Legal prompts: the definitive guide for ChatGPT and Claude

Mastering the art of legal prompts is the difference between using AI as a glorified calculator and transforming it into your most valuable legal assistant. This guide compiles the best prompts I have developed over years of working with legal AI.

For contract analysis, an effective prompt should include: clear context about the contract type, the objective of the analysis (risks, compliance, negotiation), applicable legislation, and the desired output format. Example: "Analyze this service agreement from the perspective of consumer protection law, identifying abusive clauses and suggesting alternative wording for each critical point found."

For petition drafting, the secret lies in structuring: start with the relevant facts, include the main legal thesis, specify the desired case law, and define the tone (technical-formal, persuasive, etc.). The more context you provide, the better the result.

For case law research, be specific in your search terms and court. Use boolean operators when available and always ask the AI to cite complete sources. Remember: AI can hallucinate precedents, so always validate references before using them.