15 ChatGPT Prompts for Everyday Legal Letters and Contract Reviews
Fifteen prompts for drafting everyday legal letters and getting a plain-English first read on contracts -- for understanding, not a substitute for a solicitor.
This is not legal advice, and none of these prompts produce it. What they do is help you understand a document faster, and draft a clearer first version of a letter you’d otherwise stare at for an hour. For anything with real money, a real dispute, or a signature on the line, get a solicitor to look at the final version before you send or sign anything.
Most people’s actual legal problem isn’t the law — it’s that legal writing is deliberately dense, and staring at a page of it for the first time is intimidating enough that people put off dealing with it entirely. These prompts are aimed at that first hurdle.
Understanding a document before you sign it
Get a plain-English summary of a contract
Click any highlighted blank to fill it in before you copy.
Summarize this contract in plain English: what each party is agreeing to do, what happens if either side doesn't, and how either party can end the agreement. Do not give legal advice or tell me whether to sign -- just explain what it says.
CONTRACT TEXT:
[paste the contract]Find the clauses that actually matter
Click any highlighted blank to fill it in before you copy.
Read this contract and list the 5 clauses most likely to matter in practice (things like liability limits, termination notice, auto-renewal, exclusivity, payment terms). For each one, quote the relevant sentence and explain in one line what it means for me practically.
CONTRACT TEXT:
[paste the contract]Spot unusual terms
Click any highlighted blank to fill it in before you copy.
Compare this contract's terms, in general terms, against what's typical for [type of agreement, e.g. "a freelance web design contract"]. Flag anything that looks unusually one-sided or non-standard, and explain why it stands out. This is a comparison exercise, not legal advice.
CONTRACT TEXT:
[paste the contract]Turn legal jargon into a question list
Click any highlighted blank to fill it in before you copy.
Read this document and list every term or clause I would reasonably need explained by a solicitor before I could give informed consent to sign it. Phrase each as a specific question, not a vague "ask about this."
DOCUMENT TEXT:
[paste the document]Drafting everyday letters
Write a formal complaint letter
Click any highlighted blank to fill it in before you copy.
Write a formal complaint letter about [describe the issue]. The tone should be firm and factual, not angry. Include: what happened, when, what I've already tried, and what outcome I want. Keep it under 300 words.Draft a letter before action (a warning before escalating)
Click any highlighted blank to fill it in before you copy.
I need to write a letter to [who] warning them that I intend to take further action (such as [action, e.g. "a small claims court case" / "reporting to a regulator"]) if [issue] isn't resolved by [date]. Draft this clearly and factually. Note where I should have a solicitor review this before sending, given the seriousness.Respond to a letter you’ve received
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I've received the letter below. Draft a response that addresses each point they raised, stays factual, and doesn't concede anything I haven't decided to concede. Flag any point where you think I should get legal advice before responding.
LETTER RECEIVED:
[paste the letter]Write a notice to end an agreement
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Draft a notice to end [type of agreement, e.g. "a tenancy" / "a service contract"] giving the required notice period of [X weeks/months, if you know it -- otherwise ask me to check the original agreement]. Keep it formal and unambiguous about the date the agreement ends.Document a dispute as it happens
Click any highlighted blank to fill it in before you copy.
Help me write a factual, dated record of an ongoing dispute with [who], to keep as evidence. I'll give you events out of order and in casual language -- turn each into a neutral, dated log entry without adding interpretation or blame.
EVENTS:
[describe what happened, in whatever order]Consumer and everyday situations
Understand your rights before a return or refund dispute
Click any highlighted blank to fill it in before you copy.
I bought [item/service] and the issue is [describe the problem]. In general terms, what factors typically matter in a consumer dispute like this (e.g. time since purchase, whether the item was faulty vs. changed my mind)? Remind me that specific rights depend on jurisdiction and I should confirm with an official consumer rights source.Draft a refund request
Click any highlighted blank to fill it in before you copy.
Write a refund request email for [describe the situation]. State the issue, what I've already tried, what resolution I want, and a reasonable deadline for a response. Polite but not apologetic.Understand terms and conditions before agreeing
Click any highlighted blank to fill it in before you copy.
Summarize the key points of these terms and conditions that a typical user would actually want to know before clicking "agree" -- things like data use, cancellation terms, and liability. Skip the boilerplate.
TERMS TEXT:
[paste the terms]Working with a solicitor more efficiently
Prepare a clear brief before a paid consultation
Click any highlighted blank to fill it in before you copy.
I have a solicitor consultation coming up about [issue]. Help me prepare a one-page brief: a timeline of what happened, the documents I have, my main question, and what outcome I'm hoping for. This is so I use the paid time efficiently, not so I can skip getting advice.Turn a rambling explanation into a clear timeline
Click any highlighted blank to fill it in before you copy.
I'm going to describe a situation out of order and with a lot of asides. Turn it into a clean, dated timeline of events only -- no interpretation, no blame, just what happened and when.
SITUATION:
[describe what happened]List questions to ask before signing anything
Click any highlighted blank to fill it in before you copy.
I'm about to sign [type of document]. Before I do, list the questions a careful person would want answered first -- things about cost, obligations, exit terms, and liability. This is a prompt to make sure I ask a professional the right things, not a replacement for asking them.Frequently asked questions
Can I use ChatGPT instead of a solicitor?
No, and none of these prompts are designed to let you. They’re designed to make you a better-prepared client — someone who understands the document, has organised their timeline, and knows what questions to ask — so the time you do spend with a solicitor is more useful, not so you can avoid them.
Is it safe to paste a real contract into a chat tool?
Check the tool’s data policy first, and remove names, account numbers, and other identifying details where you can before pasting anything sensitive. Treat it the same way you’d treat any other document you’re sending to a third-party service.
Why do the prompts keep saying “this isn’t legal advice”?
Because it genuinely isn’t, and the risk of someone treating a plausible-sounding AI answer as settled legal fact is real. The value here is speed and clarity on the parts that don’t require a licensed professional’s judgment — the moment real judgment is needed, that’s a solicitor’s job.
Frequently asked
Questions this article answers
How do you get a plain-English summary of a contract?
Summarize this contract in plain English: what each party is agreeing to do, what happens if either side doesn't, and how either party can end the agreement. Do not give legal advice or tell me whether to sign -- just explain what it says. CONTRACT TEXT: [paste the contract]
How do you find the clauses that actually matter?
Read this contract and list the 5 clauses most likely to matter in practice (things like liability limits, termination notice, auto-renewal, exclusivity, payment terms). For each one, quote the relevant sentence and explain in one line what it means for me practically. CONTRACT TEXT: [paste the contract]
How do you turn legal jargon into a question list?
Read this document and list every term or clause I would reasonably need explained by a solicitor before I could give informed consent to sign it. Phrase each as a specific question, not a vague "ask about this." DOCUMENT TEXT: [paste the document]
How do you write a formal complaint letter?
Write a formal complaint letter about [describe the issue]. The tone should be firm and factual, not angry. Include: what happened, when, what I've already tried, and what outcome I want. Keep it under 300 words.
How do you draft a letter before action (a warning before escalating)?
I need to write a letter to [who] warning them that I intend to take further action (such as [action, e.g. "a small claims court case" / "reporting to a regulator"]) if [issue] isn't resolved by [date]. Draft this clearly and factually. Note where I should have a solicitor review this before sending, given the seriousness.
How do you write a notice to end an agreement?
Draft a notice to end [type of agreement, e.g. "a tenancy" / "a service contract"] giving the required notice period of [X weeks/months, if you know it -- otherwise ask me to check the original agreement]. Keep it formal and unambiguous about the date the agreement ends.
How do you understand your rights before a return or refund dispute?
I bought [item/service] and the issue is [describe the problem]. In general terms, what factors typically matter in a consumer dispute like this (e.g. time since purchase, whether the item was faulty vs. changed my mind)? Remind me that specific rights depend on jurisdiction and I should confirm with an official consumer rights source.
How do you draft a refund request?
Write a refund request email for [describe the situation]. State the issue, what I've already tried, what resolution I want, and a reasonable deadline for a response. Polite but not apologetic.
How do you understand terms and conditions before agreeing?
Summarize the key points of these terms and conditions that a typical user would actually want to know before clicking "agree" -- things like data use, cancellation terms, and liability. Skip the boilerplate. TERMS TEXT: [paste the terms]
How do you prepare a clear brief before a paid consultation?
I have a solicitor consultation coming up about [issue]. Help me prepare a one-page brief: a timeline of what happened, the documents I have, my main question, and what outcome I'm hoping for. This is so I use the paid time efficiently, not so I can skip getting advice.
How do you turn a rambling explanation into a clear timeline?
I'm going to describe a situation out of order and with a lot of asides. Turn it into a clean, dated timeline of events only -- no interpretation, no blame, just what happened and when. SITUATION: [describe what happened]
Can I use ChatGPT instead of a solicitor?
No, and none of these prompts are designed to let you. They're designed to make you a better-prepared client -- someone who understands the document, has organised their timeline, and knows what questions to ask -- so the time you do spend with a solicitor is more useful, not so you can avoid them.
Is it safe to paste a real contract into a chat tool?
Check the tool's data policy first, and remove names, account numbers, and other identifying details where you can before pasting anything sensitive. Treat it the same way you'd treat any other document you're sending to a third-party service.
Why do the prompts keep saying "this isn't legal advice"?
Because it genuinely isn't, and the risk of someone treating a plausible-sounding AI answer as settled legal fact is real. The value here is speed and clarity on the parts that don't require a licensed professional's judgment -- the moment real judgment is needed, that's a solicitor's job.