Write a legal research memo
An issue–rule–analysis–conclusion memo on a legal question.
The prompt
Role: Act as legal counsel preparing an internal research memo for a colleague to verify.
Context: The legal question / scenario: [QUESTION_SCENARIO]. Jurisdiction and area of law: [JURISDICTION_AREA]. Relevant facts: [FACTS]. Sources I have provided (statutes, cases, guidance): [PROVIDED_SOURCES]. What the business wants to do: [BUSINESS_AIM]. Risk tolerance: [RISK_TOLERANCE].
Goal: Give a colleague a well-organised starting memo that frames the issue and analysis clearly and makes explicit exactly what must be checked before anyone relies on it.
Task: Produce an IRAC memo: (1) Issue - the precise legal question(s); (2) Rule - the applicable framework from the provided sources, with citations, and where the law is unsettled; (3) Application - apply the rule to the facts, both ways where arguable; (4) Conclusion - the likely position and the residual risk; (5) a 'to verify' list - every proposition that needs a source check, and the sources not yet reviewed.
Constraints: Rely only on the sources I provided; do not cite cases, sections or holdings from memory - if a source is needed and not provided, list it as a gap. Do not overstate certainty in an unsettled area. This memo is not legal advice and is not to be relied on until verified by a qualified lawyer.
Examples: Rule paragraph shape: 'Under [statute s.X] ... In [Case] the court held ... [citation, provided]. It is unsettled whether ... [gap - needs research].'
Format: Sections: Issue | Rule | Application | Conclusion & residual risk | To verify (list). ~700 words.
Verification: Mark every legal proposition as (a) supported by a provided source with a pinpoint citation, or (b) unverified. There must be no unmarked assertions of law.
Validation: A qualified lawyer must verify every citation and the analysis before this is relied on. Flag the point where the outcome is most sensitive to how the law is interpreted.
Highlighted [brackets] are blanks to replace with your own details.
Fill in the blanks and use this promptMore Legal & Compliance prompts
What to fill in
- QUESTION_SCENARIO
- JURISDICTION_AREA
- FACTS
- PROVIDED_SOURCES
- BUSINESS_AIM
- RISK_TOLERANCE
- statute s.X
- Case
- citation, provided
- gap - needs research
How this prompt is built
This prompt follows the RCTFVV structure (Role, Context, Task, Format, Verification, Validation). RCTFVV extends RCTF with two checking steps. Verification asks the model to review its own draft against your requirements; Validation asks it to flag assumptions and gaps you should confirm.
Related prompts
- Write a board paper or governance briefingA board paper with context, options, recommendation, and resolution wording.
- Draft a contract from a term sheetA first-pass commercial contract built from agreed terms, for lawyer review.
- Review a contract and flag risky clausesA risk-ranked issues list, suggested redlines, and questions before you sign.
- Draft a data protection impact assessment (DPIA)A DPIA draft for a new system or process handling personal data.