![\"email](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/email-sign-offs-for-lawyers.jpg?resize=770%2C495&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
Table of contents<\/h2>\n\n- Signing Off: What\u2019s the Best Way to End an Email?<\/a><\/li>\n
- Every Emailer for Themselves<\/a>\n
\n- Respectfully, you can\u2019t.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- With Kind Regards, What\u2019s the Closing\u2019s Job?<\/a><\/li>\n
- Thank You for the Feedback! You Don\u2019t Have to Get Weird to Be Unique<\/a><\/li>\n
- Warmly, There\u2019s Nothing Wrong with Changing Up Your Closing Game<\/a><\/li>\n
- With Appreciation, the Most Common Closings are Common for a Reason<\/a><\/li>\n
- With All Due Respect, Put Some Effort Into Your Email Sign-off<\/a><\/li>\n
- Frequently Asked Questions About Signing Off<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
Signing Off: What\u2019s the Best Way to End an Email?<\/h2>\n
Sincerely, ending an email is the second-hardest thing about writing one. Saying hello is the first. Worrying about either will drive you out of your tree. Trying to figure out how to sign off on emails will drive you the furthest because the wide, misty fields of blank after the last period are a lawless wasteland. There are opinions \u2014 even heated exchanges over whether \u201cBest\u201d is the sign-off most used by the worst best people \u2014 but no real rules. (Best, Margo. Sincerely. All. My. Best.)<\/p>\n
Every Emailer for Themselves<\/h2>\n
Everyone has their signature email sign-off style. You inherited yours from your first real job. It came with 10,000 emails a day, and you\u2019ve been using it ever since. It\u2019s a workhorse, it\u2019s served you well, and it is an obsequious clich\u00e9 that makes you want to write something, anything, else.<\/p>\n
Respectfully, you can\u2019t.<\/h3>\n
Not that there\u2019s a rule about this. It\u2019s worse, there are NO rules about it. There are traditions, and traditions are impossible to change. Especially when the tradition is false. The idea that you have to use the same worn-out, lame, empty sign-off is, warmly, ridiculous. You can say anything you want \u2026. OK. No, you can\u2019t. You have to approximate professionalism, even if you\u2019re secretly wearing Spider-Man pants below that Zoom frame. You\u2019ve got a reputation, and you\u2019d damn well better protect your reputation before you end up with a reputation.<\/p>\n
Sincerely, you can\u2019t go all willy-nilly at the end of an email, but you can crawl out of the customary. You can try something different. There\u2019s a wee bit of marketing wisdom here, if you\u2019re into personal branding or like to stand out. Your email signature can be as unique as your signature signature.<\/p>\n
With Kind Regards, What\u2019s the Closing\u2019s Job?<\/h2>\n
To close the letter. Honestly, that\u2019s it. You\u2019re wrapping up a brief communique. The closing signifies to your reader that \u201cthis is the end of my thought.\u201d \u201cI\u2019m stopping now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Somewhere in the history of hanging up, however, we also started noting our mood at the end of our missives. Some of the oldest sing-offs were elaborate and slightly louche. Look at how Stephen, Count of Blois and Chartres, closed a letter to his wife, written in 1098, during the First Crusade:<\/p>\n
\nThese which I write to you, are only a few things, dearest, of the many which we have done, and because I am not able to tell you, dearest, what is in my mind, I charge you to do right, to carefully watch over your land, to do your duty as you ought to your children and your vassals. You will certainly see me just as soon as I possibly return to you.\u2028Farewell.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nKind of personal, maybe a little overboard. Not as much as Leo Tolstoy who, in only three words, got sent to HR after closing with:<\/p>\n
\nI kiss you.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nRespectfully, the purpose of the closing is to wrap up your thoughts, reinforce tone and relate your mood.<\/p>\n
Thank You for the Feedback! You Don\u2019t Have to Get Weird to Be Unique<\/h2>\n
In fact, you don\u2019t have to be unique to stand out. You could just use a closing from not too far back in fashion, like \u201cYours.\u201d It is succinct, conveys a sense of service, and it\u2019s almost impossible to misinterpret. Respectfully, however, it does nothing to communicate your mood, which is the second most important purpose of a sign-off.
\u00a0
It could be the mood you\u2019re in because of whatever you\u2019re writing about. If your manager, Todd, still hasn\u2019t gotten the message about turning in his TPS reports, you\u2019re within your rights to close with: PLEASE ADVISE, or \u201cAttaching email thread for ease of reference,\u201d which, like \u201cper our last email\u201d is diplomacy for READ THE EMAILS, TODD.<\/p>\n
Warmly, There\u2019s Nothing Wrong with Changing Up Your Closing Game<\/h2>\n
You know your niche better than anyone, so you know just how far from formal you can forage for a freaky finale. As a humorist, I can get away with pretty much anything. I\u2019ve used \u201cWorm regards,\u201d \u201cStruggling,\u201d \u201cKidnapped by the Amish,\u201d and my favorite, \u201cBigfoot is real.\u201d<\/p>\n
With Appreciation, the Most Common Closings are Common for a Reason<\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Sign-offs-list.jpg?resize=770%2C495&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThey work. They\u2019re clear. They\u2019re unambiguous. They can\u2019t lug around any undertones. They are familiar enough that they\u2019re nearly invisible, which is a good thing. Pick one of these email closings and stick with it:<\/p>\n
\n- Thanks<\/li>\n
- Warm regards<\/li>\n
- Cordially<\/li>\n
- Many thanks<\/li>\n
- With respect<\/li>\n
- Respectfully<\/li>\n
- Best<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Circling back, here are some more creative closings you could consider as starting points for developing your own:<\/p>\n
\n- With Enthusiasm<\/li>\n
- Later<\/li>\n
- Seriously, Thanks<\/li>\n
- Cold Regards<\/li>\n
- Insert [platitude] here<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
With All Due Respect, Put Some Effort Into Your Email Sign-off<\/h2>\n
This is your last word. It\u2019s the final thought. It\u2019s your last opportunity to make an impression<\/a> and sneak some marketing into your letter. Let\u2019s say you had a long call with outside counsel, a small firm you really want to keep around. The attorney you worked with mentioned she\u2019s headed to Tahiti for a well-deserved weekend in the sun. Try this: \u201cHave a blast in Tahiti!\u201d It\u2019s so easy, yet it\u2019s so personal. Like any gesture marketing, showing the tiniest extra effort can make all the difference in someone\u2019s day.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Respectfully, you can\u2019t.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- With Kind Regards, What\u2019s the Closing\u2019s Job?<\/a><\/li>\n
- Thank You for the Feedback! You Don\u2019t Have to Get Weird to Be Unique<\/a><\/li>\n
- Warmly, There\u2019s Nothing Wrong with Changing Up Your Closing Game<\/a><\/li>\n
- With Appreciation, the Most Common Closings are Common for a Reason<\/a><\/li>\n
- With All Due Respect, Put Some Effort Into Your Email Sign-off<\/a><\/li>\n
- Frequently Asked Questions About Signing Off<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
Signing Off: What\u2019s the Best Way to End an Email?<\/h2>\n
Sincerely, ending an email is the second-hardest thing about writing one. Saying hello is the first. Worrying about either will drive you out of your tree. Trying to figure out how to sign off on emails will drive you the furthest because the wide, misty fields of blank after the last period are a lawless wasteland. There are opinions \u2014 even heated exchanges over whether \u201cBest\u201d is the sign-off most used by the worst best people \u2014 but no real rules. (Best, Margo. Sincerely. All. My. Best.)<\/p>\n
Every Emailer for Themselves<\/h2>\n
Everyone has their signature email sign-off style. You inherited yours from your first real job. It came with 10,000 emails a day, and you\u2019ve been using it ever since. It\u2019s a workhorse, it\u2019s served you well, and it is an obsequious clich\u00e9 that makes you want to write something, anything, else.<\/p>\n
Respectfully, you can\u2019t.<\/h3>\n
Not that there\u2019s a rule about this. It\u2019s worse, there are NO rules about it. There are traditions, and traditions are impossible to change. Especially when the tradition is false. The idea that you have to use the same worn-out, lame, empty sign-off is, warmly, ridiculous. You can say anything you want \u2026. OK. No, you can\u2019t. You have to approximate professionalism, even if you\u2019re secretly wearing Spider-Man pants below that Zoom frame. You\u2019ve got a reputation, and you\u2019d damn well better protect your reputation before you end up with a reputation.<\/p>\n
Sincerely, you can\u2019t go all willy-nilly at the end of an email, but you can crawl out of the customary. You can try something different. There\u2019s a wee bit of marketing wisdom here, if you\u2019re into personal branding or like to stand out. Your email signature can be as unique as your signature signature.<\/p>\n
With Kind Regards, What\u2019s the Closing\u2019s Job?<\/h2>\n
To close the letter. Honestly, that\u2019s it. You\u2019re wrapping up a brief communique. The closing signifies to your reader that \u201cthis is the end of my thought.\u201d \u201cI\u2019m stopping now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Somewhere in the history of hanging up, however, we also started noting our mood at the end of our missives. Some of the oldest sing-offs were elaborate and slightly louche. Look at how Stephen, Count of Blois and Chartres, closed a letter to his wife, written in 1098, during the First Crusade:<\/p>\n
\n
These which I write to you, are only a few things, dearest, of the many which we have done, and because I am not able to tell you, dearest, what is in my mind, I charge you to do right, to carefully watch over your land, to do your duty as you ought to your children and your vassals. You will certainly see me just as soon as I possibly return to you.\u2028Farewell.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Kind of personal, maybe a little overboard. Not as much as Leo Tolstoy who, in only three words, got sent to HR after closing with:<\/p>\n
\n
I kiss you.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Respectfully, the purpose of the closing is to wrap up your thoughts, reinforce tone and relate your mood.<\/p>\n
Thank You for the Feedback! You Don\u2019t Have to Get Weird to Be Unique<\/h2>\n
In fact, you don\u2019t have to be unique to stand out. You could just use a closing from not too far back in fashion, like \u201cYours.\u201d It is succinct, conveys a sense of service, and it\u2019s almost impossible to misinterpret. Respectfully, however, it does nothing to communicate your mood, which is the second most important purpose of a sign-off.
\u00a0
It could be the mood you\u2019re in because of whatever you\u2019re writing about. If your manager, Todd, still hasn\u2019t gotten the message about turning in his TPS reports, you\u2019re within your rights to close with: PLEASE ADVISE, or \u201cAttaching email thread for ease of reference,\u201d which, like \u201cper our last email\u201d is diplomacy for READ THE EMAILS, TODD.<\/p>\nWarmly, There\u2019s Nothing Wrong with Changing Up Your Closing Game<\/h2>\n
You know your niche better than anyone, so you know just how far from formal you can forage for a freaky finale. As a humorist, I can get away with pretty much anything. I\u2019ve used \u201cWorm regards,\u201d \u201cStruggling,\u201d \u201cKidnapped by the Amish,\u201d and my favorite, \u201cBigfoot is real.\u201d<\/p>\n
With Appreciation, the Most Common Closings are Common for a Reason<\/h2>\n
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n They work. They\u2019re clear. They\u2019re unambiguous. They can\u2019t lug around any undertones. They are familiar enough that they\u2019re nearly invisible, which is a good thing. Pick one of these email closings and stick with it:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Thanks<\/li>\n
- Warm regards<\/li>\n
- Cordially<\/li>\n
- Many thanks<\/li>\n
- With respect<\/li>\n
- Respectfully<\/li>\n
- Best<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Circling back, here are some more creative closings you could consider as starting points for developing your own:<\/p>\n
- \n
- With Enthusiasm<\/li>\n
- Later<\/li>\n
- Seriously, Thanks<\/li>\n
- Cold Regards<\/li>\n
- Insert [platitude] here<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
With All Due Respect, Put Some Effort Into Your Email Sign-off<\/h2>\n
This is your last word. It\u2019s the final thought. It\u2019s your last opportunity to make an impression<\/a> and sneak some marketing into your letter. Let\u2019s say you had a long call with outside counsel, a small firm you really want to keep around. The attorney you worked with mentioned she\u2019s headed to Tahiti for a well-deserved weekend in the sun. Try this: \u201cHave a blast in Tahiti!\u201d It\u2019s so easy, yet it\u2019s so personal. Like any gesture marketing, showing the tiniest extra effort can make all the difference in someone\u2019s day.<\/p>\n
- With Kind Regards, What\u2019s the Closing\u2019s Job?<\/a><\/li>\n
![\"Analog](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/A-Pencil-as-a-Status-Symbol.jpg?resize=770%2C495&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/figure>\n