Give your legal team everything they need to draft an effective cease and desist letter. This intake form captures the target party's identity, the type of violation, a detailed description of the harmful behavior, available documentation, and what specific demands to include — so drafting can begin without a lengthy back-and-forth.
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A cease and desist letter is often the fastest and most cost-effective way to stop harmful behavior before it escalates to litigation. Whether the issue involves copyright infringement, defamation, harassment, a non-compete violation, or a breach of contract, a well-crafted letter from an attorney frequently resolves the situation without court involvement. The challenge is getting clients to provide enough detail before drafting begins.
This intake form is designed to give attorneys exactly what they need: who the target is, what they've done, when it started, whether it's still happening, what evidence the client has, and what specific outcome the client wants. The prior-contact question is particularly important — whether the other party has already been notified affects the tone and urgency of the letter. The litigation willingness field helps attorneys calibrate the letter's forcefulness appropriately.
formformform makes it easy to share this form with clients via a link in an engagement email, on your firm's website, or in an automated welcome message when a new C&D matter is opened. All responses are timestamped and delivered to your inbox, so drafting can begin as soon as the client submits — often the same day the matter is opened.
Use your own copy to change labels, remove questions and add the details you need. Try the preview alongside this guide to see what respondents will be asked.
Review the starting questions and choices. You can change them in your own copy.
Jane Smith
Acme Corp
jane@example.com
(555) 123-4567
John Doe or XYZ Company
123 Any St, City, State, ZIP — or email/website
Include what the other party has done, when it started, and how it has harmed you.
List what you have — you can bring copies to the consultation or email them separately.
e.g., Request removal of infringing content by a specific date, demand return of property.
Suggested uses, and why this starting point can help. Adapt the questions to your own process.
Use this as a starting point when you need the same essential information from each person. Review the questions against your process before sharing your copy. Review “Your Company or Organization (if applicable)” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Use this as a starting point when you need the same essential information from each person. Review the questions against your process before sharing your copy. Review “Type of Issue” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Turn initial interest into information you can review. Use the answers to prepare a relevant follow-up and decide whether the opportunity fits your work. Review “Describe the specific behavior you want stopped” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Use this as a starting point when you need the same essential information from each person. Review the questions against your process before sharing your copy. Review “Date the behavior first occurred” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Use this as a starting point when you need the same essential information from each person. Review the questions against your process before sharing your copy. Review “Is the behavior ongoing?” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.
Records the impersonating account URL, platform, how long it has been active, and the reputational or financial harm caused to the client or their brand.
Collects the infringing content URL, the original work's registration details, and the specific removal or compensation demands for a copyright takedown letter.
Click 'Use this template' to start with the cease and desist intake form in your formformform account.
Customize the issue type dropdown to reflect the specific C&D matters your firm most commonly handles.
Add a file upload field if you want clients to attach screenshots, contracts, or correspondence directly to the form.
Set up email notifications to alert the drafting attorney or paralegal the moment a submission arrives.
Add your firm's response time commitment in a paragraph field at the top to set clear expectations.
Share the form link via your website, client portal, or new-matter email workflow.
whether the client has already told the other party to stop significantly affects the letter's tone and sets up the 'demand with notice' structure that makes C&D letters effective.
clients often don't realize what evidence they have until asked directly. A list of screenshots, contracts, and correspondence collected at intake saves hours of follow-up.
a C&D letter is only as powerful as the credible threat behind it. Knowing whether the client will actually file suit helps the attorney strike the right tone.
keeping these in distinct form sections makes the intake easier to scan and ensures neither is omitted.
include a brief disclaimer that a cease and desist letter is not a court order and compliance is not guaranteed.
the most effective C&D letters include a specific compliance deadline. Ask clients what timeline they want in the demands field.
Collects the infringing content URL, the original work's registration details, and the specific removal or compensation demands for a copyright takedown letter.
Captures the client's trademark registration number, the infringing party's product or brand, and the marketplace or platform where the infringement is occurring.
Records the specific defamatory statements, where they were published, date of publication, and the demonstrable harm to the client's reputation or business.
Documents the pattern of harassing contact, communication channels used, dates, and whether police reports or restraining order paperwork already exists.
Captures the former employee's name, current employer, and the specific non-compete clauses they are alleged to have violated, with agreement details attached.
Records the contract date, the specific obligations breached, the financial impact, and whether any cure period specified in the contract has already passed.
Documents the collection agency's name, contact methods used, frequency of contact, and FDCPA violations alleged so an attorney can send a FDCPA cease contact letter.
Captures the departed employee's name, the proprietary information allegedly taken, and what remediation the client is demanding (deletion, return, or injunction).
Records the impersonating account URL, platform, how long it has been active, and the reputational or financial harm caused to the client or their brand.
Gathers the property address, description of the trespass or encroachment, frequency of incidents, and whether prior verbal warnings have been given.
Collects the account handle, links to specific posts, dates of publication, and the number of followers or reach to establish the scale of reputational harm.
Documents the former employee or contractor who solicited clients or staff in violation of a non-solicitation agreement, with specific client names or dates involved.
Records unlawful entry dates, threats made, utility shutoffs, or other landlord harassment tactics so an attorney can send a statutory cease and desist demand on behalf of the tenant.
Common uses include copyright or trademark infringement, defamation, online harassment, non-compete or NDA violations, debt collection abuse, and breach of contract. This form covers all of these with an 'Other' option for edge cases.
No — a cease and desist letter is not a court order. It is a formal written demand that the recipient stop specified behavior. However, it creates a documented paper trail and demonstrates that notice was given, which can be important if litigation follows.
No. An attorney will review the submission and contact you to discuss the matter. The attorney must assess whether the facts support sending a letter and whether it serves your best interests before proceeding.
It depends on the situation. For IP infringement, a direct contact before the letter is sometimes sufficient. For harassment, contacting the harasser directly may escalate the situation. The form asks about prior contact so your attorney can advise appropriately.
You can send a self-written letter, but letters from attorneys carry significantly more weight and are less likely to be ignored. An attorney can also ensure the demands are legally sound and don't inadvertently waive any of your rights.
Collect new client details, case type, and background before consultations.
Collect all the details needed to draft or review a non-disclosure agreement.
Let potential clients inquire about your legal services before booking a consultation.
Document workplace incidents, near-misses, and hazards in a structured way.
Request a contractor agreement by providing project scope, payment terms, and key provisions.
Collect signed waivers with assumption of risk and emergency contact.
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