SOP Template: Employee Offboarding for Legal
Free employee offboarding SOP for law firms. Covers access revocation, matter reassignment, and client notification procedures.
Purpose
Handle departing employees — attorneys, paralegals, and staff — so that client matters are reassigned without gaps, system access is revoked the same day, and confidential information doesn't leave the firm. Attorney departures carry additional complexity: clients must be notified, files may need to be transferred, and bar associations may require notification depending on the circumstances.
Scope
Covers voluntary resignations, involuntary terminations, and retirements for all firm employees. Separate procedures exist for partner departures, which involve additional equity and client relationship considerations.
Prerequisites
- Departure date confirmed and documented in HR file
- List of all active matters assigned to the departing employee pulled from Clio
- Replacement attorney or paralegal identified for each active matter
- Exit interview template available in firm shared drive
Roles & Responsibilities
HR Manager
- Conduct the exit interview and process final benefits paperwork
- Coordinate the departure timeline with the managing partner
- Ensure all firm property is returned and documented
Managing Partner
- Decide which attorney inherits each active matter
- Approve client notification letters for attorney departures
- Handle any client retention issues if the departing attorney is taking clients
IT Administrator
- Revoke access to Clio, NetDocuments, and Microsoft 365 on the departure date
- Archive the departing employee's email and voicemail
- Wipe firm data from personal devices if BYOD was in use
Office Manager
- Collect keys, access badges, firm credit cards, and equipment
- Remove the departing employee from firm directory, website, and letterhead
- Redirect phone extension and email to the designated successor
Procedure
When an employee gives notice (or is terminated), HR confirms the last working day and notifies the managing partner, office manager, and IT administrator. For attorneys, check whether the departure triggers any bar notification requirements in your jurisdiction.
- aRecord the departure date and reason in the personnel file
- bNotify managing partner, office manager, and IT within 1 business day
- cCheck state bar rules for attorney departure notification requirements
- dSet a calendar of offboarding deadlines working backward from the last day
Completion Checklist
Key Performance Indicators
Matter reassignment completion
100% of matters reassigned within 2 business days
System access revocation
Same day as departure (within 2 hours for terminations)
Client notification for attorney departures
All letters sent within 5 business days
Knowledge transfer sessions completed
100% of significant matters briefed before departure
Why This Matters for Legal
Attorney departures at a law firm carry risks that don't exist in most industries. Active client matters have deadlines that don't pause because someone resigned. Clients have a right to choose their attorney, and failing to notify them of a departure is an ethics violation. Departing attorneys may attempt to take client files or contact lists, which raises confidentiality and non-compete issues. And a terminated employee who retains system access can view privileged information they should no longer see. A structured offboarding SOP prevents each of these scenarios.
Common Mistakes
- ×Not reassigning matters within the first 2 days, leaving cases without an attorney as deadlines approach
- ×Deleting the departing attorney's Clio account instead of disabling it — destroying historical billing records and matter notes
- ×Skipping client notification letters for departing attorneys, creating an ethics violation
- ×Allowing a 2-week notice period to pass without scheduling knowledge transfer meetings, losing institutional knowledge
- ×Not redirecting the departing attorney's phone and email, causing clients to reach dead ends
Legal-Specific Notes
Most jurisdictions have specific ethical rules governing attorney departures. ABA Model Rule 1.16 addresses withdrawal from representation and requires reasonable steps to protect client interests. Some states require departing attorneys to provide the firm with a list of clients they intend to solicit. Engagement letters should specify what happens to client files upon attorney departure. Physical client files cannot leave the firm without the client's written authorization. Clio accounts should be disabled but never deleted — time entries, billing records, and matter notes may be needed years later for malpractice defense or bar complaints.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn More About Employee Offboarding
For a deeper look at building onboarding documentation, see our complete guide.