Top 10 AI Prompts for Lawyers Doing Legal Research

Unlock Faster, Smarter Legal Analysis with These Real-World Prompts

🧠 A Personal Note from a Fellow Lawyer

When I first heard about using AI to “do legal research,” I rolled my eyes. I had flashbacks of clunky legal tech tools that promised everything and delivered nothing. But a few months ago, on a particularly brutal Monday morning, I was staring down a stack of cases I needed to brief before noon. Out of curiosity (and, let’s be honest, desperation), I typed a prompt into ChatGPT. The result? A clean, clear summary that gave me exactly what I needed — fast.

Since then, I’ve been refining a set of AI prompts that now live in a sticky note on my desktop. These prompts save me hours every week and help me deliver better, faster answers to clients and colleagues. This post is for every lawyer who’s just getting started with AI and wants to use it like a pro — starting with one of the most powerful applications: legal research.

Whether you’re a solo practitioner, junior associate, or legal tech enthusiast, these 10 prompts will help you get smarter answers, reduce research time, and build stronger arguments — without sacrificing accuracy or judgment.

📚 Why Legal Research is the Perfect Starting Point for AI

AI doesn’t replace deep legal reasoning — but it supercharges your preparation. Think of it as a really fast, really well-read research assistant who works 24/7. Whether you’re summarizing a landmark case, comparing statutes, or just trying to untangle legalese, these prompts give you a powerful head start.

Let’s dive in.

⚖️ Top 10 AI Prompts for Legal Research (with Explanations & Use Cases)

1. “Summarize the key facts, legal issue, ruling, and reasoning in [Case Name].”

💡 Why it’s valuable: This prompt gives you a clean, structured summary of any major case without wading through pages of legal opinion.

📌 Use case: Great for getting a quick grip on precedent while prepping memos or litigation strategy.

✅ Structure it like this:

Case: Brown v. Board of Education
Focus: “with emphasis on Equal Protection clause interpretation under the 14th Amendment.”

2. “What are the elements required to prove [legal claim] in [jurisdiction]?”

💡 Why it’s valuable: Breaks down the legal test into its core components — crucial for any complaint, defense, or memo.

📌 Use case: You’re drafting a negligence claim in California and want to be sure you’ve covered duty, breach, causation, and damages.

✅ Tip: Add “and how courts have interpreted them” to get nuances from case law.

3. “Compare [Case A] and [Case B] on how they address [specific legal issue].”

💡 Why it’s valuable: Spot key differences in judicial reasoning. Helps when distinguishing or analogizing cases.

📌 Use case: You’re writing a motion and need to argue why Smith v. Jones is more applicable than Anderson v. Smith.

✅ Bonus: Ask for a comparison chart or bullet list to make differences crystal clear.

4. “What is the legal standard for [issue] under [Statute] or [Regulation]?”

💡 Why it’s valuable: Pulls out the most relevant rule from a sea of text.

📌 Use case: You’re advising a client on ADA compliance and want a clear standard from 29 CFR § 1630.

✅ Structure it: Add “explain in plain English” if you need to translate for clients later.

5. “Identify relevant precedent cases for [issue] in [jurisdiction], and summarize the holding in each.”

💡 Why it’s valuable: Acts as a first-pass caselaw survey.

📌 Use case: You’re researching implied warranties in New York and want to know which decisions courts lean on.

✅ Tip: Add “supporting the position that…” to tailor it toward your argument.

6. “Summarize the legislative history and intent behind [Law or Statute].”

💡 Why it’s valuable: Gives context that can help with statutory interpretation and persuasive writing.

📌 Use case: You’re interpreting the Fair Credit Reporting Act and want to know why Congress enacted certain provisions.

✅ Add-on: Ask for key moments (hearings, amendments, etc.) and how they shaped the law.

7. “Explain how [legal doctrine] has evolved over time, with key cases that contributed to its development.”

💡 Why it’s valuable: Provides a mini-treatise on doctrine evolution.

📌 Use case: You’re writing about the changing standard of qualified immunity and want to track major SCOTUS decisions.

✅ Structure it: Ask for a timeline or decade-by-decade summary.

8. “Given the following fact pattern: [insert], identify all possible legal issues and claims.”

💡 Why it’s valuable: Functions like an issue-spotting assistant — especially helpful for early-stage case evals.

📌 Use case: You’re screening a potential client’s case and want to be sure you haven’t missed a viable claim.

✅ Tip: The more specific your fact pattern, the better the issue spotting.

9. “Summarize recent case law developments in [area] in the last [6/12/24] months.”

💡 Why it’s valuable: Keeps you ahead of legal trends and evolving interpretations.

📌 Use case: You’re preparing a CLE talk or advising clients in fast-changing areas like data privacy or employment law.

✅ Ask for: Bullet points or a timeline with case names and takeaways.

10. “What are the best secondary sources (articles, treatises, commentaries) on [topic]?”

💡 Why it’s valuable: Helps you find deep, credible analysis to back your legal position.

📌 Use case: You’re diving into corporate veil-piercing and want guidance from respected authorities.

✅ Bonus: Ask for links or references to law reviews, textbooks, or practical guides.

🚀 Pro Tip: Add These Elements to Supercharge Your Prompt

Jurisdiction: Always specify the court or location if it matters (state vs. federal).
Perspective: Are you a plaintiff or defense attorney? Tailor the prompt accordingly.
Depth: Add “explain in plain English” or “include citations” depending on your audience.

🏁 What’s Next?

If this was helpful, stay tuned — we’ll be publishing the next sections soon:

10 AI Prompts for Contract Drafting
10 for Litigation Support
10 for Compliance
10 for Client Communication & Intake

And if you’re building workflows around AI, consider using these prompts inside your case management tools or document editors to really cut down research time.

And of course, check out what we are building. Our secure collaborative AI workspace lets you use all these prompts on all your cases 🚀 Try it now on whisperit.ai 👏