Have you used your firm's approved legal AI to summarize documents or draft a first version?

Tools like CoCounsel, Lexis+ AI, Harvey or Clio Manage AI work inside a secure setup and can summarize long documents or draft standard ones. A lawyer still reviews everything.

How to automate it

How to automate “review and summarize contracts, records or discovery documents”

Here are 2 ways to spend less time on this, best first. Each comes with steps you can follow today and, for AI fixes, a prompt to copy.

120 min

typically, a few times a week

50%

of the time can be automated

Some setup

to set up

Fix 1 of 2

Software featureBest fix

Use your firm's approved legal AI to review, summarize and draft

Legal AI tools such as CoCounsel, Harvey, Lexis+ AI, Spellbook and Clio Manage AI summarize documents, pull out key terms and draft first versions inside a secure, firm-approved setup. A lawyer must review all output.

Typically saves about 40% of the time30 min to set up

1Check which legal AI your firm has approved; do not paste client material into consumer AI.
2Upload the documents and ask for a summary, timeline or clause list.
3Use it for first drafts of standard documents and correspondence.
4Verify every citation, quote and fact against the source before it goes to a lawyer or client.

Tools: Thomson Reuters CoCounsel Legal · Harvey · Lexis+ AI · Spellbook · Clio Manage AI

Fix 2 of 2

Have an approved AI build a summary, timeline or issues list

For long records or contracts, an approved AI produces a first-pass summary with page references, which you check instead of starting from scratch.

Typically saves about 45% of the time5 min to set up

1Confirm the AI tool is approved for client confidential material.
2Upload the documents.
3Use the prompt below and ask for page or section references.
4Check each key point against the source before relying on it.

Prompt to copy

Review the attached [CONTRACTS / RECORDS / DOCUMENTS] for [MATTER OR PURPOSE]. Give me: 1) a one-paragraph summary, 2) a timeline of key dates and events, 3) a table of [KEY TERMS: parties, term, payment, termination, liability, renewal], 4) anything unusual or missing compared with [STANDARD OR CHECKLIST]. Cite the page or section for every point. If something is not in the documents, say so.

Tools: Firm-approved AI: Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT Business or Enterprise, Claude Team or Enterprise, or Gemini in Google Workspace

Quick wins

Have you tried…

Have you used your firm's approved legal AI to summarize documents or draft a first version?: Tools like CoCounsel, Lexis+ AI, Harvey or Clio Manage AI work inside a secure setup and can summarize long documents or draft standard ones. A lawyer still reviews everything.

Who does this task

Roles in our library that list this as one of their common tasks. Each guide covers the rest of that role’s week.

Paralegal / Legal Assistant Attorney / Lawyer (firm)

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