Explain a signed power of attorney in plain language
Key facts
- Human involvement
- YellowClose supervision
- How AI is used
- Restate only the powers, the limits, and the dates that appear in the signed instrument. List any clause you cannot restate from that text. Do not add a power.
- What the lawyer must review
- Model Rule 1.4(b) requires an explanation sufficient for the client to decide. The explanation is not the instrument. You check it against the signed pages. The Uniform Law Commission page describes a model Power of Attorney Act. It is not the law of any state until that state enacts it. No state execution or capacity statute was opened. Do not say the instrument is valid because it resembles the model. Formal Opinion 512 applies if the instrument is put into a tool.
- Written for / version
- United States versionUS
Who does what
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Assistance | Potential support includes preparing preliminary structure or wording. Confirm the tool’s capability and 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
- Confirm instructions and personal circumstances through appropriate direct engagement. Have the responsible lawyer assess safety, capacity or vulnerability concerns and escalation.
- Verify the applicable jurisdiction and the version of each relevant law, rule or instrument in force at the material time.
- 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.