Prompt: Explain a Contract Clause to a Client in Plain English
Turns a contract clause you paste into a short plain-English client letter. It covers only what the clause says and how it touches the facts you supply, and the next steps are yours, not the model's.
The Prompt
Variables (9)
| Variable | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| {{attorney_name_and_firm}} | Attorney Name and Firm | Maria Chen, Chen & Alvarez LLP |
| {{client_name}} | Client Name | Tom Reyes |
| {{current_date}} | Today's Date | 2026-10-02 |
| {{concept}} | Concept to Explain | the indemnification clause in his first commercial lease |
| {{client_facts}} | Client Facts | Tom runs a two-person bakery, signs his first lease next week, and is worried about hidden costs. |
| {{next_steps}} | Next Steps | Send me the landlord's insurance requirements before Friday so we can review them together. |
| {{instructions}} | Instructions | Friendly tone. No more than 300 words. |
| {{clause_text}} | Clause Text | Lease, Section 14.1: "Tenant shall indemnify Landlord against claims arising from Tenant's use of the Premises." |
| {{governing_text}} | Governing Text (if any) | Section 9.2 of the parties' prior agreement: "Either party may terminate on written notice as stated in the Order Form." |
Expected Output
Part 1, attorney-only: fact register, conflicts, count check, cleared and held-back lists, word count, declined requests, missing information. Part 2: a client letter of 300 words or fewer with an optional analogy, what the clause says, what it means on the facts supplied, your next steps and a call invitation if you supplied contact details. Ends with a Verification list.
Usage Notes
Use for explaining one clause, such as indemnification or a termination right, to a client. Paste the clause verbatim and the facts as you know them, and state the next steps you want recommended. Watch for any sentence saying what a court would do or that a clause is typical; none should appear. Read the document part line by line before it leaves the office. Not legal advice. The attorney remains responsible for verifying every fact, figure and authority before use.
Double-check before use
- Compare each sentence of the letter about payments with the clause itself. In testing, a sentence about continuing payments that the clause did not state was once added.
These are the places where this prompt was seen to slip when tested on sample cases with a small AI model.
Originally featured in: Gemini 3.1 Pro for Lawyers: Best Prompts, Use Cases & Honest Review (2026)
Related Prompts
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Drafts a balanced mutual NDA in plain modern English from the terms you paste. Each clause is tested for one-sidedness, and any term you did not supply, such as a period or a carve-out, stays a blank for you.
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Draft a SaaS Indemnification Clause in the Style of Your Own Example Clauses
Reads the example clauses you paste, draws out their structure, defined-term habits and tone, and drafts a SaaS indemnification clause in that style. Every substantive term comes from your instructions, never from the examples.
* These prompts are drafting and analysis aids for licensed attorneys. They are not legal advice and do not replace professional judgment. AI output can contain errors, including invented citations and incorrect deadlines: verify every fact, figure, authority and deadline against primary sources before relying on it. Rules vary by jurisdiction, and you remain responsible for the final work product.