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
- Gather case materials and client objectives
- Draft executive overview accessible to non-lawyer stakeholders
- Build legal framework per cause of action/defense
- Map motion and discovery strategy to case schedule
- Assess settlement posture and risks
- 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
1---2name: legal-strategy-summary3description: Generates structured litigation strategy summaries synthesizing case facts, legal arguments, procedural tactics, and risk assessments into a unified roadmap. Use when aligning legal teams on case direction, preparing for strategy meetings, or onboarding stakeholders to litigation matters.4---5
6# Legal Strategy Summary
7
8Produces an internal strategic roadmap covering case posture, motion and discovery planning, settlement analysis, and prioritized action items.
9
10## Prerequisites
11
12- **Case materials** — complaints, answers, correspondence, prior orders, key exhibits
13- **Client objectives** — desired outcome, risk tolerance, budget constraints
14- **Jurisdictional context** — forum, governing law, pending procedural deadlines
15- **Party roles** — plaintiff/defendant/third-party posture and relationships
16
17## Quick Start
18
191. Gather case materials and client objectives
202. Draft executive overview accessible to non-lawyer stakeholders
213. Build legal framework per cause of action/defense
224. Map motion and discovery strategy to case schedule
235. Assess settlement posture and risks
246. Produce prioritized action items with owners and deadlines
25
26## Output Sections
27
28### 1. Executive Overview
29
30| Element | Content |
31|---|---|
32| Case nature | Dispute type, parties, forum |
33| Client position | Plaintiff/defendant posture summary |
34| Strategic goal | Primary objective — one sentence |
35| Key risk flag | Single biggest threat to success |
36
37No legal jargon without parenthetical explanation.
38
39### 2. Factual Background
40
41- Organize chronologically or thematically — whichever better supports the strategy
42- Cite specific documents/exhibits for each material fact
43- Flag disputed vs. undisputed facts
44- Omit facts that don't drive legal analysis
45
46### 3. Legal Framework
47
48Per cause of action or defense:
49
50| Component | Detail |
51|---|---|
52| Claim/defense | Name and statutory/common law basis |
53| Elements | Numbered required elements |
54| Burden | Who bears it; standard (preponderance, clear & convincing, etc.) |
55| Controlling authority | Key statutes, lead cases |
56| Strengths | Favorable facts and law |
57| Weaknesses | Gaps, adverse facts, unfavorable precedent |
58| Counterarguments | Anticipated opposition arguments and rebuttals |
59
60### 4. Motion Strategy
61
62Per anticipated motion:
63
64- **Motion** — type
65- **Legal basis** — rule/statute
66- **Strategic purpose** — dispositive, narrow issues, force disclosure, etc.
67- **Timing** — when to file relative to case schedule
68- **Success likelihood** — High/Medium/Low with one-line rationale
69
70### 5. Discovery Strategy
71
72| Category | Plan |
73|---|---|
74| Must obtain | Key documents/testimony needed; from whom |
75| Must protect | Privilege, work product, trade secrets |
76| Offensive use | How discovery strengthens affirmative case |
77| Defensive use | Limiting opponent's discovery leverage |
78| ESI considerations | Preservation obligations, custodians, date ranges |
79
80### 6. Settlement & ADR Assessment
81
82- Settlement posture and recommended range (if assessable)
83- Optimal timing for discussions
84- ADR suitability — mediation, arbitration, early neutral evaluation
85- BATNA — best/worst/likely trial outcomes vs. settlement value
86
87### 7. Risk Assessment
88
89| Risk Factor | Rating | Impact | Mitigation |
90|---|---|---|---|
91| Liability exposure | H/M/L | $ range or outcome | Reduction strategy |
92| Adverse ruling on key motion | H/M/L | Effect on case | Fallback approach |
93| Witness credibility | H/M/L | Claims affected | Corroboration plan |
94| Cost trajectory | H/M/L | Estimated burn rate | Cost controls |
95
96### 8. Action Items
97
98Per item: **Action**, **Owner** (if identifiable), **Deadline** (date or trigger), **Priority** (Critical / High / Standard).
99
100## Pitfalls & Checks
101
102- Assess strengths and weaknesses candidly — this is internal strategy, not advocacy
103- Cite specific evidence and authority for every recommendation; no unsupported assertions
104- Flag critical deadlines (SOL, response deadlines, scheduling order dates) prominently
105- Mark unverified governing law or jurisdiction-specific rules with `[VERIFY]`
106- Adapt section depth to case complexity — early-stage summaries may have lighter discovery/motion sections
107- Reference privileged communications by date and subject only; never quote verbatim
108
109---
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