Write instructions to outside counsel for a new matter
Creates a clear engagement brief covering the question, facts, deliverables, budget, and communication rules so the firm starts efficiently.
The prompt
Write an instruction letter (engagement brief) to outside counsel for a new matter.
Firm and lead lawyer: [NAMES]
Matter type: [e.g. "advice on employment termination in Germany", "defense of a contract claim", "regulatory filing"]
Background facts: [SHORT, factual]
The specific question(s) or task: [what we need answered or done]
What we already know or have done: [prior advice, internal analysis]
Deliverable and format: [e.g. "5-page memo with a clear recommendation", "call plus email summary", "first draft of a pleading"]
Deadline and key dates: [DATES]
Budget or fee arrangement: [cap, estimate, fixed fee, rates]
Documents provided: [LIST]
Business context and risk appetite: [what matters to the business]
The letter should:
- State the question precisely and what is out of scope
- Ask for an estimate and staffing plan before substantial work begins, and notice if the budget will be exceeded
- Reference our billing guidelines and invoicing requirements
- Set communication rules: who instructs, who to copy, update frequency, and that advice should lead with the bottom line
- Ask for a conflicts confirmation
- Note privilege and confidentiality handling and preservation duties if a dispute is anticipated
- Be concise and well organized, with headings
Return the letter, then a short checklist of what to attach. Use [CONFIRM] for any fact I have not provided. A qualified lawyer must review the instructions before they are sent.
Highlighted [brackets] are blanks to replace with your own details.
Fill in the blanks and use this promptMore Email & Workplace Communication prompts
What to fill in
- NAMES
- SHORT, factual
- what we need answered or done
- prior advice, internal analysis
- DATES
- cap, estimate, fixed fee, rates
- LIST
- what matters to the business
- CONFIRM
How this prompt is built
This prompt follows the Few-Shot structure (Few-shot prompting). A few-shot prompt includes one or more worked examples of the input and the output you want, so the model can copy the pattern instead of guessing it.
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