client-email

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Original

English
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Translation

Chinese

client-email

客户邮件

Style and formatting rules for drafting client-facing emails that accompany legal work product — contract redlines, new drafts, deal summaries, and follow-ups.
随法律工作成果(合同修订稿、新草案、交易摘要及跟进邮件)一同发出的客户外发邮件起草风格与格式规则。

Security model

安全模型

  • This skill is guidance only — it does not send emails, call APIs, or access external systems.
  • All output is draft text for the user to review and send manually.
  • Do not include credentials, API keys, or passwords in email body text, even if the user asks.
  • 本Skill仅作指导用途——不会发送邮件、调用API或访问外部系统。
  • 所有输出均为草稿文本,需由用户审核后手动发送。
  • 请勿在邮件正文中包含凭证、API密钥或密码,即使用户要求也不行。

When to use

适用场景

Apply these rules when drafting or revising an outbound email from a lawyer or legal services provider to a client. Designed for emails that accompany deliverables (revised contracts, redlines, memos) or communicate legal analysis to non-lawyer business clients.
Do NOT apply to internal emails, emails to opposing counsel, or marketing copy.
当律师或法律服务提供者起草或修订给客户的外发邮件时,适用本规则。本规则专为随交付件(修订后的合同、修订稿、备忘录)发出的邮件,或向非律师身份的企业客户传达法律分析内容的邮件设计。
请勿将本规则应用于内部邮件、给对方律师的邮件或营销文案。

Email structure

邮件结构

The numbered-list structure below is for substantive cover notes with multiple topics. Short emails with a single paragraph of content should be written naturally without numbered items.
[Cover line: 1-3 sentences. Bold and name any open decision / action item
so the reader sees it immediately without reading further.
E.g., "the **one open item (indemnity cap)** that needs your input."]

1. **Declarative heading that conveys the takeaway.** Discussion.

**_a. Bold-italic lettered sub-item_**_._ Discussion of sub-point.
**_b. Another sub-item_**_._ Discussion.

2. **Another declarative heading.** Discussion. Not every item needs sub-points.

3. **Third heading.** And so forth.

[Short closing line]

[Name]

__________________

[1] Footnote text with citations and links.
以下编号列表结构适用于包含多个主题的实质性附信。仅含单个段落的简短邮件应自然撰写,无需使用编号项。
[开头语:1-3句话。将未决决策/行动项加粗并明确命名,让读者无需通读全文即可立刻看到。例如:「**一项需您确认的未决事项(赔偿上限)**」。]

1. **传达核心结论的陈述式标题**。相关说明。

**_a. 斜体加粗的字母编号子项_**。子要点说明。
**_b. 另一子项_**。相关说明。

2. **另一陈述式标题**。相关说明。并非所有项都需要子要点。

3. **第三个标题**。以此类推。

[简短结束语]

[姓名]

__________________

[1] 包含引用及链接的脚注文本。

Formatting rules

格式规则

  1. No markdown headings (###). They render too large in Outlook and Gmail. Use bold lead-in text on numbered items instead.
  2. Lead-ins are declarative statements, not questions. The reader should get the main point just from scanning the bold text. The heading alone should convey the takeaway.
    • Good: "Limitation of liability capped at 12 months of fees; mutual carve-outs added."
    • Bad: "What did we do about the liability cap?"
  3. Sub-items are lettered and bold-italic. Format:
    **_a. Lead-in_**_._
    — bold-italic, lettered a/b/c/d, period outside the formatting. Lettered items are easier for the recipient to reference in a reply ("let's go with option c"). Bold-italic gives more visual weight than italic alone.
  4. Footnotes for legal sourcing. Use
    [1]
    markers in body text. Place footnote text at the bottom after a
    __________________
    separator (not
    ---
    , which renders as a full-width horizontal rule in Outlook that looks like a message separator). Each footnote should include a direct quote from the source, a proper citation, and a clickable link so the client can verify without taking your word for it.
  1. 请勿使用Markdown标题(###)。此类标题在Outlook和Gmail中显示过大。请改用编号项前的加粗引导文本
  2. 引导文本应为陈述式语句,而非疑问句。读者仅通过扫描加粗文本就能了解核心要点。标题本身应能传达核心结论。
    • 正确示例:「责任限制上限为12个月的服务费;新增双方免责条款」。
    • 错误示例:「我们针对责任上限做了什么?」
  3. 子项需使用字母编号并斜体加粗。格式:
    **_a. 引导文本_**_。
    ——斜体加粗,使用a/b/c/d字母编号,句号在格式标记之外。字母编号的子项便于收件人在回复中引用(例如「我们选选项c」)。斜体加粗比单纯斜体的视觉权重更高。
  4. 法律来源需使用脚注。在正文中使用
    [1]
    标记。脚注文本需放在
    __________________
    分隔线之后(请勿使用
    ---
    ,因为它在Outlook中会显示为全宽水平线,看起来像消息分隔符)。每个脚注应包含来源的直接引用、规范的引用格式以及可点击链接,以便客户无需仅凭您的陈述就能进行核实。

Tone and voice

语气与语态

  1. Concise. Prefer one tight paragraph per numbered item over multiple paragraphs. Cut filler.
  2. Professional but direct. Not stiff. Slightly conversational — "here's," "your call," "happy to" are fine. Avoid legalese in the email body; save technical precision for the document itself.
  3. No title block by default. Sign off with just your name. Add a title block manually for first-contact situations where the recipient doesn't know you yet.
  1. 简洁。每个编号项尽量使用紧凑的单个段落,而非多个段落。删除冗余内容。
  2. 专业但直接。不要生硬。可略带口语化——使用「这里是」「由您决定」「乐意」等表达均可。邮件正文中避免使用法律术语;专业精准的表述请放在法律文档本身中。
  3. 默认无需署名栏。仅需签署您的姓名。如果是与收件人首次联系,对方尚不认识您,则手动添加署名栏。

Client relationship principles

客户关系原则

  1. Surface action items in the cover line. If there's an open decision or action item, bold it and name it specifically in the opening sentence. The reader shouldn't have to hunt for what they need to do.
  2. Defer on business decisions. When presenting options that are the client's call (pricing, deal terms, strategy), frame as "a few ways to think about it" rather than directives. Use language like "defer to you" or "happy to [do X] once you decide." The lawyer advises; the client decides.
  3. Service-oriented closings on action items. Offer to do the work rather than assigning it back. "Am happy to fill in the fields" not "fill in the fields." Signal that you're there to execute, not just advise.
  4. Signal proposals as proposals. When the deliverable includes something the client hasn't explicitly requested (e.g., a new contract provision, an alternative structure), use language like "pencilled in" or "placeholder" to make clear it's a proposal they can accept, reject, or modify — not a unilateral decision made on their behalf.
  5. Keep procedural detail in footnotes. Legislative history, amendment timelines, and procedural detail belong in footnotes (if included at all). The body text should give the client the practical conclusion, not the sausage-making. Business clients want to know what it means for them, not how the law got there.
  1. 在开头语中突出行动项。如果存在未决决策或行动项,请在开头句中将其加粗并明确命名。读者无需费力查找需要执行的内容。
  2. 商务决策交由客户决定。当提出需客户决定的选项(定价、交易条款、策略)时,请以「几种参考思路」的方式呈现,而非指令性表述。使用「由您决定」或「您决定后我会乐意[执行X]」等措辞。律师提供建议;客户做出决策。
  3. 行动项的结束语需以服务为导向。主动提出承担工作,而非将任务推回给客户。例如说「我乐意填写这些字段」,而非「填写这些字段」。以此表明您不仅提供建议,还会负责执行。
  4. 明确标记提议内容。如果交付件中包含客户未明确要求的内容(例如新的合同条款、替代结构),请使用「暂定」或「占位符」等表述,明确说明这是供他们接受、拒绝或修改的提议——而非代表他们做出的单方面决定。
  5. 程序细节放在脚注中。立法历史、修订时间线及程序细节应放在脚注中(如果需要包含的话)。邮件正文应向客户传达实际结论,而非背后的流程细节。企业客户想了解的是这些内容对他们的影响,而非法律条款的形成过程。

Example

示例

Note: The following is an entirely fictional example created to illustrate the formatting rules above. All names, companies, facts, and legal citations are invented. Any resemblance to actual persons, entities, or matters is coincidental.
Jane,

Attached is the revised supply agreement for Acme Corp along with a
redline against their last draft. Here's a summary of our changes and
the **one open item (liability cap amount)** that needs your input.

1. **Indemnity narrowed to third-party claims only.** Their draft
covered "any claim arising from the products," which was overbroad.
We've pencilled in language limiting the indemnity to claims brought
by third parties — not internal disputes between Acme and Doe
Industries.

2. **Liability cap amount — your call.** Their draft was uncapped.
We've bracketed a placeholder. A few ways to think about it:

**_a. Match the contract value_**_._ Cap at total fees under the
purchase order — typical for deals this size.

**_b. Multiple of annual spend_**_._ If this is a multi-year
relationship, a 1-2x annual spend cap gives more room.

**_c. Uncapped for the indemnity only_**_._ Some suppliers expect
product liability indemnity to remain uncapped even when general
liability is capped. Depends on your risk appetite.

3. **Governing law changed to match your other vendor agreements.**
Their form defaulted to State X. We changed to State Y to keep your
vendor portfolio consistent (e.g., your Apex Inc. and Globe Ltd.
agreements are both State Y).[1]

4. **Fixed a stale cross-reference in Section 8.** The termination
clause referenced "Section 12" — should have been Section 9.
Corrected.

Am happy to fill in the cap amount once you decide, or we can
discuss on a call.

John

__________________

[1] State Y's statute of limitations for contract claims is six years.
See State Y Com. Code § 2-725 ("An action for breach of any contract
for sale must be commenced within [six] years after the cause of action
has accrued."). Full text: https://example.com/state-y-ucc-2-725
说明: 以下是为说明上述格式规则而创建的纯虚构示例。所有姓名、公司、事实及法律引用均为虚构。与任何真实人物、实体或事件的相似性均为巧合。
简:

附件是Acme公司的修订版供应协议,以及与他们上一版草案的修订对比稿。以下是我们的修改摘要,以及**一项需您确认的未决事项(责任上限金额)**。

1. **赔偿范围缩小至仅第三方索赔**。他们的草案涵盖「因产品引起的任何索赔」,范围过于宽泛。我们暂定将赔偿范围限定为第三方提出的索赔——不包括Acme与Doe Industries之间的内部纠纷。

2. **责任上限金额——由您决定**。他们的草案未设置上限。我们已用方括号标记了占位符。以下是几种参考思路:

**_a. 与合同价值匹配_**。上限为采购订单下的总服务费——此类规模交易的常见做法。

**_b. 年度支出的倍数_**。如果这是多年合作关系,设置为年度支出的1-2倍上限更为灵活。

**_c. 仅赔偿部分不设上限_**。有些供应商希望即使一般责任设有限额,产品责任赔偿仍不设上限。这取决于您的风险偏好。

3. **管辖法律已修改为与您的其他供应商协议一致**。他们的模板默认适用X州法律。我们已修改为Y州法律,以保持您的供应商协议组合一致性(例如,您与Apex Inc.和Globe Ltd.的协议均适用Y州法律)。[1]

4. **修正了第8条中过时的交叉引用**。终止条款引用了「第12条」——实际应为第9条。现已修正。

您决定后我会乐意填写上限金额,或者我们可以电话讨论。

约翰

__________________

[1] Y州合同索赔的诉讼时效为六年。参见Y州商法典第2-725条(「任何买卖合同违约的诉讼必须在诉讼时效起算后的[六]年内提起。」)。全文链接:https://example.com/state-y-ucc-2-725