diff --git a/src/lib/pleading-variables.ts b/src/lib/pleading-variables.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7d10811
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/pleading-variables.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+import { supabase } from "@/integrations/supabase/client";
+
+export type VarMap = Record<string, string>;
+
+export type LoadedContext = {
+  client?: any;
+  cases?: any;
+  clientFields: { key: string; label: string; value: string }[];
+  caseFields: { key: string; label: string; value: string }[];
+};
+
+export type VarChip = { token: string; label: string; value: string };
+
+export async function loadPleadingContext(
+  clientId: string | null,
+  caseId: string | null,
+): Promise<LoadedContext> {
+  const result: LoadedContext = { clientFields: [], caseFields: [] };
+
+  if (clientId) {
+    const { data: client } = await supabase.from("clients").select("*").eq("id", clientId).maybeSingle();
+    if (client) result.client = client;
+    const [{ data: defs }, { data: vals }] = await Promise.all([
+      supabase.from("custom_client_fields").select("id, key, label").eq("active", true).order("sort_order"),
+      supabase.from("client_field_values").select("field_id, value").eq("client_id", clientId),
+    ]);
+    const valMap = new Map((vals || []).map((v: any) => [v.field_id, v.value || ""]));
+    result.clientFields = (defs || []).map((d: any) => ({
+      key: d.key,
+      label: d.label,
+      value: valMap.get(d.id) || "",
+    }));
+  }
+
+  if (caseId) {
+    const { data: caseRow } = await supabase.from("cases").select("*").eq("id", caseId).maybeSingle();
+    if (caseRow) result.cases = caseRow;
+    const [{ data: defs }, { data: vals }] = await Promise.all([
+      supabase.from("custom_case_fields").select("id, key, label").eq("active", true).order("sort_order"),
+      supabase.from("case_field_values").select("field_id, value").eq("case_id", caseId),
+    ]);
+    const valMap = new Map((vals || []).map((v: any) => [v.field_id, v.value || ""]));
+    result.caseFields = (defs || []).map((d: any) => ({
+      key: d.key,
+      label: d.label,
+      value: valMap.get(d.id) || "",
+    }));
+  }
+
+  return result;
+}
+
+function fmtAddress(o: any): string {
+  if (!o) return "";
+  const parts = [
+    o.address_line1,
+    o.address_line2,
+    [o.city, o.state, o.postal_code].filter(Boolean).join(", "),
+  ].filter(Boolean);
+  return parts.join("\n");
+}
+
+export function buildVarMap(ctx: LoadedContext): VarMap {
+  const m: VarMap = {};
+  const c = ctx.client;
+  if (c) {
+    m["client.name"] = c.name || "";
+    m["client.address"] = fmtAddress(c);
+    m["client.address_line1"] = c.address_line1 || "";
+    m["client.address_line2"] = c.address_line2 || "";
+    m["client.city"] = c.city || "";
+    m["client.state"] = c.state || "";
+    m["client.postal_code"] = c.postal_code || "";
+    m["client.contact_name"] = c.primary_contact_name || "";
+    m["client.contact_email"] = c.primary_contact_email || "";
+    m["client.contact_phone"] = c.primary_contact_phone || "";
+    m["client.management_company"] = c.management_company || "";
+  }
+  const k = ctx.cases;
+  if (k) {
+    m["case.number"] = k.case_number || "";
+    m["case.title"] = k.title || "";
+    m["case.caption"] = k.case_caption || "";
+    m["case.court"] = k.court || "";
+    m["case.court_case_number"] = k.court_case_number || "";
+    m["case.judge"] = k.judge || "";
+    m["case.jurisdiction"] = k.jurisdiction || "";
+    m["case.opposing_party"] = k.opposing_party || "";
+    m["case.opposing_counsel"] = k.opposing_counsel || "";
+    m["case.opposing_counsel_firm"] = k.opposing_counsel_firm || "";
+    m["case.opposing_counsel_email"] = k.opposing_counsel_email || "";
+    m["case.opposing_counsel_phone"] = k.opposing_counsel_phone || "";
+    m["case.filing_date"] = k.filing_date || "";
+    m["case.next_hearing_date"] = k.next_hearing_date || "";
+  }
+  ctx.clientFields.forEach((f) => {
+    m[`client.field.${f.key}`] = f.value;
+  });
+  ctx.caseFields.forEach((f) => {
+    m[`case.field.${f.key}`] = f.value;
+  });
+  return m;
+}
+
+export function buildChips(ctx: LoadedContext): VarChip[] {
+  const m = buildVarMap(ctx);
+  const out: VarChip[] = [];
+  const labelMap: Record<string, string> = {
+    "client.name": "Client name",
+    "client.address": "Client address (full)",
+    "client.contact_name": "Client primary contact",
+    "client.contact_email": "Client contact email",
+    "client.contact_phone": "Client contact phone",
+    "client.management_company": "Management company",
+    "case.number": "Case number",
+    "case.title": "Case title",
+    "case.caption": "Case caption",
+    "case.court": "Court",
+    "case.court_case_number": "Court case number",
+    "case.judge": "Judge",
+    "case.opposing_party": "Opposing party",
+    "case.opposing_counsel": "Opposing counsel",
+    "case.opposing_counsel_firm": "Opposing counsel firm",
+    "case.filing_date": "Filing date",
+    "case.next_hearing_date": "Next hearing date",
+  };
+  for (const key of Object.keys(m)) {
+    let label = labelMap[key];
+    if (!label) {
+      if (key.startsWith("client.field.")) label = `Client · ${key.replace("client.field.", "")}`;
+      else if (key.startsWith("case.field.")) label = `Case · ${key.replace("case.field.", "")}`;
+      else label = key;
+    }
+    out.push({ token: `{{${key}}}`, label, value: m[key] });
+  }
+  return out;
+}
+
+const TOKEN_RE = /\{\{\s*([a-zA-Z0-9_.]+)\s*\}\}/g;
+
+export function applyVars(text: string, map: VarMap): string {
+  if (!text) return text;
+  return text.replace(TOKEN_RE, (_, key) => (key in map ? map[key] : `{{${key}}}`));
+}
+
+export function applyVarsToHtml(html: string, map: VarMap): string {
+  return applyVars(html, map);
+}