Legal Strategy Summary

Produces an internal strategic roadmap covering case posture, motion and discovery planning, settlement analysis, and prioritized action items.

Prerequisites

• Case materials — complaints, answers, correspondence, prior orders, key exhibits
• Client objectives — desired outcome, risk tolerance, budget constraints
• Jurisdictional context — forum, governing law, pending procedural deadlines
• Party roles — plaintiff/defendant/third-party posture and relationships

Quick Start

1. Gather case materials and client objectives
2. Draft executive overview accessible to non-lawyer stakeholders
3. Build legal framework per cause of action/defense
4. Map motion and discovery strategy to case schedule
5. Assess settlement posture and risks
6. Produce prioritized action items with owners and deadlines

Output Sections

1. Executive Overview

| Element | Content | |---|---| | Case nature | Dispute type, parties, forum | | Client position | Plaintiff/defendant posture summary | | Strategic goal | Primary objective — one sentence | | Key risk flag | Single biggest threat to success |

No legal jargon without parenthetical explanation.

2. Factual Background

• Organize chronologically or thematically — whichever better supports the strategy
• Cite specific documents/exhibits for each material fact
• Flag disputed vs. undisputed facts
• Omit facts that don't drive legal analysis

3. Legal Framework

Per cause of action or defense:

| Component | Detail | |---|---| | Claim/defense | Name and statutory/common law basis | | Elements | Numbered required elements | | Burden | Who bears it; standard (preponderance, clear & convincing, etc.) | | Controlling authority | Key statutes, lead cases | | Strengths | Favorable facts and law | | Weaknesses | Gaps, adverse facts, unfavorable precedent | | Counterarguments | Anticipated opposition arguments and rebuttals |

4. Motion Strategy

Per anticipated motion:

• Motion — type
• Legal basis — rule/statute
• Strategic purpose — dispositive, narrow issues, force disclosure, etc.
• Timing — when to file relative to case schedule
• Success likelihood — High/Medium/Low with one-line rationale

5. Discovery Strategy

| Category | Plan | |---|---| | Must obtain | Key documents/testimony needed; from whom | | Must protect | Privilege, work product, trade secrets | | Offensive use | How discovery strengthens affirmative case | | Defensive use | Limiting opponent's discovery leverage | | ESI considerations | Preservation obligations, custodians, date ranges |

6. Settlement & ADR Assessment

• Settlement posture and recommended range (if assessable)
• Optimal timing for discussions
• ADR suitability — mediation, arbitration, early neutral evaluation
• BATNA — best/worst/likely trial outcomes vs. settlement value

7. Risk Assessment

| Risk Factor | Rating | Impact | Mitigation | |---|---|---|---| | Liability exposure | H/M/L | $ range or outcome | Reduction strategy | | Adverse ruling on key motion | H/M/L | Effect on case | Fallback approach | | Witness credibility | H/M/L | Claims affected | Corroboration plan | | Cost trajectory | H/M/L | Estimated burn rate | Cost controls |

8. Action Items

Per item: Action, Owner (if identifiable), Deadline (date or trigger), Priority (Critical / High / Standard).

Pitfalls & Checks

• Assess strengths and weaknesses candidly — this is internal strategy, not advocacy
• Cite specific evidence and authority for every recommendation; no unsupported assertions
• Flag critical deadlines (SOL, response deadlines, scheduling order dates) prominently
• Mark unverified governing law or jurisdiction-specific rules with [VERIFY]
• Adapt section depth to case complexity — early-stage summaries may have lighter discovery/motion sections
• Reference privileged communications by date and subject only; never quote verbatim

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