Start with the right question
The purpose of a case summary is to make a consultation more focused. A lengthy generated narrative can do the opposite if it buries the key event, deadline concern, or disputed fact. Build a brief summary that points outward to organized records.
Work through the checks
Lead with the decision
State the question you need help answering and any date that may matter. Explain whether that date came from a notice, a contract, or your own assumption. Do not let AI calculate an unverified legal deadline.
Keep the chronology short
Select the events that explain the dispute and give each a source reference. Preserve uncertain dates and competing accounts. Put detailed background in an appendix rather than forcing it into the opening paragraph.
Separate generated material
Label AI-suggested issues, possible authorities, and unverified calculations. Include the underlying facts so the reviewer can independently assess them. A generated conclusion should not appear in the verified-facts column.
List missing items
Identify documents requested but not received and questions the other side has not answered. A concise gap list lets the adviser prioritize follow-up rather than discovering omissions during the meeting.
A record you can use
- Decision or question
- Key event and source
- Disputed fact
- Missing record
- AI suggestion requiring review
Keep this record locally. Use document references rather than publishing account numbers or other people's personal details. An empty field means the information is still missing; it should not be filled with an AI guess.
Worked example
A fictional customer brings a one-page delivery timeline, three receipts, and a marked draft complaint. The summary says the model suggested a consumer-law issue but no authority has been verified. The lawyer can start with the agreement and payment record instead of first untangling invented legal statements.
This example is fictional and illustrates the method, not a real case result.
Limits and next steps
Do not include passwords, full financial identifiers, or unrelated medical history in a general intake message. Use the recipient's approved method for confidential records and confirm what they need before sending a large bundle.
Keep the original documents and the final summary version together. After the consultation, record corrections and agreed next steps without rewriting earlier notes as though those corrections were known from the beginning.