I was taught that until you have spoken to the other side on the phone several times you address them as "Dear Sirs" and sign off in the name of the company. Once you have spoken a few times you may then address it to "Mr/Mrs/Miss X" and sign off in your name.
However, these days half the people I deal with start their first e-mail with some shortened version of my name that I hate.
First of all it is a letter from the firm (ignore the fact I am the only person in my sole trader firm as I am not typical).
Secondly it helps keep at bay those on the other side who aren't law firms from the over familiarity that can be riksy. I am sick of infringing internet traders respnoding with"Dear [ my first name]" in reply to these letters.
So it is similar to the point that someone is not your client. They are a client of the firm. If the other side is a law firm and they want to move on emails to first names that is fine. That tends to happen depending on how a dispute is going actually - the nastier letters are Dear sirs and as we move through to compromise agreements it might go to full personal name and then just as we are going to sign first names even.
Presumably also why pp firms persist with the ridiculous practice of writing, printing, signing, scanning then attaching a letter to an email rather than just emailing what they wanted to say in the first place.
I very rarely write and print and scan letters when the content can be e-mailed. I'm being driven mad by a man who will only communicate by DX and fax so that I have to write and print a letter asking him for a completion statement.
We don't actually have fax machines any more. I send faxes from Outlook and receive them the same way but believe the e-mail goes a fax server that converts it and sends it as a fax over the phone line.
I deal with custodially held assets. The custodian will only take instructions by fax, as it's more secure. Hence I (or rather, my assistant) am sending lots of faxes on a regular basis.
Litigation lawyers send letters. I post sometihng every day. I don't have a fax machine. The IP office in wales earlier this week suggested I faxed something. I sent it by special delivery post in the end asi t was going to be too hard to email - client doc box and all kinds of complex attachments it was just quicker to print out and post to arrive the next day. Also if your letters will end up being disclosed before a judge it can look better to have them as formal letters on notepaper although I am not saying I don't send emails - of course I do, absolutely loads of them all day long and some of those will be from the firm and some to the client from me.
Anyone else put the new soon to be compulsory SRA logo on their website today? It doesn't look too bad. I think it's a pity there are a variety of versions of it as that dilutes brands so not sure who advised them on that. I don;t know why it is dated either as that will make web sites out of date after a bit unless it automaticalloy changes by some magc process every day.
I usually start a transaction with Dear Sirs, especially as I may not have an individual’s name at that point, but once I have an established opposite number then emails will address them by name as more formality is unnecessary.
What does annoy me is the informality of businesses addressing me by my first name: I’m Mr… to you, thank you very much.
There was some advice doing the rounds when firms all converted to LLP status that if you didn’t sign off everything as being sent “for and on behalf of ShitTalkers LLP” then the communication wouldn’t benefit from the LLPs limited liability status and it would advise it’s clients to seek any shortfall from the person Who signed or sent the advice.
I absolutely hate being called Mr or Sir. It's so ridiculous I always ask to me be called by my first name. Why should someone be forced to treat anyone deferentially.
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I was taught that until you have spoken to the other side on the phone several times you address them as "Dear Sirs" and sign off in the name of the company. Once you have spoken a few times you may then address it to "Mr/Mrs/Miss X" and sign off in your name.
However, these days half the people I deal with start their first e-mail with some shortened version of my name that I hate.
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I think because English firms are ridic
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First of all it is a letter from the firm (ignore the fact I am the only person in my sole trader firm as I am not typical).
Secondly it helps keep at bay those on the other side who aren't law firms from the over familiarity that can be riksy. I am sick of infringing internet traders respnoding with"Dear [ my first name]" in reply to these letters.
So it is similar to the point that someone is not your client. They are a client of the firm. If the other side is a law firm and they want to move on emails to first names that is fine. That tends to happen depending on how a dispute is going actually - the nastier letters are Dear sirs and as we move through to compromise agreements it might go to full personal name and then just as we are going to sign first names even.
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The PI cover is in the name of the firm, not the individuals.
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heh @ les bicyclettes
I was always told it was an insurance thing too.
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Presumably also why pp firms persist with the ridiculous practice of writing, printing, signing, scanning then attaching a letter to an email rather than just emailing what they wanted to say in the first place.
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It's just accurate, isn't it? If Herbert Smith send you a letter, it's from Herbert Smith. Who give a shit which snotty-arsed partner wrote it.
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Most other jurisdictions use the name of the individual lawyer.
And have it halfway across the fooking page underneath "very truly yours"
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I very rarely write and print and scan letters when the content can be e-mailed. I'm being driven mad by a man who will only communicate by DX and fax so that I have to write and print a letter asking him for a completion statement.
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The fact that this sort of thing can cultivate an actual thread with actual discussion is why I realised I was never going to make it as a lawyer
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Archi what do you do now?
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We don't actually have fax machines any more. I send faxes from Outlook and receive them the same way but believe the e-mail goes a fax server that converts it and sends it as a fax over the phone line.
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I deal with custodially held assets. The custodian will only take instructions by fax, as it's more secure. Hence I (or rather, my assistant) am sending lots of faxes on a regular basis.
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Who send letters any more?
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Litigation lawyers send letters. I post sometihng every day. I don't have a fax machine. The IP office in wales earlier this week suggested I faxed something. I sent it by special delivery post in the end asi t was going to be too hard to email - client doc box and all kinds of complex attachments it was just quicker to print out and post to arrive the next day. Also if your letters will end up being disclosed before a judge it can look better to have them as formal letters on notepaper although I am not saying I don't send emails - of course I do, absolutely loads of them all day long and some of those will be from the firm and some to the client from me.
Anyone else put the new soon to be compulsory SRA logo on their website today? It doesn't look too bad. I think it's a pity there are a variety of versions of it as that dilutes brands so not sure who advised them on that. I don;t know why it is dated either as that will make web sites out of date after a bit unless it automaticalloy changes by some magc process every day.
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Cuck LLP
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Davros seems to have a cuck issue this evening.
I think Anna has been bullying them again.
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“This evening”?
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I can assure you it’s nothing to do with insurance
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When Amazon email me I prefer that they sign themselves Amazon and not Dave from the warehouse.
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I usually start a transaction with Dear Sirs, especially as I may not have an individual’s name at that point, but once I have an established opposite number then emails will address them by name as more formality is unnecessary.
What does annoy me is the informality of businesses addressing me by my first name: I’m Mr… to you, thank you very much.
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fook that
being precious about titles, 4ms of address and 1st name terms is 4 the introspective nobility
“oi dave, take this peg” “er, it’s ‘ur grace’ when u address me, commoner” etc
when i get my earldom i’ll b a twot about it. in the meantime, as long as u pronounce my name right i don’t care
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Dear sirs is rude.
I go with Dear You. And always sign off with
JELLYMONSTER (HE/HIM/HO/HUM) FOR FART&SNIFF LLP
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Letters? Pfffft, how very 2019 of you
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There was some advice doing the rounds when firms all converted to LLP status that if you didn’t sign off everything as being sent “for and on behalf of ShitTalkers LLP” then the communication wouldn’t benefit from the LLPs limited liability status and it would advise it’s clients to seek any shortfall from the person Who signed or sent the advice.
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I.e. liability for the content moved from the LLP onto the individual.
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But that's bullshit.
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I absolutely hate being called Mr or Sir. It's so ridiculous I always ask to me be called by my first name. Why should someone be forced to treat anyone deferentially.
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