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How to use AI for legal research
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How to use AI for legal research
- Define scope: state the jurisdiction, issue, parties, and timeframe.
- Choose tools: use RAG-enabled AI over primary databases (Westlaw/Lexis with AI features, Fastcase, Google Scholar). For confidential matters prefer on-prem or law-firm-integrated tools.
- Craft a precise prompt: e.g., “Act as a legal researcher. For [jurisdiction], summarize controlling cases and statutory elements for [issue]. Provide citations, dates, and short quoted holdings.” Ask for key exceptions and latest authority.
- Run searches iteratively: start broad, then narrow by party names, statutes, or keywords. Save queries and results.
- Verify every AI citation: open and read the primary source, confirm page/paragraph, reporter and date. Flag any hallucinations.
- Produce deliverables: create an annotated memo with primary-source citations, issue statement, rule, analysis, and next research tasks.
- Maintain ethics: avoid sharing privileged data with public models, log work for privilege and billing.
Want a sample prompt tailored to a specific jurisdiction and issue?
GPT-5.2How to use AI for legal research
- Define scope: state the jurisdiction, issue, parties, and timeframe.
- Choose tools: use RAG-enabled AI over primary databases (Westlaw/Lexis with AI features, Fastcase, Google Scholar). For confidential matters prefer on-prem or law-firm-integrated tools.
- Craft a precise prompt: e.g., “Act as a legal researcher. For [jurisdiction], summarize controlling cases and statutory elements for [issue]. Provide citations, dates, and short quoted holdings.” Ask for key exceptions and latest authority.
- Run searches iteratively: start broad, then narrow by party names, statutes, or keywords. Save queries and results.
- Verify every AI citation: open and read the primary source, confirm page/paragraph, reporter and date. Flag any hallucinations.
- Produce deliverables: create an annotated memo with primary-source citations, issue statement, rule, analysis, and next research tasks.
- Maintain ethics: avoid sharing privileged data with public models, log work for privilege and billing.
Want a sample prompt tailored to a specific jurisdiction and issue?
Gemini 2.5 FlashHow to use AI for legal research