By Its Attorneys, Form
Use a , By Its Attorneys, template to make your document workflow more streamlined.
What “By Its Attorneys” means
“By Its Attorneys” identifies a signature made by an authorized lawyer or representative for a business or other principal, rather than a personal signature made solely in the signer’s individual capacity. The designation should appear with the representative’s name, title, and the principal’s identity in the underlying agreement. In U.S. transactions, electronic execution can receive legal recognition under the ESIGN Act, 15 U.S.C. chapter 96, and applicable state law, including UETA or New York’s ESRA, when intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are established. Wills, codicils, testamentary trusts, certain court orders, and family-law decrees remain excluded from ESIGN coverage.
Who uses this designation
Legal and corporate teams
Law firms and corporate legal departments use the designation when an authorized attorney signs contracts, agreements, and business records for an identified client or principal. The document should state representative capacity clearly, preserve the completed signature event, and follow the transaction’s applicable state-law formalities.
Business transactions
Businesses use the workflow for agreements requiring a representative signature, including commercial contracts, vendor arrangements, and settlement-related records where electronic execution is permitted. It is not a substitute for notarization, court filing rules, or formalities governing wills and family-law documents.
How the attorney designation works
The workflow connects the representative’s authority, the underlying business document, and evidence of the electronic signing event.
Upload document: Upload the completed “By Its Attorneys” document to signNow. Check fields: Review detected fields and add signature, date, and authority fields. Route for signing: Send the document to the authorized representative and other signers. Archive evidence: Store the completed file and audit trail together.
How to complete the document
Use this sequence to prepare the document, identify representative capacity, obtain signatures, and preserve the completed record.
Upload file:
Upload the attorney-designated document. Check fields:
Review detected fields and add missing fields. Confirm parties:
Identify the principal and authorized representative. Complete record:
Send for signature and preserve completion evidence.
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Recommended signing setup
A controlled setup helps connect the representative’s authority with a reproducible record of consent, signing activity, and document completion.
| Setting | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Authentication method | Email verification with SMS authentication for higher-risk transactions |
| Signature type | Typed or drawn electronic signature showing representative intent |
| Audit trail | Retain the certificate of completion with the signed document |
| Document retention | Follow the transaction’s federal and state recordkeeping rule |
| User provisioning | Assign authorized senders through controlled team access |
What the audit trail records
For an attorney-designated signature, the audit trail supplies evidence connecting the representative, the signing event, and the completed business record.
Authenticate signer:
Capture timestamps:
Link document:
Seal evidence:
Track changes:
Retrieve record:
Privacy and disclosure pitfalls
The document names an attorney but does not identify the business or principal represented, weakening attribution of the signature to the intended party. A consumer signer receives an electronic record without the ESIGN disclosure, paper-record option, or access procedure required under 15 U.S.C. §7001(c). The completed document contains personal or privileged information accessible to users who were not assigned a business need or signing role. The representative signs electronically without documented authority, creating a dispute about whether the principal authorized the transaction.
Security and compliance controls
Transport encryption:
Storage encryption:
Security reporting:
Information security:
Electronic signatures:
Health information:
Documents requiring extra formalities
Real-estate deed
Will or codicil
Court order
Family-law decree
Best practices for this attorney designation
Use the “By Its Attorneys” designation only after confirming authority, completing party information, and preserving evidence of the signing event.
Confirm representative authority
Identify every party
Preserve signing evidence
Check legal exclusions
Questions about attorney-designated signatures
These answers address authority, exclusions, compliance, plan capabilities, and preservation of the completed signing record.
An attorney designation alone does not prove authority. Identify the principal, signer, title, and transaction in the document, then preserve authorization records separately when required by company policy or state law. signNow’s audit trail documents the signing event but does not replace corporate authorization.
ESIGN and UETA generally recognize electronic signatures when intent, consent, attribution, and record retention are established. The “By Its Attorneys” label should be paired with clear representative capacity and a reproducible completed record. State-specific requirements may still apply to the underlying transaction.
Do not use an electronic workflow for wills, codicils, testamentary trusts, certain court orders, or family-law decrees covered by ESIGN exclusions. Confirm the governing state law and filing procedure before sending the document for signature.
Business plans include legally binding eSignatures and audit trails. If the document contains protected health information, signNow identifies HIPAA compliance as requiring a business associate agreement. Confirm the agreement and applicable safeguards before processing PHI.
Business Premium includes bulk send, while Enterprise adds advanced signer authentication. The Business plan includes templates, audit trails, and mobile apps. Select the plan based on the number of attorney-designated documents and the authentication control required.
If a signer cannot open the file, verify the email address, resend the invitation, or provide a configured signing link. After completion, download the signed document and certificate of completion so the attorney designation and event history remain together.
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