Everyday admin · 6 min read
Attendance note template for solicitors
Last checked 05/10/2026 · England and Wales
The record of a call or meeting on a client's file, and often the only record of advice given out loud.
What is an attendance note?
A written record of a call, meeting or conversation about a client's matter, kept on the file: who was there, what the client said, the advice given, the instructions received and what happens next. When advice is given out loud, the note is often the only record of it.
Is an attendance note a legal requirement?
No rule names them. The SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors expects you to be able to justify your decisions and actions (paragraph 7.2), and the firm must keep records showing it complies. If advice given on a call is questioned later, the note is the evidence.
What should an attendance note include?
Enough for someone who wasn't there to follow it: who attended, what the client said, what you advised and why, their instructions, and who does what next. Record the time spent too, so the note and the time entry match.
When should you write an attendance note?
The same day if you can, while the detail is fresh. A note written days later is harder to rely on. A simple rule: the note goes on the file before the time is recorded.
What's the difference between an attendance note and a file note?
An attendance note records a call or meeting. A file note records anything else worth keeping, such as a decision, a search result or the reason something was done. The terms are often used loosely, and this template works for both.
The template
Attendance note template
One note per call or meeting. Write it the same day, and keep it on the matter file.
- Client and matter
- Client name, matter description and reference
- Date, time and length
- For example 05/10/2026, 10.30, 25 minutes
- Type
- Phone call, video call, meeting in person
- Who attended
- Names and roles, including anyone with the client
- What the client told us
- The facts and concerns they raised, in their words where it matters
- Advice given
- What was advised, the options discussed and any risks explained
- Instructions received
- What the client asked you to do, and anything they decided
- Documents seen or to be sent
- What was looked at, handed over or promised
- Next steps
- Who does what, and by when
- Time to record
- The time spent, and the narrative for the bill
- Written by
- Name, role and the date the note was written
Can AI write attendance notes?
AI can draft a note from dictation or a meeting transcript, in your template. The fee earner checks it against what was said and signs it off. Use only a tool your firm has approved for client information, and tell the client if you record a meeting.
Under the SRA's AI notice of 17 August 2026, the note is still the fee earner's responsibility.
How long do attendance notes take your fee earners?
About two minutes.