diff --git a/app/modules/services/engagements_ui.py b/app/modules/services/engagements_ui.py
index bca543b..06cc8d0 100644
--- a/app/modules/services/engagements_ui.py
+++ b/app/modules/services/engagements_ui.py
@@ -388,6 +388,7 @@ def subscription_bulk_create_page(request: Request, error: str = ""):
                 "manager": "The selected Manager is not available for this firm.",
                 "staff": "The selected Staff member is not available for this firm.",
                 "review_partner": "The selected Review Partner is not available for this firm.",
+                "review_partner_required": "Review Partner is mandatory for an assurance engagement.",
                 "clients": "Select at least one permitted client.",
             }.get(error),
         )
@@ -492,11 +493,19 @@ def subscription_bulk_create_submit(
             return RedirectResponse(url="/services/engagements/bulk-new?error=clients", status_code=303)
 
         engagement_type = getattr(firm_selection.catalogue, "engagement_type", "non_assurance") or "non_assurance"
-        requires_review_partner = review_partner_required_for_engagement(
+        normalized_engagement_type = str(engagement_type).strip().lower().replace("-", "_").replace(" ", "_")
+        assurance_review_partner_required = normalized_engagement_type == "assurance"
+        workflow_review_partner_required = review_partner_required_for_engagement(
             db,
             tenant_id=tenant_id,
             engagement_type=engagement_type,
         )
+        requires_review_partner = assurance_review_partner_required or workflow_review_partner_required
+        if assurance_review_partner_required and review_partner_id is None:
+            return RedirectResponse(
+                url="/services/engagements/bulk-new?error=review_partner_required",
+                status_code=303,
+            )
 
         for client_id in selected_client_ids:
             existing = get_existing_subscription(
@@ -525,9 +534,13 @@ def subscription_bulk_create_submit(
                 assigned_manager_user_id=manager_id,
                 assigned_staff_user_id=staff_id,
                 review_partner_user_id=(
-                    review_partner_id or getattr(client, "default_review_partner_user_id", None)
-                    if requires_review_partner
-                    else None
+                    review_partner_id
+                    if review_partner_id is not None
+                    else (
+                        getattr(client, "default_review_partner_user_id", None)
+                        if requires_review_partner
+                        else None
+                    )
                 ),
                 financial_year=selected_financial_year,
                 assessment_year=assessment_year_from_financial_year(selected_financial_year),
diff --git a/app/modules/services/templates/services/engagements/bulk_form.html b/app/modules/services/templates/services/engagements/bulk_form.html
index 9c044e1..7f5c858 100644
--- a/app/modules/services/templates/services/engagements/bulk_form.html
+++ b/app/modules/services/templates/services/engagements/bulk_form.html
@@ -60,13 +60,16 @@
         </select>
       </div>
 
-      <div id="review-partner-field" class="hidden">
-        <label class="mb-2 block text-sm font-medium text-slate-700">Review Partner</label>
+      <div id="review-partner-field">
+        <label class="mb-2 flex items-center gap-2 text-sm font-medium text-slate-700">
+          <span>Review Partner</span>
+          <span id="review-partner-requirement" class="rounded-full bg-slate-100 px-2 py-0.5 text-xs font-semibold text-slate-600">Optional</span>
+        </label>
         <select name="review_partner_user_id" id="bulk-review-partner" class="w-full rounded-xl border border-slate-300 px-4 py-2 text-sm">
-          <option value="">Use client default / Not assigned</option>
+          <option value="">Not assigned</option>
           {% for u in review_partners %}<option value="{{ u.id }}" data-branch="{{ u.branch_id }}">{{ u.full_name or u.email }}</option>{% endfor %}
         </select>
-        <p class="mt-1 text-xs text-slate-500">Used only when the selected service is an assurance engagement and the firm setup requires a review partner.</p>
+        <p id="review-partner-help" class="mt-1 text-xs text-slate-500">Optional for non-assurance engagements. A selected Review Partner is saved for every engagement created in this batch.</p>
       </div>
 
       <div class="md:col-span-2 xl:col-span-3">
@@ -133,7 +136,9 @@
   const form = document.getElementById('bulk-engagement-form');
   const service = document.getElementById('bulk-service');
   const info = document.getElementById('service-derived-info');
-  const reviewField = document.getElementById('review-partner-field');
+  const reviewPartner = document.getElementById('bulk-review-partner');
+  const reviewRequirement = document.getElementById('review-partner-requirement');
+  const reviewHelp = document.getElementById('review-partner-help');
   const search = document.getElementById('client-search');
   const clear = document.getElementById('clear-client-search');
   const selectAll = document.getElementById('select-all-visible');
@@ -145,8 +150,16 @@
     const option = service.options[service.selectedIndex];
     const type = option ? (option.dataset.type || '') : '';
     const recurrence = option ? (option.dataset.recurrence || '') : '';
-    const assurance = type.toLowerCase() === 'assurance';
-    reviewField.classList.toggle('hidden', !assurance);
+    const normalizedType = type.trim().toLowerCase().replaceAll('-', '_').replaceAll(' ', '_');
+    const assurance = normalizedType === 'assurance';
+    reviewPartner.required = assurance;
+    reviewRequirement.textContent = assurance ? 'Mandatory' : 'Optional';
+    reviewRequirement.className = assurance
+      ? 'rounded-full bg-rose-100 px-2 py-0.5 text-xs font-semibold text-rose-700'
+      : 'rounded-full bg-slate-100 px-2 py-0.5 text-xs font-semibold text-slate-600';
+    reviewHelp.textContent = assurance
+      ? 'Mandatory because the selected enabled firm service is an assurance engagement.'
+      : 'Optional for non-assurance engagements. A selected Review Partner is saved for every engagement created in this batch.';
     info.textContent = option && option.value
       ? `Type: ${assurance ? 'Assurance' : 'Non-Assurance'}${recurrence ? ' · Recurrence: ' + recurrence.replaceAll('_', ' ') : ''} · Due-date rule and workflow are taken from the service setup.`
       : 'Due-date rules, recurrence, assurance type, and task workflow are taken from the selected service setup.';