diff --git a/src/routes/documents.pleading.new.tsx b/src/routes/documents.pleading.new.tsx
index b35cfa2..42998ac 100644
--- a/src/routes/documents.pleading.new.tsx
+++ b/src/routes/documents.pleading.new.tsx
@@ -308,6 +308,103 @@ function PleadingNewPage() {
           }
         />
 
+        {/* Client / case linkage + variable picker */}
+        <Card className="mb-6">
+          <CardContent className="p-5 space-y-4">
+            <div className="flex items-start justify-between gap-4 flex-wrap">
+              <div>
+                <Label className="text-base flex items-center gap-2">
+                  <Variable className="h-4 w-4 text-muted-foreground" /> Link client &amp; case
+                </Label>
+                <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground mt-0.5">
+                  Pick a client and/or case to expose variables (including custom fields). Insert tokens like{" "}
+                  <code className="px-1 rounded bg-muted">{`{{client.name}}`}</code> anywhere in the body, caption, footnotes, or footer — they’ll be substituted on download &amp; save.
+                </p>
+              </div>
+            </div>
+
+            <div className="grid grid-cols-1 sm:grid-cols-2 gap-3">
+              <div className="space-y-1.5">
+                <Label className="text-xs">Client</Label>
+                <Select
+                  value={clientId || "__none__"}
+                  onValueChange={(v) => {
+                    const next = v === "__none__" ? "" : v;
+                    setClientId(next);
+                    if (next && caseId) {
+                      const k = caseOptions.find((x) => x.id === caseId);
+                      if (k && k.client_id !== next) setCaseId("");
+                    }
+                  }}
+                >
+                  <SelectTrigger><SelectValue placeholder="None" /></SelectTrigger>
+                  <SelectContent className="max-h-72">
+                    <SelectItem value="__none__">— None —</SelectItem>
+                    {clientOptions.map((c) => (
+                      <SelectItem key={c.id} value={c.id}>{c.name}</SelectItem>
+                    ))}
+                  </SelectContent>
+                </Select>
+              </div>
+              <div className="space-y-1.5">
+                <Label className="text-xs">Case</Label>
+                <Select value={caseId || "__none__"} onValueChange={(v) => setCaseId(v === "__none__" ? "" : v)}>
+                  <SelectTrigger><SelectValue placeholder="None" /></SelectTrigger>
+                  <SelectContent className="max-h-72">
+                    <SelectItem value="__none__">— None —</SelectItem>
+                    {filteredCases.map((k) => (
+                      <SelectItem key={k.id} value={k.id}>
+                        {k.case_number} — {k.title}
+                      </SelectItem>
+                    ))}
+                  </SelectContent>
+                </Select>
+              </div>
+            </div>
+
+            {chips.length > 0 ? (
+              <div className="space-y-2">
+                <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
+                  <Label className="text-xs">Available variables ({chips.length})</Label>
+                  <Input
+                    value={chipFilter}
+                    onChange={(e) => setChipFilter(e.target.value)}
+                    placeholder="Filter…"
+                    className="h-8 max-w-[220px]"
+                  />
+                </div>
+                <div className="flex flex-wrap gap-1.5 max-h-48 overflow-auto p-2 border rounded bg-muted/20">
+                  {filteredChips.length === 0 ? (
+                    <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground italic">No matching variables.</span>
+                  ) : (
+                    filteredChips.map((c) => (
+                      <button
+                        key={c.token}
+                        type="button"
+                        onClick={() => copyChip(c.token)}
+                        title={c.value ? `Click to copy · current value: ${c.value}` : `Click to copy · (empty)`}
+                        className="group inline-flex items-center gap-1 rounded border bg-background px-2 py-1 text-xs hover:border-primary hover:bg-accent transition-colors"
+                      >
+                        <code className="font-mono">{c.token}</code>
+                        <span className="text-muted-foreground">· {c.label}</span>
+                        {!c.value && <Badge variant="secondary" className="ml-1 text-[10px] px-1 py-0">empty</Badge>}
+                        <Copy className="h-3 w-3 opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-70 transition-opacity" />
+                      </button>
+                    ))
+                  )}
+                </div>
+                <p className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">
+                  Click a chip to copy its token, then paste it where you want the value to appear.
+                </p>
+              </div>
+            ) : (
+              <div className="text-xs text-muted-foreground italic border border-dashed rounded p-3">
+                Select a client or case to see available variables.
+              </div>
+            )}
+          </CardContent>
+        </Card>
+
         {/* Top row: settings + caption preview */}
         <div className="grid lg:grid-cols-2 gap-6">
           <Card>