In recent years, artificial intelligence (hereinafter “AI”) has been actively making its way into various professional fields, and the legal profession is no exception. Lawyers are increasingly using AI tools to search for information, analyze documents, draft contracts, write legal articles, or organize large volumes of data. However, the effectiveness of such use depends largely on how the query to the AI system is formulated.
This is where the concept of prompt engineering comes into play. Prompt engineering is the process of formulating clear, structured, and meaningful prompts for AI systems to obtain the most accurate and relevant results. In other words, it is the ability to correctly “set the task” for AI.
For lawyers, this skill effectively becomes a new tool for working with information. Just as a lawyer formulates a legal position or a legal question, they must be able to formulate queries to AI. Vague wording leads to a generic response, whereas a detailed and properly formulated prompt can yield a significantly more useful result.
How to Formulate Effective Prompts
To get high-quality results from AI, a prompt should include sufficient context, a specific task, and, if possible, additional parameters.
For example, if a lawyer enters the query: “Write a service agreement,” the system will generate a generic template that does not take into account the jurisdiction, the specifics of the legal relationship, or the particularities of the parties to the agreement.
In contrast, a more professionally formulated prompt might look like this: “Draft the structure of a marketing services agreement between an individual entrepreneur and an LLC in accordance with Ukrainian law. Include provisions on payment terms, liability of the parties, confidentiality, deadlines for work completion, and the procedure for early termination of the agreement.”
In this case, the response will be significantly more accurate, as the prompt includes the legal system, the type of parties, and the key terms of the contract.
Thus, an effective prompt typically consists of several elements: context (what it’s about), task (what needs to be done), and additional requirements (structure, style, jurisdiction, response format).
Five Components of a Strong Prompt
Prompt engineering practice shows that the most effective prompts usually consist of five main elements: role, task, context, format, and constraints.
Role: defines the professional role the AI should assume. For example, a prompt can specify that the AI should act as a lawyer, analyst, or copywriter in the legal field. This helps ensure a more relevant response.
Task: a specific action that needs to be performed. For example, writing a text, analyzing a contract, preparing a document outline, or explaining a legal provision.
`Context: provides additional information about the situation: for whom the material is being prepared, in which field it will be used, or under which legislation.
Format: defines exactly what the result should look like. This could be a specific text structure, division into paragraphs, a list of points, or a set length.
Restrictions: help clarify what should be avoided in the response. For example, you can specify that the text should be free of complex legal terminology, promotional language, or categorical statements.
Using these five elements allows you to significantly improve the quality of AI responses and make it a more effective tool in legal work.
Using Prompt Engineering in Legal Practice
In legal practice, prompt engineering can be applied in many workflows.
One of the most common areas is the preparation of legal documents. AI can help create the initial structure of a contract, a complaint, or a legal opinion. For example, a lawyer might ask the system to prepare a list of sections for a license agreement or suggest standard confidentiality clauses.
Another example is contract analysis. AI can help quickly identify potentially risky clauses in a document. For example, a lawyer might issue a query: “Analyze this supply contract and identify clauses that could pose risks to the buyer. Pay attention to delivery terms, the parties’ liability, and the payment terms.”
As a result, the system may flag the absence of penalties for late delivery or unfavorable payment terms.
Promt-engineering is also actively used to prepare analytical materials. For example, when researching a legal issue, a lawyer may ask the system to explain the legal regulation of a specific matter or suggest a structure for an analytical article.
In addition, AI can help explain complex legal issues to clients in plain language. For example, a lawyer can formulate a query asking the system to explain a legal provision in a way that a businessperson without a legal education can understand. This significantly facilitates communication with clients.
Limitations and Risks of Using AI
Despite its significant capabilities, AI cannot fully replace a lawyer. The results generated by the system always require verification. AI may make mistakes, use outdated information, or misinterpret legal norms.
Particular caution is required when using AI to work with confidential documents, commercial information, or personal data. In such cases, it is important to consider the information security rules and privacy policy of the specific service.
It is also important to remember that AI bears no legal responsibility for the information it provides. Responsibility for the final result always rests with the lawyer.
Therefore, AI should be viewed not as a replacement for a lawyer, but as a tool that can significantly speed up routine tasks and assist in handling large volumes of information.
Prompt engineering is gradually becoming an important professional skill for lawyers. The ability to correctly formulate queries to AI systems allows for a much more effective use of their capabilities—from drafting documents to analyzing legal information.
At the same time, the use of AI in legal practice requires a critical approach and professional oversight. No AI system can replace a specialist’s legal analysis, experience, and responsibility. It is the lawyer who must evaluate the information received, verify its compliance with the law, and make final decisions.
AI is a tool that can significantly increase the efficiency of legal work, but its results depend on how competently it is used.
If you have questions regarding the use of AI in business, intellectual property protection, contract drafting, or other legal aspects of your company’s operations, please contact our law firm. We will help you find the optimal legal solution for your business and ensure reliable legal protection.
artificial intelligence / copyright / intellectual property / prompt engineering
