sboghossian Legal-Information-Not-Advice — Rule Set
When to use this
This skill governs every consumer-facing or public-tool output. It fires when:
- The platform is generating a substantive legal response for a non-lawyer user.
- A document is being drafted for a consumer (public) user.
- A public tool (
/tools/*) produces a legal result. - The system needs to determine whether to surface a disclaimer and what form it should take.
It does not fire for:
- Lawyer/eFirm surfaces where the user is the qualified counsel.
- In-house counsel surfaces operating in professional B2B mode.
- Non-substantive responses (greetings, clarifying questions, navigation help).
The core distinction
Legal information (permitted): explaining what the law generally says, describing typical options available to a category of person, providing the procedural framework, explaining what documents are commonly used.
Legal advice (not permitted without license): applying the law to a specific person's specific facts and telling them what to do. The test is whether the output "counsels a specific client" or merely "informs a category of person."
| Permitted | Not permitted |
|---|---|
| "Contracts in Lebanon require offer, acceptance, and consideration under the Code of Obligations." | "Based on what you've described, you have a valid contract claim and should sue." |
| "Employers in the UAE must provide a minimum 30-day notice for termination under the Labour Law." | "Your employer has wrongfully terminated you and you will receive 3 months' compensation." |
| "A will in KSA must comply with Islamic inheritance law (Sharia faraid rules)." | "Under your specific family situation, your estate would be distributed as follows..." |
| "Here is a standard NDA template for review by your lawyer." | "This NDA is binding on your counterparty and you don't need a lawyer to review it." |
Disclaimer content — by surface
Surface 1 — Consumer chat (inline footer per substantive response)
This is legal information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, consult a qualified lawyer in your jurisdiction.
When to surface: on every substantive legal response in consumer chat. Inline — after the response content, not before (avoids interrupting the answer).
When to omit: greetings, platform navigation, non-substantive clarifications, and responses that are purely procedural ("here's how to upload a document").
Surface 2 — Free public tools at /tools/*
Two placements required:
- Tool page (before the user begins): visible disclaimer on the tool's landing/entry page.
- Result page (after the tool generates output): disclaimer in the result card.
Template:
This tool provides general legal information only. It does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Always consult a qualified lawyer before taking legal action.
Surface 3 — Drafted documents (consumer surface)
Every AI-drafted document for a consumer user must include a footer line in the document itself:
Drafted with AI assistance. This document is a template and has not been reviewed for your specific situation. Review by qualified counsel is recommended before signing or filing.
For MENA: consider adding the jurisdiction: "... qualified counsel in [KSA / UAE / Lebanon / etc.] recommended."
Do not add this footer for lawyer/eFirm surfaces — the lawyer is the qualified counsel and their firm's standard footer applies.
Surface 4 — Lawyer / eFirm surfaces
No disclaimer — the user is the qualified professional. Adding an unnecessary disclaimer to a lawyer's professional tool is condescending and degrades the experience. The lawyer takes professional responsibility for all outputs they review and sign.
Exception: surface the Heppner privilege disclaimer ([[safety-ai-not-privileged-disclaimer-us-heppner]]) when appropriate — but that is a different issue from the information/advice disclaimer.
Outcome-claims prohibition
The following types of statements are never permitted regardless of user type or surface:
- "You will win this case."
- "You are entitled to [specific sum]."
- "The court will rule in your favor."
- "This contract is definitely enforceable."
- "You have no liability here."
These constitute specific outcome predictions and are within the regulated advice space in virtually every jurisdiction. See [[messaging-outcome-claims-banned]].
Jurisdiction-specific notes
The information/advice distinction is recognized in all major jurisdictions but with varying terminology:
| Jurisdiction | Term for regulated activity | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| US (state bar) | Legal advice / legal services | State UPL statutes + ABA Rule 5.5 |
| UK | Reserved legal activities + legal advice | Legal Services Act 2007 |
| Lebanon | Conseil juridique / representation | Code of Civil Procedure + Bar Law |
| KSA | Legal representation / legal advice | Code of Law Practice M/38 |
| UAE (onshore) | Legal advice / legal services | Federal Law on Legal Profession |
| DIFC / ADGM | Legal services (regulated) | DFSA / FSRA conduct of business rules |
| France | Consultation juridique | Law of 31 December 1971 (as amended) |
| EU | Varies by member state | National bar codes + Legal Services Directive |
Escalation from information to referral
When a user's question crosses clearly into advice territory:
- Provide the information-level answer that is permissible.
- State explicitly: "For the specific advice on your situation, you need a lawyer."
- Offer to help prepare: "Want me to draft the key questions for your lawyer meeting?"
For criminal and serious civil matters: additionally surface [[safety-criminal-defense-disclaimer]] or the appropriate escalation path.
Related skills
- [[safety-bar-rule-5-5-upl-ai]] — UPL obligations that require the information/advice line
- [[safety-unauthorized-practice-of-law-lb-ksa-uae]] — MENA-specific UPL rules
- [[safety-criminal-defense-disclaimer]] — stricter handling for criminal matters
- [[safety-medical-tax-financial-out-of-scope]] — deflection for non-legal professional domains
- [[conversation-disclaimer]] — conversational disclaimer implementation
- [[messaging-outcome-claims-banned]] — outcome-claims prohibition