By Michael Shemtoub, trial attorney, Beverly Law. Updated November 2026.
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What a firing letter needs to say
You don’t need legal words or a long explanation. The letter has a few jobs, and each one is a single sentence.
- End the representation as of today.
- Say where the complete file should go.
- Ask the firm to stop working on the case and stop talking to insurers or the other side.
- Ask for any fee or cost claim in writing, sent to your new lawyer.
- If a lawsuit is filed, ask the firm to sign the substitution papers your new lawyer sends.
Leave out your complaints. If there is ever a dispute over the old lawyer’s fee, your earlier emails and notes will tell that story better than a heated letter. A calm letter also makes it more likely the file arrives quickly.
In Texas the reason for firing a lawyer can affect the old fee claim, so talk to your new lawyer before you write. Our Texas switching guide explains why.
Before you send it
Hire your new lawyer first if you can. Sending the letter before you have someone lined up leaves a gap, and deadlines keep running during it. If you have decided to go without a lawyer for now, change the file line so the papers come to you.
Find your cause or case number if a lawsuit was filed. It goes in the subject line. Keep a copy of whatever you send, and note the date and how you sent it.
Not sure you should switch at all? Read how to tell if your lawyer is doing a bad job first.
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Tell us what is going wrong with your current lawyer. We will look at where your case stands and tell you plainly whether switching makes sense.
California letter
[Date]
[Lawyer’s name]
[Firm name]
[Firm address]
Re: My injury claim, date of accident [date]; [case name and number, if a lawsuit is filed]
Dear [Lawyer’s name]:
I am ending your representation of me in this matter, effective immediately. Thank you for the work you have done.
I have hired [New firm name], [address], [phone], [email] to represent me. Under California Rule of Professional Conduct 1.16(e)(1), please release my complete file to them, including medical records and bills, photos, correspondence with insurers, any demand package and, if a lawsuit is filed, all pleadings, discovery and deposition transcripts.
Please take no further action on my case and do not contact any insurance company or other party on my behalf. If you believe you are owed fees or costs, please send that claim in writing to [New firm name].
If a lawsuit has been filed, please sign the Substitution of Attorney (form MC-050) that [New firm name] sends you and return it promptly.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your phone and email]
Texas letter
[Date]
[Lawyer’s name]
[Firm name]
[Firm address]
Re: [Your name], accident of [date]; [cause number and court, if suit is filed]
Dear [Lawyer’s name]:
Please accept this letter as notice that I am terminating your representation of me, effective today.
My new attorneys are [New firm name], [address], [phone], [email]. Please send them my entire file, including all records, bills, photographs, insurance correspondence and any court filings. I understand the file belongs to me, and I ask that it be delivered within [7] days.
From today on, please do not take any action on my claim or speak with any insurer, adjuster or opposing party about it. Any request for fees or reimbursement of expenses should be sent in writing to [New firm name].
If my case is in court, [New firm name] will send you a motion to substitute counsel under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 10. Please sign and return your agreement to it so the court can enter the order without delay.
Thank you,
[Your name]
[Your phone and email]
Washington letter
[Date]
[Lawyer’s name]
[Firm name]
[Firm address]
Re: [Your name], injury claim from [date]; [case caption and number, if filed]
Dear [Lawyer’s name]:
I have decided to end your representation of me, and this letter makes that effective now. I appreciate your time on my case.
[New firm name] at [address], [phone], [email] will represent me going forward. Please forward my full client file to them, including medical records and bills, photos, letters and emails with insurers, and any court papers and discovery.
Please stop all work on the matter and do not communicate with any insurer or other party for me. Please put any lien or claim for fees and costs in writing and send it to [New firm name].
If a lawsuit is pending, [New firm name] will send you a Notice of Withdrawal and Substitution under Civil Rule 71. Please sign it and send it back so it can be filed.
Regards,
[Your name]
[Your phone and email]
Email version
Email is fine and often faster. Put “Ending representation, [your name], [case number]” in the subject line and paste in the letter for your state. If you want a shorter email, this covers the basics:
“Dear [Lawyer’s name], I am ending your representation of me effective today. Please send my complete file to [New firm name, email, phone], take no further action on my case and send any fee or cost claim in writing to them. If a suit is filed, please sign the substitution papers they send. Thank you, [Your name].”
Send it to the lawyer and to the case manager or paralegal you usually deal with, so it isn’t missed. Then mail a printed copy as backup. Keep the sent email.
What happens after you send it
The old firm should confirm, stop work and send the file. Once a lawsuit is on file, the substitution goes to court; the steps for each state are on our California, Texas and Washington pages. If the file doesn’t arrive, see how to get your case file from your old lawyer.
If Beverly Law is the new firm, you can skip the letter if you want. We send the notice, request the file and handle the old firm’s fee claim for you. Taking your case to us won’t increase your fee. Your former lawyer’s share is paid from our fee, so it never lands on top of what you owe. Costs the old firm advanced, like records or filing fees, are usually repaid out of the recovery, as costs are on any case. No recovery means no fee and no costs.
A letter can’t undo a settlement. If you have already signed a release and the case has settled, we can’t take it over. If you are close to settling but haven’t signed, read can I fire my lawyer before settlement.
For a free review in English or Spanish, call (310) 552-6959 or contact us online.
Step by step
- Hire your new lawyer first, or decide where the file should be sent if you are going without one for now.
- Find your case or cause number if a lawsuit was filed.
- Copy the letter for your state and fill in the bracketed blanks.
- Keep it short and polite. Leave out complaints about the lawyer.
- Send it by email to the lawyer and their staff, and mail a printed copy.
- Keep a copy and note the date you sent it.
- Give your new lawyer a copy so they can follow up on the file and the substitution papers.
Common questions
How do I write a letter to fire my lawyer?
Keep it to a few sentences: end the representation as of today, say where to send your file, ask the firm to stop work and send any fee claim in writing to your new lawyer. Use the template for your state above.
Can I fire my lawyer through email?
Yes. An email that clearly ends the representation works. Mail a copy too and keep the sent email.
What should I say when firing an attorney?
Say that the representation is over and what you need from them. You don’t have to give a reason, though in Texas the reason can matter for the old fee, so talk to your new lawyer first.
Does my new lawyer send the letter for me?
Often, yes. At Beverly Law we send the notice and request the file ourselves once you sign with us.
Do I need a different letter if my case is in court?
The letter is the same, plus a line asking the old lawyer to sign the substitution papers. The new lawyer prepares those papers and files them.
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We take over injury cases from other firms in California, Texas and Washington. Free, confidential, English or Spanish. Switching to us does not raise your fee, and you owe no fees or costs unless we win.
Related pages
Can You Switch Lawyers in the Middle of a Personal Injury Case? · How to Switch Personal Injury Lawyers in California · How to Switch Personal Injury Lawyers in Texas · How to Switch Personal Injury Lawyers in Washington · How to Get Your Case File From Your Old Lawyer · My Lawyer Won't Call Me Back. What Can I Do? · How Do I Know If My Lawyer Is Doing a Bad Job? · Can I Fire My Lawyer Before Settlement?
Sources
- California Rules of Professional Conduct (rules 1.4, 1.15, 1.16) (calbar.ca.gov)
- Judicial Council form MC-050, Substitution of Attorney—Civil (courts.ca.gov)
- Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 10 (txcourts.gov)
- Texas Professional Ethics Committee Opinion 570
- Washington Superior Court Civil Rule 71 (courts.wa.gov)
Important: This page is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. If you already signed a settlement release, we generally cannot take the case. Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys, Joyce Ondich and John Efstathiou. Last reviewed: November 8, 2026.