You’ll know you’ve completed this step when the letter has been delivered to the recipient.

Including contact information

• Include full contact information for the recipient at the top of the letter, including name, title, and address
• Include your full contact information in the signature, including name, title, and address
• Once the contact information has been included, you are ready to choose the most appropriate delivery method for the letter

Choosing the most appropriate delivery method

• Determine if there are any legal requirements for the method of delivery for the letter, such as certified mail or a courier service
• Consider the urgency of the letter and the timeline in which you need the recipient to receive the letter
• Determine the most cost-effective delivery method that meets the timeline requirements
• Utilize an appropriate delivery method, such as postal mail, email, fax, or courier service
• Ensure the letter is securely delivered
• When you have chosen the delivery method and sent the letter, you can check this off your list and move on to the next step.

Ensuring the letter is securely delivered

• Ensure that the letter is properly addressed to the recipient
• Verify the recipient’s address to ensure accuracy
• Use a secure form of delivery such as registered mail, courier, or fax
• If sending via email, use a secure platform and encrypt the document
• Make a copy of the letter for your own records
• When the letter has been sent, note the date and method of delivery
• You can check this step off your list once you have successfully sent the letter and made a copy for your records.

FAQ:

Q: What is the difference between a professional letter of advice and a legal opinion?

Asked by Addison on April 4th 2022.
A: A professional letter of advice is written for informational purposes, and is typically not legally binding. It is intended to provide guidance and advice from an expert in a particular field, and may be used to provide a non-binding endorsement or recommendation. On the other hand, a legal opinion is a formal document which provides an opinion on the legal effect of the facts presented. It is used to provide legal advice and is legally binding on both parties involved.

Example dispute

Suing a Company for Breach of Contract:

• The plaintiff must prove that the company breached a duty owed to the plaintiff, such as a duty of care or a duty of good faith.
• The plaintiff must prove that the breach of duty caused the plaintiff harm.
• The plaintiff must provide evidence of the breach of contract, such as a copy of the letter of advice from the company.
• The plaintiff must prove that the breach of contract caused them to suffer some type of harm, such as economic loss or emotional distress.
• If the plaintiff is successful in proving their case, the court may award the plaintiff damages. This could include compensatory damages for any economic losses suffered as a result of the breach of contract, as well as punitive damages if the court finds that the company acted in a particularly egregious manner.
• The court may also order the company to take action to rectify the breach of contract, such as providing the plaintiff with a replacement product or service.
• Settlement of the case may also be reached through negotiation or mediation outside of court.

Templates available (free to use)

Letter Of Advice For An Employee Attending A Mediation
Letter Of Advice On Disclosure And Inspection Duties To An Employer
Letter Of Advice To Director Or Founder Of University Spin Out Company
Letter Of Advice To Employee Client On A Settlement Agreement

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