Letter From a Solicitor: What It Means and What to Do Next
A letter from a solicitor lands on your doorstep.
You read it once. You read it again. It is full of phrases you half-recognise but cannot quite decode. It sounds threatening. Or formal. Or both. And you are not sure whether you need to do something immediately or whether this is one of those letters you can sit on for a few days.
Here is the first thing to understand. Solicitors write letters in a particular way. The language is deliberate. The formality is deliberate. The tone is often designed to create urgency, even when the deadline is not as immediate as it appears.
This guide explains the most common types of letters you will receive in a family law matter, what the standard phrases actually mean, and what you should do after reading one.
The Most Common Types of Letters
The Opening Letter
This is often the first letter you receive. The other party has instructed a solicitor. The solicitor is writing to introduce themselves and, in most cases, to set out their client's position and what their client wants.
This letter might feel aggressive. It often is written in a way that presents the other party's position as settled fact. Do not let that rattle you. It is advocacy. The solicitor's job is to represent their client's interests, not to give you a balanced picture of the situation.
What to do: Read it carefully. Make a note of any deadlines mentioned. Do not respond emotionally. Do not respond immediately. Take time to understand what is being asked before you say or write anything.
The Letter Before Proceedings
This is a formal letter warning you that if the matter is not resolved, court proceedings will be started. It is sometimes called a letter before action.
In family law matters, the requirement to send a letter before proceedings is not always as strict as in civil law matters. But if you receive one, you should take it seriously.
What to do: Note the deadline. Get guidance before the deadline. A response may be appropriate, but what you say and how you say it matters.
The Without Prejudice Letter
This phrase appears on many letters in family law matters. It means the letter cannot be used as evidence in court proceedings. It is used to allow both sides to discuss settlement without what they say being held against them later.
A letter marked without prejudice is asking you to negotiate. The solicitor is trying to reach an agreement outside of court on behalf of their client.
What to do: Read the proposal carefully. You can respond without prejudice as well. Do not assume that because it is without prejudice you can say anything. The contents still matter.
The Open Letter
An open letter is the opposite of without prejudice. It can be used in court. Solicitors sometimes write open letters to create a paper trail, particularly on issues of conduct, delays, or unreasonable behaviour.
If a solicitor writes to you openly about something you are doing or not doing, be aware that they may rely on your response, or your failure to respond, in court.
What to do: Take this type of letter very seriously. Respond carefully. Keep a copy. Do not ignore it.
The Letter from the Court
Court letters are different from solicitor letters. They come from the court itself and may contain:
- A notice of hearing date. This is a formal notification of when your case is listed. Missing a hearing is very serious.
- An order or direction. The court has made a decision or given an instruction. This is legally binding. You must comply.
- A request for documents or information. The court or another party is asking you to provide something by a specific date.
What to do: Read the letter immediately. Note the date, time, location, and any deadline. If you do not understand what is being asked of you, get help immediately.
The Language Solicitors Use
Legal letters contain phrases that sound more severe than they are, and sometimes phrases that are more significant than they appear.
- We write on behalf of our client
- Standard opening. Means the solicitor is acting for the other person.
- Our client instructs us
- What follows is what their client has told them they want. It is not necessarily factually accurate. It is the other party's position.
- We require
- They are asking for something, usually by a deadline. This does not mean you must comply with everything they demand. It means they are asking formally.
- In default of which
- A warning phrase. If you do not do what they are asking, they will do the thing they described next. Usually that means starting court proceedings or making an application to the court.
- Without prejudice save as to costs
- A specific version of without prejudice. Means the letter cannot be used in the main case but can be referred to when the court is deciding who pays costs at the end.
- We reserve our client's rights
- They are keeping their options open. They are not committing to a particular course of action yet.
- Please confirm by return
- Means they want a response quickly. Not necessarily immediately, but promptly.
- Time is of the essence
- This phrase has specific legal weight. It means a deadline is being treated as critically important and that failing to meet it will have consequences.
What You Should Not Do
- Do not respond immediately while you are still emotional. Solicitors write letters designed to provoke a reaction. An angry or defensive response in writing gives them material to use.
- Do not ignore letters. Even if the letter seems unreasonable, ignoring it creates problems. It can be used as evidence that you are uncooperative or disengaged.
- Do not assume a deadline is flexible without checking. Some deadlines are procedural and have consequences if missed. Others have more flexibility. Check before assuming.
- Do not write long, detailed responses explaining your entire position. A response to a solicitor's letter should be measured, brief, and factual. Laying out your full case in correspondence hands the other side information.
The Free Legal Letter Translator
If you have received a letter and you cannot work out what it means or what you are supposed to do about it, use the free Legal Letter Translator.
The tool is at letter-translator.html. Paste in the letter, verify your email address, and you will receive a plain-English explanation of what the letter means and what typically happens next. It is AI-powered, anonymises all names and personal details by design, and takes about two minutes to use. The explanation is AI-generated and is for general guidance only. It should not be treated as legal advice.
When to Get Help Urgently
If a letter contains a hearing date, check the date immediately. If the hearing is within the next few days or weeks, contact John now.
If a letter contains an order you do not understand, do not wait. An order is a legal requirement. Not complying with a court order has serious consequences.
If a letter announces an emergency application, this is time-sensitive. Emergency applications, particularly in children cases, can result in hearings within 24 to 48 hours.
If you are not sure whether a letter is urgent, treat it as urgent until you find out otherwise.
What John Can Help With
Reading and interpreting legal correspondence is part of what John does. In a session, he can:
- Explain what a letter actually means in plain English, not the standard version, but what it means in the context of your specific case.
- Tell you what the other side is actually trying to achieve, because letters do not always say directly what the other side wants.
- Help you draft a response if one is needed. What to say, what not to say, and how to say it in a way that protects your position.
- Help you work out whether and how to negotiate. If the letter is opening a settlement conversation, how you respond can shape the outcome.
Pricing starts at £297 for one hour.
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