Study Guide: Alex for Lawyers
Your reference for using Alex in legal research, writing, and client service. Ready-to-run prompts for briefs, contracts, research, and communication.
What This Guide Is Not
This is not a habit formation guide (see Self-Study Guide for that). This is a legal practice toolkit — the specific ways Alex can accelerate your work while maintaining the judgment only you can provide.
Core Principle for Lawyers
Legal work is about precision, precedent, and persuasion. Alex can help you draft faster, research more broadly, and communicate more clearly — but it cannot replace your professional judgment, your knowledge of the specific facts, or your ethical obligations.
Critical: Never rely on Alex for case citations, statutory references, or legal holdings without verification. LLMs hallucinate cases that don’t exist and misstate holdings. Every legal claim must be verified against primary sources.
The Seven Use Cases
1. Legal Research Orientation
When to use: Starting research on an unfamiliar area. Getting oriented before diving into primary sources.
Prompt pattern:
I need to research [legal issue]:
Jurisdiction: [federal / state / specific court]
Context: [the factual situation]
What I know: [any relevant cases, statutes, or concepts I'm aware of]
What I need: [what question I'm trying to answer]
Help me:
1. Identify the key legal concepts and terminology
2. Suggest categories of authority to search (statutory, regulatory, case law)
3. Outline the typical analytical framework for this issue
4. Flag potential jurisdictional variations
5. Identify leading treatises or secondary sources to consult
Follow-up prompts:
What's the majority vs. minority position on this issue?
What factual distinctions typically matter in this analysis?
Where might I find analogous reasoning from other areas of law?
Critical Note: Use this for orientation only. Verify every case, statute, and holding in Westlaw, Lexis, or primary sources. Do not cite anything without independent verification.
2. Brief and Motion Drafting
When to use: Drafting persuasive legal writing. Structuring arguments.
Prompt pattern:
Help me draft [type of document]:
Case type: [contract dispute / personal injury / regulatory / etc.]
Posture: [motion to dismiss / summary judgment / appeal / etc.]
Our position: [what we're arguing]
Key facts: [relevant facts, sanitized for confidentiality]
Strongest arguments: [our best points]
Weaknesses: [where we're vulnerable]
Help me:
1. Structure the argument for maximum persuasion
2. Develop the strongest framing for our position
3. Anticipate and address counterarguments
4. Suggest transitions and organizational logic
5. Identify where additional factual support is needed
Follow-up prompts:
The opposing brief argues [X]. Draft our response.
This section is too long. What can I cut without losing substance?
Make the opening paragraph more compelling.
3. Contract Review and Drafting
When to use: Analyzing contract terms, drafting provisions, identifying issues.
Prompt pattern:
Help me analyze this contract provision:
Contract type: [NDA / employment / SaaS / lease / etc.]
Provision:
[paste the specific language]
Context: [who the parties are, what the deal is]
Our position: [which party we represent]
Help me:
1. Identify what this provision does and doesn't say
2. Flag potentially problematic language
3. Suggest alternative language if needed
4. Identify missing provisions a court might imply
5. Assess how this would likely be interpreted if disputed
Follow-up prompts:
Draft a more favorable version for our client.
What's the most aggressive interpretation the other side could take?
Add a carve-out for [specific situation].
4. Client Communication
When to use: Explaining legal issues to non-lawyers. Client letters, updates, and advice.
Prompt pattern:
Help me explain this legal matter to my client:
Client: [sophisticated business / individual / etc.]
Issue: [what we need to communicate]
Context: [what they already know]
Decision needed: [if any]
Tone: [formal / conversational / cautious / optimistic]
Create a communication that:
1. Explains the issue without unnecessary jargon
2. Clearly states the options and risks
3. Provides a recommendation if appropriate
4. Manages expectations appropriately
5. Documents the advice for the file
Follow-up prompts:
The client is panicking. Make this more reassuring without being misleading.
Add appropriate caveats about uncertainties.
The client asked [specific question]. Add that to the letter.
5. Document Production and Review
When to use: Planning document review, developing search terms, creating review protocols.
Prompt pattern:
Help me plan document review for this matter:
Case type: [what kind of dispute]
Key issues: [what we need to find]
Likely document sources: [email, contracts, financial records, etc.]
Volume estimate: [if known]
Constraints: [timeline, budget, privilege concerns]
Help me:
1. Develop search terms and Boolean queries
2. Create a document review protocol
3. Define coding categories (relevant, privileged, hot docs)
4. Identify potential privilege issues to watch for
5. Estimate review time and resources
Follow-up prompts:
We're finding too many false positives with [search term]. How do I narrow it?
What documents might opposing counsel request that we should be finding?
Create a privilege log template for this matter.
6. Deposition and Hearing Preparation
When to use: Preparing for oral advocacy. Developing questions, anticipating testimony.
Prompt pattern:
Help me prepare for [deposition / hearing / examination]:
Witness: [who they are, their role]
What they know: [relevant knowledge]
Our goals: [what we need to establish]
Concerns: [potential problems]
Help me:
1. Develop an outline of topics to cover
2. Draft key questions in proper form
3. Anticipate likely answers and follow-ups
4. Prepare for evasive or hostile responses
5. Identify documents to use as exhibits
Follow-up prompts:
They'll probably answer [X]. What's my follow-up?
I need to impeach them with [prior statement]. Set up the impeachment.
What am I forgetting to ask about?
7. Case Strategy and Analysis
When to use: Evaluating a matter, developing litigation strategy, assessing settlement.
Prompt pattern:
Help me analyze this matter strategically:
Case summary: [what the dispute is about]
Our position: [plaintiff / defendant / transaction]
Key facts: [strengths and weaknesses]
Opposing party: [their likely strategy]
Goals: [what our client wants]
Help me:
1. Assess the strengths and weaknesses objectively
2. Identify the key factual and legal battlegrounds
3. Develop a theory of the case
4. Anticipate opposing strategy
5. Evaluate settlement vs. litigation considerations
Follow-up prompts:
If you were opposing counsel, how would you attack our case?
What discovery do we need to strengthen our position?
Help me frame this for a settlement demand letter.
Practice Progression
Week 1: Use the Legal Research Orientation prompts on an unfamiliar issue. Compare to your usual process.
Week 2: Draft a brief section using the prompts. Have a colleague review.
Week 3: Prepare for a deposition using the exam prep prompts.
Week 4: Analyze a contract provision using the review prompts. Note what you might have missed.
What Great Looks Like
After consistent use, you should notice:
- Faster initial drafts with fewer revision cycles
- Broader research orientation before diving into sources
- Better-structured arguments
- Clearer client communications
The goal isn’t for Alex to practice law — it’s for Alex to help you practice law more effectively.
Professional Responsibility Considerations
- Confidentiality: Be thoughtful about client information in prompts. Anonymize when possible.
- Verification: Never rely on AI for citations or holdings without independent verification.
- Judgment: AI can inform but not replace professional judgment.
- Disclosure: Know your jurisdiction’s emerging guidance on AI use in legal work.
- Competence: You remain responsible for the quality and accuracy of your work product.
Protect your client’s interests and your reputation.