CaseMark Legal Strategy Summary
Synthesizes facts, law, procedure, and risk into one litigation roadmap.
Prerequisites
Gather before drafting:
- Core record — pleadings/draft claims, key exhibits, correspondence, timeline
- Objectives — client goals, acceptable outcomes, constraints, settlement posture
- Forum — jurisdiction, governing law, procedural posture
- Deadlines — filed/upcoming dates, limitations periods, scheduling order
- Known gaps — missing documents, witnesses, unresolved disputes
Output Sections
Keep each section concise and evidence-linked.
1) Executive Overview
| Field | Content |
|---|---|
| Matter | Short case descriptor |
| Posture | Stage and next critical event |
| Client objective | Primary objective and fallback |
| Strategic thesis | One-sentence theory of the case |
| Top risks | 3–5 highest-impact risks |
| Immediate decisions | 3–5 decisions needed now |
2) Key Facts
| Date/Period | Fact | Source | Disputed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes/No |
3) Issues, Claims, Defenses
| Issue | Claim/Defense | Element | Supporting Facts | Gaps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
4) Legal Authority Snapshot
| Issue | Standard | Authority | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
5) Argument Map
| Argument | Best Fact Support | Likely Counter | Rebuttal |
|---|---|---|---|
6) Procedural Strategy
| Motion/Step | Timing | Legal Basis | Purpose | Success Likelihood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
7) Discovery Strategy
| Target | Method | Purpose | Risk/Objection | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Discovery checklist:
- Confirm litigation hold and custodian identification
- Map repositories and privilege boundaries
- Plan deposition order and key admissions
- Define expert needs and retention timing
8) Settlement / ADR Posture
| Option | Timing | Leverage | Risks | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
9) Risk and Outcome Assessment
| Scenario | Probability | Exposure/Recovery | Key Drivers |
|---|---|---|---|
10) Deadlines and Triggers
| Deadline/Trigger | Date | Source | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
11) Open Questions
| Question | Why It Matters | Owner | Target Date |
|---|---|---|---|
12) Next Steps
| Task | Owner | Due Date |
|---|---|---|
Checks
- Cite record sources for every material fact or inference.
- Mark uncertain authority with
[VERIFY]. - Keep the strategic thesis consistent across motions, discovery, and settlement sections.
- Separate known facts from allegations and disputed issues.
- Flag jurisdiction-specific rules and procedural traps.
- Provide candid strengths and weaknesses — do not overstate success likelihood.
- Exclude privileged content beyond what strategy requires.