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Mastering the Attorney Exit Email: Best Practices and Strategies

A complete guide for lawyers leaving a firm — how to communicate professionally, ethically, and effectively.

An “attorney exit email” (sometimes called a departure announcement or lateral move notice) is one of the most important communications a lawyer sends when leaving a firm. Whether you’re resigning, moving to another firm, or transitioning in‑house, the exit email sets the tone for future relationships, protects your reputation, and ensures a smooth transition for clients and colleagues.

This guide covers:

What an attorney exit email should include
Ethical rules (client notice, conflicts, confidentiality)
Communication strategies for different audiences
Best practices and mistakes to avoid
Sample templates

1. What an Attorney Exit Email Is and Is Not

An exit email is:

A professional announcement that you are leaving the firm
A client‑service protection message that ensures continuity of work
A compliance tool, making sure you follow bar ethics rules
A relationship‑building message that preserves goodwill

An exit email is not:

A place to vent frustrations
A marketing pitch for your new firm (this is regulated)
A place to solicit clients aggressively
A confidential information disclosure

2. Key Elements Every Attorney Exit Email Must Include

1. Your departure date

Be precise: “My last day with the firm will be [date].”

2. Appreciation and professionalism

A positive tone protects your reputation regardless of how you feel.

3. Contact information after departure

Allowed if it complies with ethics rules.
Example:
“You may contact me at my new professional email: [email].”

4. Case-transition instructions

This is required by bar associations.

Include:

Who will handle the file going forward
Options for clients to choose their counsel
Assurance that the transition will be seamless

5. A neutral description of your next step

Safe, ethical phrasing:

“I will be joining another firm.”
“I will be transitioning to an in‑house counsel role.”

Avoid competitive language like “better opportunity,” “stronger platform,” etc.

3. Ethical Considerations (Critical for Lawyers)

Attorney departure notices are heavily regulated.

Duty to Notify Clients

Model Rules (MRPC 1.4 + ethics opinions):
Clients must be informed that:

Their attorney is leaving
They can choose to stay with the firm
They can choose to follow the departing attorney
They can choose any attorney they want

No Solicitation / No Poaching

States vary, but rules generally forbid:

Aggressively urging clients to leave the firm
Making misleading statements about the firm
Making negative comparisons

Confidentiality

MRPC 1.6:
Do NOT share details about:

Cases
Billing histories
Internal strategy
Firm disputes
Client data

Conflicts Check

Your new firm will need conflict information — but your exit email should not include any case details.

Firm Policy Compliance

Most firms require:

Notice period
HR-approved wording
Notification through official channels

4. Internal vs Client Exit Emails

You will typically send three types of messages:

A. The Internal Email (to colleagues & staff)

Purpose:

Maintain goodwill
Keep relationships alive
Express gratitude

Tone:
Friendly, positive, forward-looking.

B. Client Exit Email

Purpose:

Fulfilling legal/ethical duties
Reassuring clients
Facilitating transfer

Tone:
Clear, neutral, professional.

Must avoid:

Pressure to follow you
Marketing language

C. Opposing Counsel / Court Notifications

These are usually short and administrative.

5. Best Practices for an Effective Attorney Exit Email

✔ Be gracious — even if leaving under tension

Your reputation lasts longer than the job.

Be brief — but not abrupt

3–6 short paragraphs is ideal.

Never criticize the firm

This is both unethical and professionally damaging.

Use neutral language about your next role

Ethics rules discourage promotional tone.

Provide reassurance about ongoing work

Clients must feel secure and informed.

✔ Check state bar and firm policies before sending anything

6. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Sharing case details
Over-promoting your new firm
Negative remarks about colleagues
Emotional or confrontational tone
Announcing before HR approves
Forgetting confidentiality rules
Forgetting to coordinate with the firm on client communication
Not following conflict-check procedures

7. Full Sample Templates (Professional & Ethical)

Below are three complete templates you can use.

A. Internal Attorney Exit Email (Colleagues & Partners)

Subject: Farewell and Thank You

Dear colleagues,

I am writing to share that I will be leaving [Firm Name], with my last day being [Date]. I want to express my sincere appreciation for the collaboration, support, and opportunities I have experienced during my time here.

I have accepted a new position at [New Firm/Company Name], and I look forward to beginning this next chapter. I am committed to ensuring a smooth transition over the coming weeks and will work closely with the team to transfer all active matters appropriately.

Thank you again for the meaningful professional relationships we’ve built. I look forward to staying in touch, and you may reach me at [New Email] after my departure.

Warm regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Position]

B. Client Exit Email (Ethics-Compliant)

Subject: Notice of Attorney Departure

Dear [Client Name],

I am writing to inform you that I will be leaving [Firm Name], effective [Date]. It has been a pleasure working with you, and I remain committed to ensuring a smooth transition for all your ongoing matters.

Your legal services will continue without interruption. [Designated Attorney] at [Firm Name] is available to manage your matters going forward. As always, you have the right to choose your legal representation, whether that be continuing with the firm, transferring to another attorney, or selecting any counsel you believe is best suited to your needs.

If you have any questions about this transition, please feel free to contact me or [Designated Attorney]. After my departure, I can be reached at [New Professional Email] if you need to get in touch.

Thank you for the opportunity to work with you.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

C. Short Departure Email for Opposing Counsel

Subject: Attorney Transition Notice

Counsel,
Please be advised that I will be departing [Firm Name] effective [Date]. All active matters will continue to be handled by my colleagues, including [Name], who is copied here.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

8. Final Takeaways

An exit email is part professionalism, part ethics compliance, and part relationship management.
Tone should be respectful and neutral.
Always follow state bar rules, client‑notification rules, and firm procedures.
The goal is to leave with your reputation fully intact and with open doors for future collaboration.

Good question. There are several documented “case‑study–style” precedents, ethics opinions, and real‑world experiences/comments from lawyers leaving firms that illuminate how attorneys actually handle exit emails—or sometimes fail to—what works, what backfires, and what professional bodies expect. Below I share a mix of official–guidance “case studies” and real comments from practicing attorneys (from a public forum) — along with takeaways: what seems to work vs what to avoid.

What Official Guidance & Ethics Opinions Show (Case‑Study‑Level Lessons)

• Ethical & professional obligations when an attorney leaves

According to a 2023 formal ethics opinion by the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee, when a lawyer leaves a firm, both the departing lawyer and the firm have an obligation to notify clients with active matters under their representation. Clients must be informed that the lawyer is leaving and must be given the choice: stay with the firm, go with the lawyer, or choose another lawyer. (tbpr.org)
The same guidance emphasizes that this notice should be “prompt,” to avoid material adverse effects on the client’s matter, as required by professional‑conduct/representation rules (e.g. in the U.S., rules like MRPC 1.4 and 1.16(d)). (michbar.org)
Best practice (recommended across bar‑association ethics guidance) is a joint communication: a letter/email from both the firm and the departing attorney. This helps show cooperation, maintain neutrality, and gives clients a clear and unified message. (American Bar Association)
The notice should identify clearly which clients are affected (i.e. those with “active matters” or for whom the departing lawyer was directly responsible), to avoid overreaching or improper solicitation. (tlie.org)
Importantly: communications must remain neutral. They must not pressure clients, disparage the former firm, or contain marketing‑tone language. The client’s freedom to choose is paramount. (michbar.org)
Post‑departure, firms have additional duties: e.g., setting up auto‑responses on the departed attorney’s firm email/voicemail; forwarding incoming client communications appropriately; ensuring client files are maintained or transferred correctly; and giving clients access to their original files if requested. (New York City Bar Association)

Interpretation of this “official record”: When done properly — with advance notice to firm, joint client communication, clear disclosures, neutral tone, proper file‑handling — an attorney exit email serves as a real mechanism to protect client interests, minimize disruption, avoid ethical pitfalls, and reduce risk of future disputes over client choice or file custody.

What Real‑World Lawyers Say: Comments, Experiences, and Issues — From Public Forums

Public forums such as subreddit threads give insight into how these transitions play out in practice — and highlight some common issues. Here are a few representative real-world comments:

“Above all, it is the client’s choice as to future representation by the departing attorney, the firm or some other attorney.” (Reddit)
“I cleared the basic talking points with my employer … then I called each and every one of my clients a couple days before my departure… All the clients were very understanding.” (Reddit)

“I have seen multiple firms sue departing lawyers who contact ‘firm’ clients after they leave.” (Reddit)
“It’s not your job as an independent contractor to inform a client you are ‘leaving’ a firm that doesn’t actually employ you.” (Reddit)

From these and other threads, common themes emerge:

Good outcomes when handled carefully: Some attorneys report that giving clients a polite call — then a follow-up email notifying them of departure, contact info, and transition plans — resulted in smooth transitions. Clients appreciated the transparency and had no complaints. (Reddit)
Risks when firms don’t cooperate / communication fails: In other cases, attorneys report that firms locked them out immediately, shut down their email/phone access, made no announcements — leaving clients confused and sometimes unhappy. This can lead to reputational damage or even legal/ethical disputes. (Reddit)
Uncertainty about who “owns” clients: Several lawyers note tension between “firm clients” vs “my clients” — and that many firms treat all clients as belonging to the firm, making it risky for departing lawyers to directly contact them without firm approval. (Reddit)
Practical problem of timing & access: If the departing attorney’s access to email/CRM/phone is cut on day one, it becomes very difficult to send proper notices or manage ongoing matters — which can harm the clients’ interests. (Reddit)

Interpretation / Lessons from Real Life: Even when the ethical guidance is clear, real‑world firm dynamics (lack of cooperation, abrupt lockouts, differing views on client ownership) can complicate or undermine a smooth attorney exit. In practice, the attorneys who do well tend to be those who start transition planning early, coordinate with the firm, preserve documentation of communications, and take a client‑centric mindset rather than a self‑interested one.

What “Case Studies” — Official + Real Life — Imply for Best Practices

From combining what ethics bodies say + what real lawyers report, here are the consolidated best practices when crafting/sending an attorney exit email (or more broadly managing a firm departure):

Best Practice	Rationale / What Happens if You Don’t
Notify the firm first, then clients (ideally with a joint letter)	Ensures transparent, cooperative transition — avoids conflict with firm. If you skip firm notice, you risk breach of fiduciary duty or firm’s backlash. (pullcom.com)
Limit notice to clients with active matters / for whom you had direct responsibility	Avoids overreaching; respects that clients are firm clients; avoids unethical solicitation. (Juris Digital)
Use neutral, informative language; state facts only; no disparagement or pressure language	Complies with ethics rules and reduces risk of claims of coercion or misleading clients. (attorneyatwork.com)
Provide clear options: stay with firm, follow you, or choose other counsel — and explain where the files will be by default	Preserves client autonomy and protects client interests in continuity. (tbpr.org)
Plan file transfer / file custody or forwarding procedures (for cases staying with firm or that will follow you)	Ensures continuity, prevents loss or misplacement, avoids ethical issues around confidentiality and diligence. (New York City Bar Association)
Maintain records of all communications (who got the notice, when, etc.)	Provides evidence if later questioned; avoids disputes around proper notification or solicitation. (Juris Digital)
Set up auto‑reply / voicemail / email forwarding after departure (if possible), or at least provide clear contact information for continuing representation / inquiries	Helps avoid clients falling through the cracks; supports professional continuity. (New York City Bar Association)

These practices align with both formal ethics guidance and what practitioners who managed smooth exits report.

Common Pitfalls & What You Learn from “Bad” Exit‑Email/Exit‑Handling Stories

From real‑life as shared in forums, these are common mistakes or pitfalls — worth knowing:

Leaving without giving proper notice to firm or clients — sometimes result: firm locks you out immediately; no access to email/phone; clients get no notice. (Reddit)
Sending notice only to clients you hope will follow you — ignoring others — which risks ethical complaints, accusations of solicitation or improper client poaching. (Juris Digital)
Using language that feels like a sales pitch (“I have a better firm now,” “I hope you’ll move with me”) — can breach rules against influencing client choice. Real-world examples show this leads to friction or ethics concerns. (michbar.org)
Failing to coordinate with firm on file transfer or contact management — sometimes causing client communications to go unanswered, mishandling of filings, or confusion. (lawyersofdistinction.com)

In short: when a departure is handled as a unilateral “I’m out” move — without care for clients or collaboration with the firm — it’s often messy.

My Take: Exit Emails Are Not Just Formalities — They Matter for Ethics, Client Trust, and Professional Reputation

Based on both ethics‑guidance “case studies” and real‑world feedback:

A well‑crafted, ethically compliant exit email (preferably joint) is not just a courtesy — it’s a vital professional tool that protects the client, protects the firm, and protects the departing lawyer from future claims.
Firms and attorneys who treat exits like a transition process — with planning, cooperation, clear communication, and client‑first mindset — tend to preserve relationships and avoid burning bridges.
Exits treated casually — like “I’m gone — good luck” — often result in confusion, client dissatisfaction, reputational harm, and sometimes disciplinary or legal problems.