Don’t do this sort of letter much (not a lawyer) but still use Dear Sirs for a company.
If I know the person it’s first names if not then Mr/Mrs or Dr X.
Slightly odd in my sector in that most seniors want first names but some old codgers still expect juniors to call them Dr Arsehole. I started when it was more common to call all seniors Dr X but it’s really changed for the better now.
Currently involved in a shit kicking of a former director of a client. Until his various misdemeanours were discovered and he was fired obvs we'd use first names, he was the personification of the client. Now he's about to become a defendant so he gets letters saying "Dear Sir, we are about to tear you a new arse" and the response comes back "Dear [Buzzfirstgivenname], etc"
I’d always understood that when writing to a partnership (a proper one not LLP or that ilk) one did not write “ Dear Sirs” but just “Gentlemen”.
Have seen quite a lot of correspondence mid last century to a law firm partnership in that vein - and likewise letters from the same period addressed to the C.Hoare & Co. private bank partnership.
I may not be the greatest lawyer Crypto but as the guy pleaded guilty to fraud in respect of the same matter we're going after him for in civil proceedings, I reckon even I couldn't fook this up.
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I was surprised by the follow conversation on this subject when i first moved to Germany, when I saw Dear Madam or Sir
T Pot, Its normally Dear Sir or madam
T Pots German lawyer assistant, T Pot its better manners to put the woman first
T Pot , OK fair point
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We have now arrived at a mandatory ‘Dear Freshfields etc’
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Yeah we're in a similar place Muttley.
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I inadvertently (reflex after 20 years) wrote Dear Sirs and got told off my male boss who is gloriously woke but a complete bully to women.
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Messrs Freshfields?
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We should all use Dear Khunts so you know who's a Roffer.
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My distinguished colleagues,
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Given Freshfields is an LLP now not a partnership I should think no Messrs etc necessary.
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Messrs is short for Messieurs which is both sexist and transphobic.
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Messieurs, Mesdames, Mesnonbinaire
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And French
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When you send an email to a solicitor’s email address:
“Dear [first name],
Please confirm you are instructed in [blah]
kind regards,
Kimmy
[email sig with full name, etc]”
And then get a reply starting “Dear Sirs”...
I hate this. It’s as ignorant af.
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Agree Kimmy tho useful early heads up about the kind of people you have on the other side.
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I always write Dear Sir /Madam. If I'm writing to a firm I'll write Dear Sirs / Mesdames.
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Dear CISters,
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I am reactionary. I want to go back to "Dear Sirs" and having a glass of wine at lunchtime.
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I'm a feminist but I also believe in old-fashioned protocol.
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It seems this is actually more correct
mesdames, messieurs, mesgenderfluid, mesnonbinaires
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Yes, mole. I always sigh a heavy sigh.
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I shouldn't recommend it. I tried that for a while, but a bottle is much more enjoyable.
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Heh
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Kimmy, for some people it would be an absolute affront for them to use your actual own name without having met you in person
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I'm with Judo on the wine front. when i started a glass at lunch was normal, and a friday lunchtime sesh not unusual.
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Still par for the course in my sector. Law firms sound terrible places to work.
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Ideally I'd like my staff to address me as 'Mr', never mind some pleb I've never met.
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I used to refer to always refer to my secretary as Mrs [Nightingale] though I'd call her [Florence] to her face.
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Ftse - I quite regularly get Dear Mole (if I may). Have not yet told them they may not, though usually tempted.
Rex - I hope you did then write just "Dear Mr" from then on.
Dux - I think I know the sector and it's much worse than many, it seems no incentive to modernise for most of the specialist firms.
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I wrote a letter to Ms X and Ms Y the other day, and my secretary amended it to Dear Sirs on the outgoing copy
Didn’t even ask me. These older women don’t know what is good for them.
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Dear Sir/Madam to firm. Dear Mr/Ms if to an individual.
Never had an issue with this approach.
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Heh @ Moley
I do, after a while, write "Dear Petula"
I once got "Dear Mr Ducks" in reply, so I took the hint.
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In a perfect world, all written communication starts with
"Yo, "
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I always refer to myself as Miss Carter, as you know never what thrusting young legal eagle is single and available.
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I have an oppo I have dealt with many times
Formal corespondence is always dear sirs
but when I email him I always write Dear John...... regards Linda
and he always writes Dear Madam in reply
bonkers
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Dux - heh. Petula definitely a charity lawyer name.
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Judo presumably if he's thrusting you actually *do* know.
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Don’t do this sort of letter much (not a lawyer) but still use Dear Sirs for a company.
If I know the person it’s first names if not then Mr/Mrs or Dr X.
Slightly odd in my sector in that most seniors want first names but some old codgers still expect juniors to call them Dr Arsehole. I started when it was more common to call all seniors Dr X but it’s really changed for the better now.
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Currently involved in a shit kicking of a former director of a client. Until his various misdemeanours were discovered and he was fired obvs we'd use first names, he was the personification of the client. Now he's about to become a defendant so he gets letters saying "Dear Sir, we are about to tear you a new arse" and the response comes back "Dear [Buzzfirstgivenname], etc"
That is proper weird.
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Buzz, I have just messaged you.
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I’d always understood that when writing to a partnership (a proper one not LLP or that ilk) one did not write “ Dear Sirs” but just “Gentlemen”.
Have seen quite a lot of correspondence mid last century to a law firm partnership in that vein - and likewise letters from the same period addressed to the C.Hoare & Co. private bank partnership.
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Be funny if he wins though Buzz won’t it?
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My tedious and shiny little egotistical turd
yours ....
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my firm has a policy where we start letters to any lp/llp as
”dear Members”
which I love especially in litigation
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and “dear directors” for a company
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and “dear directors” for a company
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and “dear directors” for a company
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So you say
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Jamie how do you start a letter to a company?
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I was raised to say sir or madam
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I suppose these days it should be sir, madam or enbie
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Whassup!
Or
hey you...
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One of my little acts of rebellion against the overlords is to say dear sirs and wait for misogynistic cretin to tell me off.
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"One of my little acts of rebellion against the overlords is to say dear sirs and wait for misogynistic cretin to tell me off."
as a lawyer I admire your pettiness
all about the small victories
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I detest it when I sign off with my full Christian name and a house chinny responds with “Dear Summs”.
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I like to address any number or gender as 'Gentlemen' but if work catches me at it I think they'll make me stop.
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To Whom It May Concern
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Yours
Avi.
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I may not be the greatest lawyer Crypto but as the guy pleaded guilty to fraud in respect of the same matter we're going after him for in civil proceedings, I reckon even I couldn't fook this up.
R&Rd Judo
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