---
title: "Letter of demand with genuine-steps and limitation notes"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/precedents/commercial-litigation-and-dispute-resolution/letter-of-demand-genuine-steps"
type: "precedent"
site: "AI Law Framework"
id: "a5-letter-of-demand-genuine-steps"
area_id: "A5"
kind: "letter"
ai_level: "yellow"
version: 1
law_stated_as_at: "2026-10-17"
---

# Letter of demand with genuine-steps and limitation notes

> A firm, measured pre-action letter of demand that states the claim, sets a deadline, proposes genuine steps to resolve the dispute and records them so they can be repeated in a genuine steps statement.

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/precedents/commercial-litigation-and-dispute-resolution/letter-of-demand-genuine-steps  
Law stated as at: 2026-10-17

Site index for agents: https://ailawframework.com/llms.txt

## Key facts

- Kind: Letter. A letter or email you adapt and send.
- Practice area: [Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution](https://ailawframework.com/precedents/commercial-litigation-and-dispute-resolution.md)
- Jurisdictions: Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, United Kingdom (England and Wales)
- AI level: Yellow. AI can help in set ways. A lawyer checks specific points before use.
- Law stated as at: 2026-10-17
- Status: Maintained. Checked on 2026-10-17 against the 7 authorities it cites, for 4 jurisdictions.

## When to use it

Use before starting a commercial claim in any Australian court, and especially before filing in the Federal Court or the Federal Circuit and Family Court (Division 2), where a genuine steps statement is required. Do not use where notice would defeat urgent relief (for example a freezing order) or for a simple liquidated debt, where the debt-recovery demand is a better fit.

## How AI may be used

AI may produce a first draft from a lawyer-approved issues table and chronology, but every figure, date, legal basis and statement of consequence must be checked against the source documents and the conduct rules before the letter is signed.

**AI may:**

- Draft a first version from the issues table, chronology and contract extracts the lawyer supplies
- List every amount, date and clause reference in the draft beside the document it came from
- Flag wording that may go beyond the legitimate assertion of the client's rights, for the lawyer to decide
- Tidy the plain English of paragraphs the lawyer has already settled

**AI must not:**

- Must not decide whether the claim is in time or when the limitation period started
- Must not insert interest, costs or damages figures the lawyer has not supplied and checked
- Must not add threats of criminal or disciplinary complaints, or consequences the client has not instructed
- Must not be given the client's documents in a tool whose terms allow the provider to train on them

**The lawyer checks:**

- Each amount reconciles to the contract, invoices and ledger
- The limitation period and its start date are confirmed and diarised
- The letter complies with ASCR r 34.1 and does not mislead or intimidate
- The steps described are true and can be repeated in a genuine steps statement
- Any without prejudice offer is in a separate letter and the open letter stands on its own

## Authorities

- [Civil Dispute Resolution Act 2011 (Cth) ss 4, 6, 7, 9, 12](https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2011A00017/latest/text)
- [Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) r 8.02 and Form 16 (genuine steps statement)](https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2011L01551/latest/text)
- [Civil Procedure Act 2010 (Vic) s 22](https://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/in-force/acts/civil-procedure-act-2010)
- [Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules 2015 r 34.1](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2015-0244)
- [Limitation Act 1969 (NSW) s 14](https://legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/act-1969-031)
- [Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 131](https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2004A04858/latest/text)
- [Practice Direction – Pre-Action Conduct and Protocols (CPR, England and Wales) para 6](https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil/rules/pd_pre-action_conduct)

## Full text and drafting notes

The full text and the drafting notes are not part of this public page. Signed-in firm accounts can read them at https://ailawframework.com/precedents/commercial-litigation-and-dispute-resolution/letter-of-demand-genuine-steps and through the signed-in MCP connector https://ailawframework.com/mcp/firm.

*Practice guidance for planning and review. Confirm current primary sources and the requirements of the actual matter. This is general information, not legal advice.*