Draft surface-use terms from the lawyer's term sheet
Key facts
- Human involvement
- YellowClose supervision
- How AI is used
- Draft only the surface-use terms the lawyer has already written in the term sheet. Leave compensation blank unless the term sheet states a figure. Do not say a permit to drill has been approved.
- What the lawyer must review
- 30 U.S.C. 226(g) provides that the Secretary of the Interior, or for National Forest lands the Secretary of Agriculture, shall regulate all surface-disturbing activities conducted pursuant to any lease issued under that chapter, and shall determine reclamation and other actions as required in the interest of conservation of surface resources. No permit to drill on an oil and gas lease issued under that chapter may be granted without the analysis and approval by the Secretary concerned of a plan of operations covering proposed surface-disturbing activities within the lease area. The subsection also requires standards for an adequate bond, surety, or other financial arrangement before surface-disturbing activities begin. It does not state a compensation amount. ABA Formal Opinion 512 (29 July 2024) leaves the lawyer responsible for the draft. The lawyer sets any payment and decides whether the terms are agreed.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.