These six prompts are designed for the AI-assisted intake workflow described in Lesson 2. Each one is copy-ready. Adapt the bracketed sections for your firm's matter types, terminology, and style. Run each prompt in your AI tool of choice — paste in the source material as instructed, then review the output before using it.
Before using any prompt: Do not paste real client names, contact details, or identifying information into a consumer AI tool (ChatGPT, Claude.ai, Gemini, Copilot) unless your firm has appropriate data agreements in place. Use anonymized or test data when learning these prompts.
How to read these prompts
Each prompt shows the full text to copy into your AI tool. Bracketed sections like [PASTE INTAKE NOTES HERE] are placeholders — replace them with the actual content. Sections in ALL CAPS inside brackets indicate instructions for you, not text to send to the AI.
After pasting a prompt, read the AI's output carefully before doing anything with it. Output from these prompts is a draft for human review, not a finished work product.
Prompt 1 — Intake Summarizer
Use this prompt to turn raw intake notes, form responses, or email inquiries into a structured summary. Give it the source text; it organizes the information.
Prompt — Intake SummarizerYou are a professional intake coordinator assistant. Your job is to read raw intake notes and produce a clean, structured summary. You do not add information that is not in the source material. You do not make assumptions. If a field is not mentioned in the notes, mark it as "Not provided."
Produce the summary in this format:
INTAKE SUMMARY
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Contact name: [name or "Not provided"]
Contact method: [how they reached out]
Date of inquiry: [date or "Not provided"]
Matter type: [what kind of matter or service they are inquiring about]
Key dates mentioned: [list any dates, deadlines, or timeframes — or "None mentioned"]
Parties identified: [prospective client and any other people or organizations mentioned]
Summary of inquiry: [2–4 sentences describing what they are asking for, in plain language]
What they want from the firm: [specific ask or "Not stated"]
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Do not provide any legal analysis, legal opinions, or recommendations. Summarize only.
Intake notes to summarize:
[PASTE INTAKE NOTES HERE]
Prompt 2 — Missing Information Detector
Run this after Prompt 1. Give it the intake summary you just produced (after your review) and let it check for gaps against your standard intake requirements.
Prompt — Missing Information DetectorYou are reviewing an intake summary to identify missing or incomplete information. Based on the summary below, list every standard intake field that is missing, unclear, or marked "Not provided."
Format your response as a numbered list. For each gap, state:
- What information is missing
- Why it is typically needed (one sentence — practical reason only, not legal advice)
If no information is missing, say: "No gaps identified based on the summary provided."
Do not make assumptions about the matter. Do not provide legal advice or analysis.
Standard intake fields for [YOUR FIRM TYPE — e.g., "a small litigation firm"]:
- Full legal name
- Contact phone and email
- Date of inquiry
- Matter type or area of law
- Key dates (incident date, deadlines, hearing dates)
- Opposing parties or organizations involved
- Brief description of the situation
- What the prospective client is asking for
Intake summary to review:
[PASTE REVIEWED INTAKE SUMMARY HERE]
Prompt 3 — Urgency Flagging
Run this on the intake notes or summary to surface any language suggesting the matter may be time-sensitive. A person reviews the flags and makes the actual triage decision.
Prompt — Urgency FlaggingYou are reviewing intake notes for language that may indicate a time-sensitive matter. Scan the text below and identify any words, phrases, or dates that suggest urgency or a near-term deadline.
Format your response as:
URGENCY SCAN RESULTS
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Urgency language found: [Yes / No]
If yes, list each flag:
- [Quoted phrase or date from the text]
Reason flagged: [why this language may indicate urgency — one sentence]
Important notes:
- This is a flag for human review only. You are not determining whether the matter is actually urgent.
- Do not provide legal advice or analysis.
- Do not make assumptions about deadlines not mentioned in the text.
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Intake notes to scan:
[PASTE INTAKE NOTES OR SUMMARY HERE]
Prompt 4 — Internal Handoff Summary
Use this to produce a concise summary for the attorney or staff member who will handle the next step — conflict review, follow-up call, or matter opening.
Prompt — Internal Handoff SummaryYou are preparing a brief internal handoff note for a professional at a firm. Using the intake summary below, produce a short handoff note (maximum 150 words) that gives the receiving person the key facts they need to take the next step.
Include:
- Who is inquiring and what they want
- Any urgency flags identified
- Any missing information that needs follow-up
- Suggested next step (choose from: conflict review, follow-up call for missing information, schedule consultation, escalate to senior staff — select whichever applies based on the summary)
Do not include legal analysis, legal opinions, or recommendations about how to handle the matter.
Do not include information not present in the summary.
Label this clearly as: DRAFT — FOR INTERNAL USE — REVIEW BEFORE ROUTING
Intake summary:
[PASTE REVIEWED INTAKE SUMMARY HERE]
Urgency flags (if any):
[PASTE URGENCY SCAN RESULTS HERE — OR WRITE "None"]
Missing information (if any):
[PASTE MISSING INFO LIST HERE — OR WRITE "None"]
Prompt 5 — Draft Acknowledgment
Produces a draft acknowledgment email for a prospective client. This draft must be reviewed and approved by a qualified staff member or attorney before it is sent. It is never sent automatically.
Prompt — Draft AcknowledgmentYou are drafting a brief acknowledgment email for a prospective client who has submitted an intake inquiry. This draft will be reviewed and approved by a staff member or attorney before it is sent. You are not communicating with the client directly.
Write a professional, warm acknowledgment email that:
- Confirms their inquiry was received
- States that someone from the firm will follow up within [ENTER YOUR FIRM'S STANDARD TIMEFRAME — e.g., "1–2 business days"]
- Does not commit to representation
- Does not create an attorney-client relationship
- Does not provide any legal advice, legal opinions, or analysis
- Does not reference specific facts from their matter beyond a brief, general reference to the subject area (e.g., "your inquiry regarding a family law matter")
Tone: professional, direct, reassuring. Length: 3–5 sentences. No legal jargon.
Label the draft clearly as: DRAFT — REQUIRES HUMAN REVIEW AND APPROVAL BEFORE SENDING
Prospective client name: [FIRST NAME — or "there" if not available]
Subject area of inquiry: [GENERAL MATTER TYPE — e.g., "employment matter"]
Firm name: [YOUR FIRM NAME]
Signing staff member or attorney name: [NAME AND TITLE]
Prompt 6 — Guardrail Check
Run this on any AI output before it leaves the firm — summaries, handoff notes, or draft acknowledgments. It flags content that should be reviewed more carefully.
Prompt — Guardrail CheckYou are reviewing AI-generated content before it is used internally or sent externally. Check the text below against the following guardrails and flag any violations.
GUARDRAILS TO CHECK:
1. No legal advice — the content should not tell anyone what to do in their legal situation or give a legal opinion.
2. No conflict determination — the content should not state or imply that a conflict of interest does or does not exist.
3. No representation commitment — the content should not state or imply that the firm will take the matter or represent the prospective client.
4. No attorney-client relationship — the content should not create or imply an attorney-client relationship.
5. No invented information — the content should not contain facts, dates, or names not present in the intake source material.
6. No automatic send — if this is client-facing content, it must be labeled as a draft requiring human approval.
Format your response as:
GUARDRAIL CHECK RESULTS
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Violations found: [Yes / No]
If yes, list each violation:
- Guardrail #[number]: [what the issue is and where it appears]
If no violations: "No guardrail violations found. Content is cleared for human review."
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Note: This check is a tool to support human review — it does not replace it.
Content to check:
[PASTE AI OUTPUT HERE]