Begin with the matter, not the solution you have already been offered.

Write by email and address the eight points below.

1. 1.

   The decision or problem requiring resolution.

   State the question that ultimately needs to be decided or resolved. Do not begin with a list of services you believe should be purchased.

2. 2.

   The jurisdictions and routes that materially affect it.

   Identify the countries involved and explain why each of them matters. Include any route already under consideration, but do not assume that it is the correct one.

3. 3.

   The commercial reason it must be addressed now.

   Explain what has changed, what is at stake and what will happen if no action is taken.

4. 4.

   The entity concerned and the role of the decision owner.

   Identify the business or organisation concerned and the role of the person authorised to make or sponsor the decision internally. A full personal name is not required at this stage.

5. 5.

   Timing and external dependencies.

   State the relevant deadline and identify any dependency upon a bank, regulator, investor, buyer, counterparty, authority or other third party.

6. 6.

   The material facts and evidence already available.

   Describe what is known and what has already been established. At this stage, list the relevant evidence; do not attach it.

7. 7.

   Professional advice already obtained and material constraints already identified.

   Identify any legal, tax, customs, banking, regulatory or technical advice already received, and any known constraint that may affect the matter.

8. 8.

   The circumstances that should stop or defer the route.

   State any fact, risk, cost, refusal or external event that should cause the proposed course to be paused, changed or abandoned.

It is the first written record of a matter that may become a mandate.

At this stage, do not attach documents. Do not include confidential, privileged or otherwise sensitive information. Do not provide personal data beyond the sender's contact details, the organisation concerned and the role of the decision owner.

We consider whether the matter is sufficiently defined, whether it appears capable of being pursued lawfully, whether it presents any conflict known to us and whether there is a credible basis for taking it forward.

We reply only where we are prepared to proceed.

Where that threshold is met, a written response is issued within fourteen working days in the form of a Mandate Proposal. It sets out our reading of the matter, the required outcome, the proposed route at principle level, scope, critical dependencies, stop conditions, working timetable, fee and payment terms.

The Mandate Proposal defines the basis on which work may begin. The detailed Operational Roadmap — actions, sequencing, specialist roles, documents and execution method — is developed only within an accepted mandate.

A Mandate Proposal does not create an engagement. Work begins only after its terms have been agreed directly with the client.

Fees are determined for the individual mandate. We do not publish standard rates.

Introductions are welcome. They do not replace the initial acceptance review.

If you have not heard from us within fourteen working days, you should assume that we will not take the matter forward.