# Approve or reject a consultation

Accept a draft consultation so its lawyers start drafting the response, or reject it with a reason that stays on record; the reasons are a list the firm keeps and a manager edits.

A new consultation is a **Draft** until someone decides whether the firm takes it. Approving it starts the work; rejecting it closes it with a reason that stays on record.

## Before you start {#before-you-start}

- You need the **User: Own Documents** level or higher on **Consulting**. Resetting a closed consultation to draft needs **Manager: All Documents**.

## Approve {#approve}

1. Open the consultation from **Consulting/Consultations**.
2. Open **Actions** and choose **Approve**.

![Approve and Reject are in the Actions menu of a draft consultation.](https://jaah.app/web/image/7741-0d53ef70/law-consulting-approve-reject-approve_actions-en.png)

The state becomes **Approved**, the **Response** and **Advice** tabs appear, and when the firm uses the automatic activities, each lawyer gets a drafting activity (see [Set deadlines and automatic activities](set-deadlines-and-automatic-activities)).

## Reject {#reject}

1. Open the consultation, then **Actions** › **Reject**.
2. In the window **Reject Consulting**, pick a **Reject Reason** and click **Reject**.

![The Reject Consulting window asks for the reason.](https://jaah.app/web/image/7743-c4809987/law-consulting-approve-reject-reject_dialog-en.png)

The state becomes **Rejected**; the reason and the date stay on the consultation.

## Keep the list of reasons {#keep-the-list-of-reasons}

Open **Consulting/Configuration/Reject Reasons** (shown to the **Manager: All Documents** level). Jaah ships five reasons (out of practice area, conflict of interest, insufficient information, duplicate request, no legal basis); add, rename or archive them here.

![The reject reasons the firm keeps; New adds one.](https://jaah.app/web/image/7747-5b71c331/law-consulting-approve-reject-reject_reasons-en.png)

## FAQ {#faq}

### Can a rejected consultation be taken after all? {#can-a-rejected-consultation-be-taken}

Yes. A manager opens it and chooses **Actions** › **Reset to Draft**, then approves it.

### Does the client see the reason? {#does-the-client-see-the-reason}

The reason stays internal, on the consultation. To tell the client, write to them from the chatter of the consultation.

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- Source: https://jaah.app/docs/law-consulting/approve-or-reject-a-consultation
- Updated: 2026-10-14
- Version: Consultations 19.0.1.0.28
- Verified: 2026-10-13