GenAI has enormous potential for legal teams—but unlocking that potential starts with knowing how to effectively work with it. Many legal professionals are tempted to approach GenAI like a search engine rather than as a powerful tool to analyze and apply reasoning to their legal work. Effective prompting demands precise problem framing, strategic output guidance, and careful application of legal judgment to this evolving capability. As more legal departments adopt GenAI solutions, this skill has become essential for both innovation initiatives and everyday legal work.
At Factor, we specialize in AI enablement for in-house legal teams. We help shift mindsets from skepticism to confidence, build practical competency, and elevate baseline AI proficiency across legal departments. These prompting techniques reflect what we've learned from helping hundreds of legal professionals move from theory to practical application with GenAI tools.
1. Give it the whole story.
The more context you provide, the better the output. Like a human collaborator, GenAI responds best when it understands the full picture. Don't be afraid to share background, goals, or extra details.
2. Let it ask you questions.
If you're unsure how to frame your prompt, ask GenAI to guide the conversation. Try: "What would help you answer this better?" or "What more do you need to know?"
3. Assign a role.
Tell GenAI who it is: a collaborative contract negotiator, a skeptical GC, or a junior associate. This helps it shape tone, content, and priorities.
4. Show what 'good' looks like.
If you have a preferred format, tone, or structure, show it. Sharing examples helps GenAI better understand your expectations and produce more aligned results.
5. Give lots of feedback.
Treat GenAI like a collaborative assistant. If a response is too long, too generic, or misses the point, say so. Asking for revisions helps tailor the result to your needs.
6. Challenge it to do more.
Once the main task is complete, ask GenAI to help with the next step. For example: draft a follow-up email, suggest actions, or repackage the output for a different audience.
7. Invite pushback.
GenAI can often be too agreeable. Ask it to critique your thinking, find flaws, or offer alternative viewpoints. It's a great way to pressure-test ideas.
8. Use it daily.
Research indicates that regular interaction and familiarity with GenAI accelerates productive use. Make it a point to try it once a day, whether it is within sanctioned work platforms or in your personal life.
9. Switch up your inputs.
Use voice monologues, screenshots of slides, or uploaded documents. Sometimes it's easier to show than to tell—and multi-modal inputs can improve accuracy and clarity.
10. Check its work!
We are biased to believe well-written, tech-produced content. Always check GenAI's work; when you find an inaccuracy, you may also find ways to prompt better.
11. Explore the space.
Use GenAI to help think creatively. If you don’t know exactly what you want, go broad first: “Give me 5 different ways...” “What are 3 completely unique approaches...” “Offer 10, increasingly radical options...”
Want to help your legal team build the confidence and competence needed to integrate AI into their workflows? Find out more about our Sensemaker Academy.
