List the exemption and the harm the file already names
Key facts
- Human involvement
- YellowClose supervision
- How AI is used
- Columns are the exemption number the file cites, the interest the file says would be harmed, and whether the file already contains a foreseeable-harm sentence. Write no sentence of a disclosure decision. Do not apply a general public-interest override.
- What the lawyer must review
- 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(8) says an agency shall withhold only if it reasonably foresees that disclosure would harm an interest protected by an exemption in subsection (b), or disclosure is prohibited by law, and it shall consider partial disclosure and take reasonable steps to segregate and release nonexempt information. That paragraph does not require disclosure of information prohibited by law or exempt under subsection (b)(3). Exemption 4 is trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential. Exemption 6 is personnel, medical, and similar files whose disclosure would be a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Exemption 7 is limited to law-enforcement records, and exemption 7(C) uses an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Exemption 5's deliberative-process privilege does not apply to records created 25 years or more before the request. You decide. The fee-waiver public-interest sentence is a different test.
- Written for / version
- United States versionUS
Who does what
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Assistance | Do not begin AI assistance until the responsible lawyer has defined and confirmed its permitted scope. |
| Lawyer | Set the scope, supervise the work closely, verify every part relied on, resolve omissions and exceptions, and approve the exact output. |
Checklist
- Trace every relied-on figure to its source, confirm dates and assumptions, and independently recalculate totals or derived amounts.
- Review operative clauses in the complete document, including definitions, cross-references, schedules and inconsistencies with the instructions.
- Confirm that the actual tool, feature and processing terms permit use of this information, including access, retention, training and disclosure conditions.
- Confirm the output against the client’s instructions and the complete relevant source material, including omissions or contradictions.
- Resolve exceptions and record the responsible lawyer’s approval of the exact output and intended use.