Starter prompts for lawyers
Copy a prompt, replace the [BRACKETS], and paste it into the bot your organization allows. Each one tells the bot what not to do, so it is easier to check.
1. Deposition summary with page cites
You are assisting a licensed attorney. Summarize the deposition excerpt below.
- Group by topic.
- After every point, give the page:line cite in brackets.
- List any admissions, inconsistencies or "I don't recall" answers separately.
- Do not add facts that are not in the text.
[PASTE DE-IDENTIFIED EXCERPT]2. Issue list from a fact pattern
Here is a de-identified fact pattern in [JURISDICTION]. List the legal issues a lawyer should research, the questions to ask the client, and the facts still missing. Do NOT cite any case law; I will research authority myself.
[FACTS]3. Clause comparison
Compare Clause A and Clause B. Output a table: difference, which party it favors, practical risk, suggested negotiation point. Quote the exact words that differ.
Clause A: [TEXT]
Clause B: [TEXT]4. Client-friendly explanation
Rewrite this legal explanation for a client with no legal background. Keep it accurate, under 250 words, no legal advice beyond what the memo says, and end with "Your attorney will confirm next steps."
[MEMO TEXT]5. Citation self-check
For each case cited in the draft below, list: case name, reporter cite, the proposition it is cited for. Mark every one "UNVERIFIED". Do not say any case exists; I will check each in Westlaw/Lexis/court records.
[DRAFT]Before you paste: remove names, account numbers, dates of birth, addresses and anything else that identifies a real person, unless the tool is approved for that data.
Accuracy and ethics, every time
- Confidentiality: never paste client, patient, student, employee or customer personal data (PII/PHI) into a public bot. Use tools your organization has approved, with contract terms that cover data use, or remove identifiers first.
- Verify everything: bots can invent citations, case law, statistics, doses, code sections and quotes that look real. Check each one against the original source before you rely on it.
- Not professional advice: these tutorials teach you how to use AI tools. They are not legal, medical, tax, financial or engineering advice.
- A human professional is responsible: the licensed or accountable person reviews, decides and signs. The bot drafts; you own the result.
- Prices change: we don't list product prices. Check each vendor's official pricing page.
Official sources for this section
- ABA Model Rule 1.1: Competence: including Comment 8 on technology
- ABA Model Rule 1.6: Confidentiality of Information: reasonable efforts to prevent disclosure
- ABA Formal Opinion 512: Generative AI Tools (PDF): July 2024
- ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct: full table of contents
- ABA news: first ethics guidance on AI tools: summary of Opinion 512
- Free Law Project / CourtListener: free case law search to check citations
Links checked Oct 30, 2026. Rules differ by state and country; follow your licensing body and employer policy.
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