Record a limited-scope legal-aid advice letter
Key facts
- Human involvement
- YellowClose supervision
- How AI is used
- List, from the lawyer's notes, what was done at the interview and what was left undone. Write no sentence of the letter.
- What the lawyer must review
- Model Rule 1.2(c) allows a lawyer to limit the scope of the representation if the limitation is reasonable under the circumstances and the client gives informed consent. Rule 1.2(a) requires the lawyer to abide by the client's decisions concerning the objectives and to consult about the means. You write the letter that states what was done and what was not done. You decide whether the limit is reasonable. Formal Opinion 512: if client information will be put into a generative tool that does not keep it confidential, Model Rule 1.6 requires informed consent before that input. Do not use the tool to invent advice that was not given.
- Written for / version
- United States versionUS
Who does what
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Assistance | Consider narrowly defined preparation support after confirming 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
- Calculate operative dates independently from the current rule and actual triggering event. Check exceptions and record the verified deadline.
- 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.