Engagement Letter (Lite Scope) - Texas

Engagement Letter (Lite Scope) — Texas Drafting Worksheet

NOT AN AGREEMENT. Do not ask the prospective client to sign this worksheet. Do not use it to accept representation, authorize work, receive or use funds, waive a conflict, limit liability, select dispute procedures, or end an appearance.

Use this shorter worksheet to collect the business facts needed for a lawyer-drafted engagement document. Use a fuller intake or engagement-planning packet when the matter involves multiple clients, third-party payment, contingent compensation, advance funds, litigation, a limited appearance, a conflict issue, or another nonroutine term.

1. Intake Status

Firm: [________________________________]

Responsible lawyer: [________________________________]

Prospective client: [________________________________]

Matter or intake number: [________________________________]

Intake date: [__/__/____]

Current status:

☐ Inquiry only

☐ Conflicts review pending

☐ Terms being evaluated

☐ Operative documents being prepared

☐ Engagement declined or not completed

No-representation communication, if used:

2. Client and Matter Identity

Proposed client: [________________________________]

People or entities involved but not proposed as clients:

[____________________________________________________________]

Authority, capacity, insurer, payor, or organizational questions:

[____________________________________________________________]

3. Conflicts Handoff

Names supplied for the conflicts search:

[____________________________________________________________]

Adverse parties, witnesses, affiliates, owners, insurers, and related matters:

[____________________________________________________________]

Search date: [__/__/____]

Search completed by: [________________________________]

Result: ☐ Clear for drafting review ☐ Potential issue ☐ More facts needed ☐ Cannot accept

Separate analysis or document needed:

[____________________________________________________________]

☐ No conflict consent or waiver language will be added without lawyer approval.

4. Proposed Lite Scope

Client's stated objective:

[____________________________________________________________]

Proposed included work:

[____________________________________________________________]

Proposed deliverable: [________________________________]

Proposed completion point: [________________________________]

Known deadline or event: [__/__/____] — [________________________________]

Source of deadline or event: [________________________________]

Confirmed by responsible lawyer: ☐ Yes ☐ No

Proposed exclusions:

☐ Court appearance or filing

☐ Appeal, rehearing, enforcement, or postjudgment work

☐ Negotiation or communication with another party

☐ Investigation, discovery, or expert work

☐ Tax, accounting, business, investment, or valuation advice

☐ Law outside Texas

☐ Regulatory, licensing, immigration, bankruptcy, benefits, or criminal matters

☐ Collection or continuing monitoring after the deliverable

☐ Other: [________________________________]

Client tasks outside the proposed scope:

[____________________________________________________________]

Reason this matter is suitable for a lite-scope document:

[____________________________________________________________]

5. Proposed Fee and Expense Terms

This section records terms under discussion for lawyer review. It does not approve a charge, transfer, withdrawal, late fee, refund rule, or use of funds.

Proposed fee structure:

☐ Hourly

☐ Fixed or flat amount

☐ Other: [________________________________]

Rate or amount: [________________________________]

Billing measurement or increment: [________________________________]

Invoice timing: [________________________________]

Payment timing: [________________________________]

Expenses included in the fee: [________________________________]

Expenses billed separately: [________________________________]

Advance payment or deposit proposed: ☐ No ☐ Yes: $[________________]

Questions about custody, earning, application, replenishment, or refund of funds:

[____________________________________________________________]

Third-party payor proposed: ☐ No ☐ Yes: [________________________________]

Responsible lawyer approved the proposed structure: ☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Pending

6. Staffing and Communications

Lead lawyer: [________________________________]

Other personnel: [________________________________]

Authorized client contact: [________________________________]

Preferred communication method: [________________________________]

Sensitive or prohibited channel: [________________________________]

Expected status-update cadence: [________________________________]

Accessibility, language, interpreter, or technology needs:

[____________________________________________________________]

7. Escalation Screen

If any item is checked, stop the lite-document workflow and route the matter for a fuller lawyer review and any separate documents.

☐ Contingent, success-based, subscription, hybrid, or unusual compensation

☐ Multiple proposed clients or joint representation

☐ Third-party payment, control, or instructions

☐ Potential or actual conflict

☐ Advance conflict consent

☐ Business transaction, ownership interest, lien, or security interest

☐ Arbitration, jury-related provision, forum selection, or special remedy

☐ Limitation of liability, release, indemnity, or client-file restriction

☐ Litigation appearance, limited appearance, substitution, or withdrawal issue

☐ Outsourcing, vendors, contract personnel, or cross-border data handling

☐ Publicity, testimonial, media, or name-use permission

☐ Other: [________________________________]

Escalation owner and next step:

[____________________________________________________________]

8. Lawyer-Drafted Document Checklist

Before the firm accepts representation, confirm that the operative document and acceptance process address the actual matter.

☐ Client and nonclient identities are precise.

☐ Included work, exclusions, deliverable, and completion point are clear.

☐ Fees, expenses, billing, payment, advance funds, and refund treatment are clear.

☐ Staffing, communications, and client responsibilities are clear.

☐ Conflicts and third-party involvement are resolved.

☐ Matter-specific deadlines and court, agency, transaction, or filing requirements were checked.

☐ Any separate disclosure, consent, or approval process is complete.

☐ The responsible lawyer approved the final document and method of acceptance.

9. Handoff — No Acceptance by This Worksheet

Operative engagement document prepared: [________________________________]

Prepared by: [________________________________]

Reviewed by responsible lawyer: [________________________________]

Review date: [__/__/____]

Separate documents or disclosures:

[____________________________________________________________]

Acceptance or declination method to be used:

[____________________________________________________________]

Worksheet closed by: [________________________________]

Date: [__/__/____]

Final reminder: This worksheet intentionally has no signature or acceptance block. It does not create an attorney-client relationship or replace the firm's lawyer-approved engagement process.