Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini have the potential to dramatically boost productivity -- even for highly specialized professionals like legal and contract operations teams. But the value you get from AI depends on how clearly you communicate with it. Effective AI prompts are the difference between vague, generic responses and outputs that are accurate, actionable, and useful in real legal workflows.
Writing effective prompts is a skill that helps you get more relevant, actionable, and high-quality results. Knowing how to write AI prompts is now a practical requirement for modern legal teams using generative AI tools. Here are five key rules to help you get the most out of generative AI (genAI) tools, including LinkSquares generative AI.
Lawyers are trained not to be vague when crafting legal documents. The same rule applies to writing genAI prompts. The same rule applies to writing effective AI prompts. The more clearly you describe what you want -- and why you want it -- the better the output will be. Avoid general questions and clearly define the task. This is one of the most important AI prompt best practices for legal and contract use cases, where precision directly impacts quality.
Instead of:
"Tell me about contract automation"
Try:
"Explain how contract automation reduces administrative workload for in-house legal teams in under 100 words."
Be sure to include the goal of the task so the AI understands how to tailor its response.
AI works best when it understands who it’s writing for and what role it should play. Let it know whether the content is meant for internal teams, external stakeholders, legal professionals, executives, or the United States Supreme Court (in which case you will absolutely want to triple-check the output). Providing audience context is one of the most effective AI prompt rules for improving tone, relevance, and clarity.
Instead of:
"Summarize the benefits of contract lifecycle management software."
Try:
"Write a summary of the benefits of contract lifecycle management software for a CFO unfamiliar with legal tech, using a confident and persuasive tone."
Structure helps the AI deliver exactly what you need. Whether it’s a bulleted list, table, short paragraph, or email draft, be explicit about the desired format (especially if the court of jurisdiction has explicit style guidelines). Moreover, you'd use a much different tone when trying to elicit a concession than when terminating a contract for cause. The AI needs to know that, too.
Instead of:
"What are the pros and cons of using AI in legal departments?"
Try:
"Create a table with two columns -- ‘Benefit’ and ‘Risk’ -- listing three pros and three cons of using AI in legal departments. Write in a neutral, informative tone."
For more complex requests, it’s better to guide the AI step-by-step rather than asking for everything at once. You can also treat your prompt as a conversation and refine the output over multiple follow-ups. This approach reflects how legal professionals already work and is one of the most reliable ways to improve generative AI prompts over time.
Start with:
"Draft three possible assignment clauses for a standard software-as-a-service master services agreement."
Then follow up with:
"Choose the clause with the most conservative approach to rights of assignment."
Finish with:
"Elaborate on the rights of assignment if and when the SaaS provider is sold to a new ownership group."
Treat AI as a collaborative assistant, not a one-and-done tool.
Prompt writing is a process. Even small tweaks in wording can lead to better results, so don’t be afraid to experiment. Over time, testing and refinement turn prompt examples for AI into reliable, reusable templates that support consistency across legal workflows.
Framework:
The more consistent your prompting strategy, the more consistent your AI results will be.
Effective prompting isn’t about using arcane or technical language (sorry, lawyers) -- it’s about clear communication. With just a few simple rules, you can dramatically improve the quality of your AI-generated work and make these tools a reliable part of your daily workflow.
Want to see how legal and contract teams are using AI to work smarter? Contact LinkSquares today.