A letter of recommendation provides a third-party endorsement of a person's skills, character, and achievements. For employment references, the writer has a duty not to be misleading — both inaccurate positive and inaccurate negative references can give rise to liability.

• Employment references: duty not to be misleading — both ways
• Defamation: a false negative reference can be defamatory
• Negligent misstatement: a false positive reference can create liability
• Subject access: the person recommended may request a copy under UK GDPR
• Professional references: typically from line managers, professors, or clients

Legal reference: Spring v Guardian Assurance [1994] (duty of care for references); Defamation Act 2013; UK GDPR