A Law Office Letterhead With a Clear Hierarchy
Law firms write letters that are kept, quoted and sometimes presented in court, so the stationery must look orderly. This design does that with a terracotta logo block, a navy band and a tidy contact panel. The title LEGAL FIRM is already in place, and a scales of justice symbol makes the purpose of the page clear at a glance. It suits solicitors, attorneys, notaries, legal consultants and in house legal teams.
The Terracotta Block and the Scales
The page is 8.5 x 11 inches, portrait, one page. In the upper left, a terracotta coloured block holds a pair of scales as the logo. Beside it, the words LEGAL and FIRM are set in capitals as a placeholder for the practice name. Replace the scales with your own firm mark by choosing Replace Image, or keep them if you do not have a logo.
The Navy Band Under the Header
A navy band crosses the page below the logo and gives the header weight. It separates the firm identity from the body of the letter. The band is part of the graphics, so its colour does not change when you edit text. Terracotta and navy are a warm and cool pair, which feels established rather than flashy.
The Contact Panel
A narrow panel carries a street address, two phone lines, an email and a website. Use the main office details, and add a direct dial when a partner signs the letter. The sample text is placeholder text, so every line must be replaced before the letter is sent.
Date and Reference Practice in Legal Letters
This version shows a Date line only. Legal letters usually need a file or matter reference, and there is room to add one. Place a text box beside the date with Our ref and the matter number, and a second box for Your ref. Using references on both sides makes correspondence easy to follow when a case lasts for months.
What Goes in the Writing Area
- Letters of engagement and fee agreements.
- Demand letters and notices to parties.
- Letters to courts, registries and other advisers.
- Opinion letters and summaries for clients.
- Confirmation letters after a meeting or call.
The template provides a layout only. It does not contain legal wording, and any letter that has legal effect should be reviewed by a qualified lawyer.
Formatting Tips for a Formal Page
Use a single serif or sans serif font at 11 point, a line space of 1.15 and a blank line between paragraphs. Number long letters by paragraph, so that a reader can refer to them. Sign above a typed name and title.
Printing for Signatures
If a letter is signed by hand, print on 100 gsm paper, because thin paper shows ink from the other side. A matt finish takes a pen well. For letters sent as PDFs, add a scanned signature image in a small size at the end of the text.
Keeping a Master and Versions
A firm with several partners may keep a master and a version for each. Replace the placeholder name with each partner’s name and title, and save each version under a clear file name, so that nobody sends a letter with the wrong signature block.
For a general corporate style, see the corporate letterhead design. For a navy page with a side tab, try the company letterhead. For a medical page with a similar structure, see the medical practice letterhead. More are in letterheads.
