100 ChatGPT Prompts for Lawyers: Enhance Your Legal Practice + Free PDF Download

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Boost your legal workflow with 100 ChatGPT prompts for lawyers for smarter drafts, research and more.

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Fredrick Eghosa

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100 ChatGPT Prompts for Lawyers: Enhance Your Legal Practice + Free PDF Download

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100 ChatGPT Prompts for Lawyers: Enhance Your Legal Practice + Free PDF Download

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Key Takeaways

• The right prompt saves time. Whether you’re drafting a clause or researching case law, well-written prompts cut through the noise and help you get useful, structured outputs faster.

• Generic prompts don’t cut it. Legal work demands precision. The more specific your instructions, the more accurate and relevant the response from ChatGPT.

• There’s a prompt for every part of your practice. From intake to litigation to client updates, this guide provides plug-and-play prompts that you can tweak based on your jurisdiction and workflow.

• AI is a tool, not a substitute. Human review isn’t optional. Use these outputs as a draft, but always exercise legal judgment before sending or filing anything.

• The legal AI space is growing fast. New use cases, better tools, smarter prompts—it’s only getting started. The firms that adapt early will have the edge.

Understanding AI prompt engineering for legal contexts

• Be specific about your task and the format you want.

• Define the role clearly (e.g., “Act as a contract lawyer”).

• Give enough background for the AI to follow legal logic.

• Always review for legal accuracy and relevance to jurisdiction.

Legal research and case analysis prompts

Prompts for case law research and precedent identification

1. Act as a U.S. appellate lawyer. Identify three leading federal cases from the past 10 years that address the enforceability of non-compete clauses in employment contracts. Include the case name, year, court, a 2–3 sentence summary of the holding, and how it might apply to a tech company based in California.

2. You are a legal researcher specializing in tort law. Provide five precedent-setting cases involving negligent misrepresentation in business transactions under New York law. For each, include a one-paragraph summary, legal issue, and the court’s reasoning.

3. Act as a legal analyst. Find and summarize two landmark Supreme Court decisions that have shaped the doctrine of qualified immunity in the United States. Present the holding, reasoning, and subsequent influence on lower courts.

4. Act as a Canadian legal research assistant. Identify three cases from Ontario courts that clarify the test for determining whether an independent contractor is, in fact, an employee. Summarize each case and its contribution to the legal test.

5. You are a UK barrister conducting precedent analysis. Locate four significant rulings that interpreted the meaning of “reasonable foreseeability” in negligence under English common law. For each case, explain the facts, the legal principle applied, and how it influenced subsequent rulings.

Prompts for statutory interpretation and analysis

1. Act as a statutory interpretation expert. Analyze Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Break down the text, legislative intent, and provide three different interpretations that have been argued in court. Include a short explanation of each interpretation’s legal implications.

2. You are a legal analyst focused on regulatory law. Interpret the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and identify ambiguities in the definition of “consumer report.” Cite relevant cases or agency interpretations, and propose how courts might resolve the ambiguity.

3. Act as a legislative counsel. Interpret the phrase “ordinary course of business” as used in the UCC Article 9. Provide statutory context, real-world implications, and variations in interpretation across jurisdictions.

4. Act as a tax law expert. Analyze the statutory language in IRC § 162 regarding “ordinary and necessary” business expenses. Explain how courts have interpreted this standard and give two case examples.

5. You are a legal advisor. Break down the key statutory elements of California Civil Code § 3294 (Punitive Damages). Explain the burden of proof, qualifying conduct, and any notable interpretations from case law.

Prompts for identifying legal issues in complex fact patterns

1. Act as a law school professor. Given the following fact pattern, identify and outline all potential civil liability issues under U.S. federal and New York law.

1. You are an expert legal analyst. Analyze the legal exposure of a startup that collected user location data without explicit consent, sold that data to third parties, and experienced a data breach. Identify relevant statutes, privacy torts, and regulatory risks under U.S. law.

2. Act as a criminal defense attorney. Review the following scenario and identify all potential criminal charges, including inchoate offenses and defenses, under Florida law.

1. You are a legal advisor preparing a risk memo. A multinational corporation is accused of anti-competitive practices in both the U.S. and EU markets. Identify all potential legal issues, applicable antitrust laws, and differences in enforcement.

2. Act as a constitutional lawyer. A public university enacts a speech code regulating on-campus expression. Analyze this under the First Amendment, identifying potential constitutional issues and how courts might evaluate the regulation.

Prompts for comparative legal analysis across jurisdictions

1. Act as an international comparative law expert. Compare how the U.S. and Germany regulate employer obligations around employee data privacy. Summarize key statutes, enforcement mechanisms, and legal risks for multinational employers.

2. You are a cross-border legal consultant. Compare the enforceability of arbitration clauses in consumer contracts in the United States, Canada, and the European Union. Structure your answer by jurisdiction and include leading legislation or court decisions.

3. Act as a legal scholar. Analyze how the U.S. and U.K. differ in their approach to defamation law, focusing on the burden of proof and available defenses. Provide examples from recent cases in both countries.

4. You are a transnational corporate counsel. Compare the standards for piercing the corporate veil in the U.S. and India. For each jurisdiction, outline the legal test and provide one illustrative case.

5. Act as a human rights lawyer. Compare how freedom of expression is protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution versus Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Highlight key differences in scope, limitations, and case law.

Legal document drafting prompts

Prompts for contract drafting and clause creation

1. Act as a senior commercial contracts attorney. Draft a mutual non-disclosure agreement (NDA) for a technology partnership between two U.S. companies. The NDA should include standard definitions, mutual confidentiality obligations, exclusions, and a 2-year duration format as a complete agreement with section headings and a neutral tone.

2. You are a contract lawyer specializing in SaaS. Draft a service level agreement (SLA) clause ensuring 99.9% uptime, outlining remedies for breach, including service credits. Comply with Delaware contract law. Return the clause only, no commentary.

3. Act as a construction law expert. Draft a force majeure clause for a commercial real estate construction agreement governed by Texas law. Cover events like natural disasters, pandemics, and supply chain disruptions. Provide clauses only in contract-ready language.

4. You are a corporate counsel. Create a non-solicitation clause for an employment agreement that complies with Illinois state law. Limit duration to 12 months post-employment and ensure it is narrowly tailored.

5. Act as an IP licensing attorney. Draft a termination clause for a software license agreement that includes material breach, notice requirements, and cure periods. Output the clause in formal legal language.

Prompts for pleadings and motion drafting

1. Act as a litigation attorney in California. Draft a motion to dismiss under FRCP 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim in a federal civil case involving alleged breach of contract. Include an introductory paragraph, legal standard, argument, and conclusion.

2. You are a family law attorney in Florida. Draft a petition for dissolution of marriage with no children and no contested property issues. Provide the full court form text suitable for submission.

3. Act as a criminal defense attorney. Draft a motion to suppress evidence obtained during a warrantless vehicle search in violation of the Fourth Amendment. Include factual background, legal argument, and conclusion.

4. You are a civil rights litigator. Draft a complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for unlawful arrest and excessive force. Include jurisdictional statements, factual allegations, claims, and a prayer for relief.

5. Act as a commercial litigator in New York. Draft a reply brief supporting a motion for summary judgment in a breach of lease case. Emphasize that there are no material facts in dispute and the law is clear.

Prompts for legal memoranda and opinion letters

1. Act as a junior associate. Draft an internal legal memorandum analyzing whether a non-compete clause is enforceable under California law. Use the IRAC structure, cite relevant statutes and case law, and include a clear conclusion.

2. You are outside counsel. Draft an opinion letter for a client considering a cross-border acquisition. Assess whether the transaction is subject to CFIUS review. Summarize key legal risks and regulatory steps.

3. Act as an employment law associate. Write a legal memo on whether classifying a group of software developers as independent contractors is compliant with Massachusetts law. Include legal tests and risks of misclassification.

4. You are a real estate attorney. Draft a memorandum of law to evaluate whether a landlord can evict a tenant for nonpayment under the current COVID-era moratoria in New Jersey.

5. Act as general counsel. Write an opinion letter advising the board of directors on whether a proposed stock buyback could expose the company to insider trading liability. Include relevant SEC regulations.

Prompts for client correspondence and email templates

1. Act as a client-focused attorney. Draft a client update email explaining the impact of a recent Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action for higher education institutions. Use plain language, include practical implications, and keep it under 250 words.

2. You are outside counsel. Draft a client intake email requesting key facts, documents, and timelines related to a new commercial dispute. Use a professional tone and a checklist format.

3. Act as a corporate lawyer. Draft an email to a startup client summarizing the next steps after entity formation, including tax filings, contracts, and equity allocation. Keep the tone friendly but professional.

4. You are a personal injury lawyer. Draft a case status update email to a client who is waiting for a settlement offer. Explain current progress, next steps, and realistic timelines. Avoid legalese.

5. Act as a law firm partner. Draft a welcome email to a new client, introducing the legal team, outlining the firm’s process, and explaining how to handle the communications.

Client management and communication prompts

Prompts for explaining complex legal concepts to clients

1. Act as a client-facing attorney. Explain the concept of “constructive dismissal” under Canadian employment law to a non-lawyer client who suspects they were forced to resign. Use plain English, avoid legal jargon, and include one practical example. Format as an email draft.

1. You are a family lawyer. Draft a plain-language explanation of the difference between legal custody and physical custody for a parent in a California divorce case. Include examples of how custody is typically shared.

1. Act as a criminal defense attorney. Explain the concept of plea bargaining and its pros and cons to a first-time defendant in New York facing misdemeanor charges. Write it as if it’s a conversation summary you’d send after an initial consultation.

1. You are an estate planning attorney. Explain how a revocable living trust works in plain language for a couple in their 60s planning their estate in Florida. Include key benefits compared to a will.

Prompts for creating client intake questionnaires

1. Act as a legal operations expert. Create a client intake questionnaire for a personal injury law firm. The form should gather details about the incident, medical treatment received, insurance information, prior claims history, and any witnesses. Format it as a structured, fillable form for efficient client onboarding.

1. You are a business formation attorney. Draft a startup client intake form to collect key information before forming a limited liability company (LLC). The form should request details about the founders, planned equity distribution, preferred jurisdiction, intellectual property ownership, and current funding status.

1. Act as an immigration attorney. Create a family-based green card intake questionnaire tailored for a U.S. citizen sponsoring a relative. The form should assess eligibility, verify the family relationship, and guide the client on what documents they need to prepare.

1. You are a family law specialist. Write a divorce intake form for a new client in Texas. Cover marital property, children, custody preferences, income/assets, and prior court actions.

Prompts for drafting client updates and case status reports

1. Act as a litigation attorney. Draft a case status update email for a client in a civil litigation matter in New Jersey. Summarize recent procedural developments, next steps, and timeline expectations. Keep it under 300 words and avoid legalese.

1. You are a personal injury lawyer. Write a monthly case update for a client whose case is currently in the settlement negotiation phase. The update should explain the current status of demand letters, summarize responses from the insurance company, and outline the following anticipated milestones.

1. Act as a real estate closing attorney. Draft a pre-closing update email for a client purchasing a residential property in Georgia. The message should list the items the client needs to review or bring to closing and provide a clear checklist of next steps to ensure a smooth finalization.

1. You are an immigration lawyer. Write a case update email for a client who is awaiting USCIS approval for an H-1B transfer. The message should explain the expected timeline, address potential delays, and clarify what actions the client should take or avoid while waiting for the outcome.

Prompts for fee agreements and billing explanations

1. Act as a legal billing coordinator. Draft a plain-English explanation of a law firm’s hourly billing structure, including retainer policies, invoice frequency, and what clients are charged for. Format as a short FAQ document.

1. You are a contingency-based personal injury lawyer. Write a fee explanation email to a new client explaining the 33% contingency fee model, case costs, and what happens if the case is unsuccessful.

1. Act as a contracts and ethics lawyer. Draft a limited scope representation agreement for a client who only needs contract review (not negotiation). Include a fee cap, scope, and disclaimer on what is not covered.

Legal practice management prompts

Prompts for creating workflows and process documentation

1. Act as a legal operations consultant. Create a step-by-step workflow for handling new client intakes at a small civil litigation firm, from initial inquiry to signed engagement letter. Format the output as a numbered checklist with responsibilities per role.

2. You are a legal technology expert. Design a case closing checklist for a midsize employment law firm. Include final billing, document archiving, client follow-up, and matter status update in CMS, formatted as a reusable SOP.

3. Act as a practice manager. Draft a standardized intake-to-litigation pipeline for personal injury cases. Include all phases: intake, treatment monitoring, demand, negotiation, litigation, and trial.

4. You are a legal workflow analyst. Build a process document for drafting, reviewing, and executing contracts in a corporate legal department. Include approval hierarchies, timing benchmarks, and storage policies.

Prompts for time management and productivity systems

1. Act as a productivity coach for lawyers. Design a weekly time-blocking schedule for a solo practitioner juggling litigation, admin work, and marketing. Allocate focused time for deep work, email, client calls, and content creation.

2. You are a legal project manager. Create a matter-level task tracker template that breaks down a typical litigation file into stages, deadlines, and subtasks. Structure it for use in tools like Trello or Asana.

3. Act as a law firm coach. Develop a daily prioritization system that helps lawyers identify high-impact tasks vs. urgent low-value work. Include tips for minimizing context switching and interruptions.

4. You are a legal operations specialist. Build a timekeeping checklist for lawyers to track billable and non-billable time more accurately. Include examples of common time entries and avoidable time drains.

Prompts for team collaboration and case management

1. Act as a legal practice manager. Create a weekly team meeting agenda template for a litigation team. The agenda should cover case updates, current bottlenecks, upcoming deadlines, recent wins, and task assignments.

2. You are a law firm systems expert. Draft a standard operating procedure for assigning tasks and tracking progress across attorneys and paralegals in complex litigation matters. The procedure should define naming conventions, task stages, and status tracking categories.

3. Act as a litigation project coordinator. Design a shared case calendar structure tailored for high-volume litigation work. The calendar should track hearings, discovery deadlines, internal preparation milestones, and identify the responsible team members for each item.

4. You are a legal communications advisor. Create a system for weekly case updates between attorneys and paralegals to ensure team alignment and consistency. The system should specify the communication tools to be used (such as email, Slack, or a case management platform) and provide example message formats or templates.

Prompts for legal marketing and client development materials

1. Act as a legal marketer. Generate a monthly content calendar for a law firm focused on small business clients. Include blog post topics, LinkedIn post ideas, and client email newsletter themes.

2. You are a branding expert for law firms. Write a client value proposition statement for a boutique intellectual property firm. It should be clear, specific, and highlight the firm’s differentiators and client outcomes.

3. Act as a client development strategist. Draft an email outreach sequence to reconnect with past clients and invite them to a free legal checkup. Include three emails with a friendly and professional tone and value-driven messaging.

Implementation tips for using these prompts

• Centralize outputs: Save all AI-generated workflows and documents in one place, such as Notion, Google Drive, or your case management tool.

• Customize and review: AI gives you a draft. You still need to tailor it to your firm’s needs, jurisdiction, and compliance policies.

• Automate repeated tasks: Turn checklists and workflows into automated reminders using tools like Zapier or Clio.

• Train your team: Include these prompts in onboarding and training. Teach staff how to use and tweak them as needed.

• Track and iterate: Review systems regularly. Update what’s not working, refine what is.

• Save prompt templates: Build a shared prompt library. Make it easy for your team to reuse and adapt without having to start from scratch.

Specialized legal practice area prompts

Corporate and business law

1. Act as a corporate attorney. Draft a shareholders’ agreement clause addressing voting rights and dispute resolution among minority shareholders in a Delaware C-corporation. Use formal, enforceable legal language.

2. You are a startup counsel. Prepare a term sheet summary for a pre-seed funding round, covering valuation cap, SAFE terms, investor rights, and board structure. Present as a bullet-point executive summary.

3. Act as a mergers & acquisitions lawyer. Draft a due diligence request list for the acquisition of a privately held manufacturing company. Organize by legal, financial, tax, and IP categories.

4. You are a commercial contracts expert. Create a risk allocation matrix for a SaaS licensing agreement, identifying key liabilities, responsible parties, and mitigation clauses.

Intellectual property law

1. Act as a civil litigator. Draft a litigation hold notice to send to a corporate client regarding a pending employment discrimination lawsuit.

2. You are a litigation strategist. Prepare a pre-trial memorandum for a breach of contract case in federal court. The memorandum should present a clear statement of facts, outline the key legal issues, and explain the applicable legal standards relevant to the case.

3. Act as a settlement negotiator. Generate a mediation brief outline for a personal injury case involving comparative negligence. The outline should highlight the case’s strengths and weaknesses, along with proposed terms for a potential resolution.

4. You are an appellate lawyer. Draft the issue statement and argument headings for an appeal challenging a trial court’s evidentiary rulings under Rule 403.

Litigation and dispute resolution

1. Act as an IP attorney. Draft a cease and desist letter for trademark infringement, targeting unauthorized use of a client’s brand name on social media.

2. You are a patent lawyer. Outline the patentability assessment process for a new software-based invention. Include prior art search, subject matter eligibility, and obviousness.

3. Act as a copyright attorney. Create a copyright license agreement for a freelance photographer licensing images to a marketing agency. Specify duration, scope, and usage restrictions.

4. You are an IP portfolio manager. Draft a report template summarizing the status of a company’s trademarks, patents, and pending applications across multiple jurisdictions.

Real estate law

1. Act as a real estate counsel. Draft a commercial lease clause on assignment and subletting rights, balancing flexibility for the tenant and control for the landlord.

2. You are a closing attorney. Create a buyer’s closing checklist for a commercial property transaction in Texas. Include title review, financing, and zoning requirements.

3. Act as a zoning specialist. Prepare a zoning compliance opinion letter for a mixed-use development project. Include references to applicable local ordinances.

Family law

1. You are a family lawyer in California. Draft a custody and visitation schedule for a divorcing couple with alternating weekends, school-year split, and holiday rotation, in a parenting plan style.

2. Act as a mediator. Draft a memorandum of understanding (MOU) outlining the agreed terms of an uncontested divorce, covering assets, debts, support, and custody.

3. You are a domestic violence attorney. Draft a temporary restraining order (TRO) application and supporting declaration under California law. Include relevant facts and statutory grounds.

Criminal law

1. Act as a criminal defense lawyer. Draft a motion for bail reduction based on changed circumstances and lack of flight risk. Include legal standards and case-specific facts.

2. You are a prosecutor. Prepare a charging memo for review by a supervising attorney in a DUI with injury case. Summarize evidence, charges, and plea recommendations.

3. Act as a criminal appellate attorney. Identify and draft the top three appealable issues in a state felony conviction based on improper jury instructions.

Estate planning

1. Act as a trusts and estates attorney. Draft a simple will for a single parent with minor children, including guardianship designation and a testamentary trust.

2. You are an estate planner. Create a client questionnaire for building a custom estate plan, including assets, beneficiaries, incapacity preferences, and charitable giving goals.

3. Act as a probate lawyer. Outline a probate administration timeline and task list for an uncontested estate in New York. Include court filings, notice, inventory, and distribution.

4. You are a wealth management legal advisor. Draft an advanced directive and healthcare power of attorney for a married client over 60. Ensure the forms comply with state law and allow for flexibility in medical decision-making.

How to adapt these prompts for specific jurisdictional requirements

• “Act as a corporate lawyer in Ontario”

• “Draft under New York contract law”

• “Include citations to the California Family Code.”

• “Explain steps required by Cook County Probate Court.”

• “Adapt this to Florida e-filing requirements.”

• “Compare how this is treated under U.S. federal law vs. Texas law.”

Legal Education and professional development prompts

Prompts for creating study materials and exam preparation

1. Act as a law school professor. Create a comprehensive issue-spotting hypothetical for a 1L Torts exam that focuses on negligence, strict liability, and applicable defenses. The prompt should present a detailed fact pattern containing at least five distinct legal issues. Follow with a straightforward question for students to respond to, and provide a model answer outline that identifies the key issues and the expected legal reasoning.

1. Act as a legal skills instructor. Design a training module for junior associates focused on writing effective internal legal memoranda. The module should cover learning objectives, memo structure, common mistakes to avoid, a practical memo writing template, and a short quiz to assess understanding.

Prompts for continuing legal education content

1. You are a CLE course designer. Draft a 1-hour CLE outline on recent developments in data privacy law, including state laws (e.g., CCPA, CPRA), federal proposals, and international implications (e.g., GDPR). Include key learning objectives, topic breakdown, case examples, and a quiz with answers.

Prompts for professional development planning

1. Act as a legal career coach. Create a 12-month professional development plan for a mid-level associate in a litigation practice. Include quarterly goals in skills development, writing, client management, business development, and internal firm leadership. Put the output in a table with timelines and recommended resources.

Prompts for legal scholarship and article drafting

1. You are a legal academic. Draft an abstract and outline for a law review article on the evolving legal status of artificial intelligence in tort liability. The abstract should clearly state the thesis and summarize the article’s key arguments. The outline should follow a traditional legal academic structure with section headings and references to relevant case law where appropriate.

How to use the PDF resource

Final Thoughts