The lawyer letter is the document you send to the lawyer handling the closing - it advises them of the funds they owe your brokerage and provides the information they need to coordinate disbursement.
How do I generate a lawyer letter?
Within the transaction, go to Finances > Actions > Lawyer letter
Select your template and click Generate
Input the lawyer's name to signers and other parties
Generate the document
Once generated, you have several options:
Send via email: email the letter directly to the lawyer from BackOffice
Download: save a PDF copy to your local drive
Print: print a hard copy
Save to unsorted: save the document to the transaction's unsorted folder, then include it as part of a document package sent to the lawyer
Using lawyer letters in Checklists
If your brokerage uses checklists to manage the closing workflow, you can include the lawyer letter as a checklist step. This ensures no transaction closes without the lawyer receiving proper instructions.
When you set up your checklist during onboarding, add a "Lawyer Letter" task. The assigned person generates and sends the letter as part of the standard workflow.
How do I upload custom lawyer letter template?
BackOffice comes with lawyer letter templates out of the box (e.g., Seller Lawyer Letter, Buyer Lawyer Letter). If your brokerage has its own format you can upload custom templates.
Go to the Library > Lawyer letters folder (document templates area)
Upload your template document
Save
The markup lets you define where BackOffice should insert dynamic data (property address, commission amounts, trust deposit totals, lawyer contact info, etc).
When to generate the lawyer letter
Generate the lawyer letter after posting to the general ledger - this ensures the commission amounts, trust deposits, and tax calculations are finalized. The flow is:
Post income and expense to the GL
Apply the trust deposit to the open invoice
Generate the lawyer letter advising the lawyer of the amount due
Receive remaining funds from the lawyer