There’s a right way (and a wrong way) to use AI tools for your law firm’s content creation. It’s possible to get authoritative, engaging, and human-sounding results…if you know how to prompt the AI tool.
One note: AI is a multifaceted topic. There are ethical, environmental, and privacy concerns related to the use of AI tools. Many firms are already using tools like Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini to produce content for their legal websites. This article will focus on how to get the best results out of AI tools, not on whether or not you should use them.
This post will show you how to guide AI tools to generate quality, personalized content for your law firm’s website, without losing your unique voice.
The basics of AI content creation
New to the process of AI content creation? Need a refresher? Start here.
How does it work? AI tools need three things to work: a prompt, a dataset, and a model. With these, an AI tool can create something new. It will analyze your request and then create a response based on the data it has access to and the rules of the model. All AI tools are different.
What are the benefits? Time savings is the big one. AI can drastically cut your content creation time. It can help with outlining and drafting so you can edit and fine-tune the voice faster.
What are the challenges? Accuracy and innovation. AI has been known to fabricate facts, which is why human reviews and fact-checking are critical. AI also works from existing data sets (and articles), which means it tends to regurgitate something that already exists rather than creating something unique and relevant to your specific audience. This is where clear prompting comes in.
In other words, use AI to generate drafts or outlines, then add your legal expertise, fact-check, and ensure the output complies with regulations and reflects your firm’s focus.
How to make AI sound like your brand
AI mimics. So, give it something excellent and branded to mimic.
Seriously, you need to get bossy! Your prompt should tell AI exactly what you want it to do. The better the prompt, the better the output.
A good AI prompt should include:
- Sample content: Your firm’s branded content or example content you want to emulate
- Specific guidance: Tone, length, structure, word count, and other rules
Here’s an example:
Write a 1,000-word article on estate planning, targeting mid-aged professionals in the southeast US. The tone should be informative but approachable. Use plain language and a clear structure so it’s easily scannable. Include actionable tips and examples. Our firm focuses on public service professionals, such as teachers and firefighters, so please use language, scenarios, and tips that are relevant to this audience.
Keep providing feedback. If the AI tool didn’t quite hit the mark, ask it to adjust certain elements until the content feels authentic.
Overcome AI’s limits with careful human oversight
AI is not meant to replace human creativity or oversight. Do not allow AI to substitute for common sense or legal expertise.
Have a human check the results: AI can handle language well, but it doesn’t have a law degree. Check for accuracy and relevance to your audience.
Collaborate, don’t delegate: AI is a subordinate that needs supervision. You can’t just hand off tasks and then turn away. Instead, collaborate by blending AI’s efficiency with your own human expertise. Do some heavy lifting of your own, and AI’s results will be so much better.
Quality control: You might get a nice-sounding article, but is it serving your business’s needs? Does the grammar align with your style guide? A human editor and a marketing advisor can make a good article great.
Try creating a checklist for your firm to assess AI content based on your needs.
Is it accurate?
Is it representative?
Is it appropriate?
For instance, new regulations or regional specificities may require extra human attention to ensure accuracy. AI might be out of date, or it may fail to account for GDPR and other privacy considerations.
Review and next steps
AI is not a permission slip to mentally check out.
AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini can be a game-changer for legal firms, but they need to be treated as collaborators, not creators.
Your content should resonate with clients and prospects. Experiment with AI to see what results you can achieve, focusing on clear prompts followed by human oversight. Develop a process that works for your firm. Let AI handle the busy work, but remember that the heart of the message is up to you.
Our attorney website consultants are humans, not robots. Whether you’re concerned about AI searches or interested in AI content generation, book your consultation today.
