Drafting and sending a cease and desist letter

Updated: 2026-08-28

The first and cheapest step in almost every matter: a letter stating the right, the act, and a specific demand with a deadline.

A badly written letter does more harm than none: claiming rights you do not have, threatening measures that do not apply, or revealing that you have no evidence. Written properly, most matters end here rather than going on to an authority or a court.

• Who may perform this: Lawyer or industrial property representative
• Timeline: Typically 3–5 working days once the evidence is complete
• How pricing works: Quoted by the number of recipients and the complexity of the legal grounds.

Deliverables

• A letter setting out the basis of the right, the act, and the specific demand
• Delivery through a channel that proves receipt, with follow-up
• Advice on the next step depending on the response

What you provide

• The evidence of infringement you have gathered
• Your protection title or proof of the right
• The outcome you actually want — takedown, damages, or a licence

Contents

• The four enforcement routes
• Preserving evidence before you act
• Cease-and-desist letters — how to write one that works