How can you prompt AI to draft an engagement letter outlining scope and fees

The Prompt

Draft an engagement letter for representing [client] in [matter type].

Scope of representation: [specifically what's included and excluded]
Fee structure: [hourly/flat/contingency, rate, retainer amount]
Other required terms: [conflicts disclosure, termination terms, applicable jurisdiction's required language]

Write in plain language a non-lawyer client can understand, while keeping the terms precise enough to be enforceable.

Why This Prompt Works

Fee disputes are one of the most common sources of attorney-client conflict, and most of them trace back to scope or fee ambiguity in the engagement letter — an explicit “included and excluded” scope section closes the most common gap.

How to Customize It

Insert your jurisdiction’s specific required engagement-letter language (many bars mandate certain disclosures) — the model won’t know your bar’s specific rules unless you supply them. For a flat-fee or contingency matter, spell out exactly what triggers additional billing, since that’s the fee-structure detail clients most often assume differently from what the firm intended.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don’t skip attorney review of the final letter against your jurisdiction’s ethics rules — required disclosures vary by state and this is a compliance document, not just a communication one. Also avoid leaving the termination terms vague; both sides benefit from knowing up front how the relationship can end and what happens to work in progress if it does.

Bottom Line

A strong engagement-letter prompt makes scope explicit about what’s excluded, not just included, and still requires a final compliance check against your jurisdiction’s specific bar rules.