Start with the right question
A contract summary can sound clear while missing the exception that changes an obligation. Start with a complete document set and a narrow question, such as which events trigger renewal. The useful output is a list of passages to inspect, not an instruction to sign.
Work through the checks
Identify the version
Record the draft date, parties, attachment list, and whether amendments exist. A review of an earlier draft may be internally accurate but irrelevant to the agreement now under discussion.
Trace obligations
Ask for a clause reference beside each payment, notice, renewal, or termination statement. Read the full referenced paragraph and any definition it uses. Mark unsupported conclusions for human review.
Test exceptions
Look for phrases that qualify the apparent rule: exclusions, approval requirements, notice conditions, and referenced schedules. Check whether the summary treats a conditional obligation as an unconditional promise.
Separate interpretation
Keep the document's wording, your business concern, and a legal question in separate columns. A model's view of fairness or enforceability should not be converted into a verified legal conclusion.
A record you can use
- Document version and attachment list
- Clause number and exact concern
- AI statement and supporting passage
- Exception or missing definition
- Reviewer and unresolved question
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 service agreement renews annually unless notice is given under a separate notice clause. The AI summary says cancellation is available at any time. The reviewer records the renewal paragraph and notice cross-reference, labels the summary unsupported, and asks counsel about the practical cancellation process before relying on it.
This example is fictional and illustrates the method, not a real case result.
Limits and next steps
Do not upload a confidential agreement without checking permission and provider terms. Missing attachments, governing-law questions, and negotiated side letters can change the analysis. This checklist is not a substitute for contract advice.
Take the annotated document and a short issue list to the person authorized to approve the agreement. Retain the AI output so its errors can be corrected rather than silently forgotten.
Official guidance to check
- NIST AI risk framework — a framework for managing AI risks, not a contract-law opinion.