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Responding to a Letter of Claim: Strategy, Evidence Preservation, Privilege, Counterclaims, ADR and Letter of Response under the Practice Direction – Pre-Action Conduct and Protocols (England and Wales)

Practice notes
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This Practice Note offers a concise overview of the points to bear in mind once you receive a letter of claim and must provide a response. For fuller detail, together with links to underlying materials, see Practice Note: Responding to a letter of claim—a practical guide. For high-level advice on preparing a letter of claim, see Practice Note: How to prepare a letter of claim.

Initial considerations

  • Read the letter carefully to gauge whether the other party appears to have a valid claim—can you swiftly evaluate their legal reasoning and whether you may have a potential defence (for example, might they be outside a relevant limitation period)?
  • Identify the remedies sought—for instance, if an interim injunction (or any other form of urgent interim relief) is threatened, you will need to act more quickly. The likely value of the alleged claim will usually shape what pre-action steps are proportionate for you to take.
  • Consider whether the letter complies with any applicable pre-action protocol—note that the Practice Direction Pre-Action Conduct and...
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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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