Prompt
Legal AI prompts: Strategy / Scenario
58 prompts you can paste straight into HAQQ or any other assistant. Every one is written out in full - open it, copy it, change the bracketed parts.
Exceptional Rent Law: Eviction and Extension PositionMemoExpertHousing & Tenancy
I act for the [landlord/tenant] in a residential property in [area] in Lebanon governed by the exceptional rent law. Facts: occupancy began [date], current rent [amount], estimated sale value of the premises [amount], tenant's position towards the Fund [beneficiary / not a beneficiary / applied once and never renewed]. Deliverables: 1. Determine whether the statutory extension years have run, computing each period from the date the law took effect. 2. Calculate the fair rental value and the annual increases due, stating the legal basis for every figure. 3. Explain how benefiting from the Fund — or failing to renew the application annually — changes the tenant's position. 4. Identify the competent court for an eviction action and the procedural deadlines. 5. Set out my client's options ranked strongest to weakest, with the risk attached to each. Mandatory rules: rely on the statutory text and Lebanese case law, and cite the article number every time. Where a point is genuinely contested in the case law, say so rather than picking a side without authority. Do not invent article numbers or judgments.
Put HAQQ to Work on My Actual MatterMemoStarterLegal Ops / Billing
Here is a real matter I am working on right now: [describe the matter in three or four lines, including the jurisdiction and who I act for]. Do not give me a feature list or a description of what you can do in general. Instead: 1. Tell me the three things you would do on this matter first, in order, and what each would produce. 2. Do the first one now. 3. Tell me exactly what to give you — which documents, which facts — to make the second and third worth doing. 4. Name the parts of this matter you should not be trusted with, and why. Anything that turns on a local filing practice, an unpublished decision, a court's current disposition, or a fact only the client knows. Answer as a colleague scoping a file, not as a product. If this matter is outside what you can usefully help with, say that in the first line.
Case Strategy From the Client's Own FileMemoExpertDisputes / Litigation
Here are the facts and documents of my matter in [jurisdiction]: [set out the facts, or attach the file]. Build the case strategy: 1. A chronology of every fact with the document that proves it. Mark in a separate column any fact I have asserted with no document behind it — that column is the case. 2. The causes of action or defences genuinely open on these facts, each with its legal basis and the elements I must prove. 3. For each element: the evidence I already have, the evidence I need, and where I would get it. 4. The strongest three points in my case and the strongest three against it, stated as the other side would state them, not softened. 5. Forum and procedure: where to bring it, why there, the limitation position, and any pre-action step that is a condition of admissibility. 6. Realistic outcomes with a rough probability band for each, and what would change those odds. 7. A settlement range and the point at which litigating costs more than it recovers. Mandatory rules: do not assume a fact I have not given you. Where the strategy depends on a missing document, name the document. Give me the weaknesses before the strengths — a strategy memo that opens with our strong points is a memo written to be liked.
Procedural Objections Available on ServiceChecklistAdvancedDisputes / Litigation
My client has been served with a claim in [jurisdiction]. Before anything is said on the merits, list the procedural objections available. Facts: date of service [date], method [personal / at domicile / by publication / electronic], court [court], subject of the claim [subject], value [amount], the claimant's capacity [details]. For each possible objection give five things: 1. Its name and the provision that creates it. 2. The factual condition that must exist to raise it, and where that condition appears in our file. 3. The deadline and the stage at which it must be raised, and whether it is waived by delay or by addressing the merits first. 4. Its effect if upheld: dismissal, transfer, stay, or merely the correction of a step. 5. The tactical cost: what raising it reveals to the other side, and whether it hands them a chance to cure a defect they would otherwise have missed. Then order the objections by the sequence the law requires, not by their strength. Mandatory rules: cite the article for each objection. Where an objection is lost the moment we plead to the merits, mark it prominently. Do not propose an objection our facts do not support.
Co-Ownership Partition and Unauthorised BuildingMemoExpertReal Estate (Personal)
A property in [area] of Lebanon is held in undivided co-ownership by [number] co-owners. One of them built on it without the others' consent [number] years ago and occupies the built part. Under Lebanese law, set out: 1. The procedure for a partition action: competent court, parties who must be joined, and the land-registry documents required. 2. The legal effect of the unauthorised building — does it enter the liquidation, how is it valued, and to whom does its value accrue. 3. The effect of [number] years of possession: does it create a right, or only a claim in compensation. 4. Partition in kind versus sale by auction, and when a court will refuse partition in kind. 5. Interim measures available immediately to protect my client. Mandatory rules: cite article numbers. Distinguish what the text provides from what Lebanese case law has settled. Name any additional fact you need from me to resolve the question.
Unfair Dismissal and End-of-Service EntitlementsMemoAdvancedEmployment
I act for the [employee/employer] in a Lebanese employment dispute. Facts: employment began [date], dismissal on [date], last salary [amount and currency], stated reason for dismissal [reason], registered with the NSSF [yes/no], sector [public / private / private schools]. Deliverables: 1. Characterise the termination — justified dismissal, unfair dismissal, or constructive resignation — with the legal basis. 2. Compute the entitlements item by item: notice indemnity, unfair-dismissal compensation and its statutory ceiling, untaken leave, and end-of-service indemnity at the NSSF. 3. The effect of currency on both the computation and enforcement. 4. The competent forum, the time limit for filing, and the effect of a party failing to appear. 5. The weak points in my client's position and how to shore them up before filing. Mandatory rules: cite the article of the Labour Code or the Social Security Code. If the sector is governed by a special regime, say so and explain its effect.
Employer Retaliation After an Adverse Labour JudgmentMemoExpertEmployment
A civil claim between an employee and an employer went before the Dubai courts and judgment was given for the employee. The employer has since filed a criminal complaint against the employee, on the face of it to avoid paying the sums awarded. Advise for the employee: 1. What the employee can do immediately to protect enforcement of the civil judgment while the criminal complaint is pending, and whether the complaint suspends enforcement at all. 2. Whether the criminal filing can itself found a claim — malicious prosecution, abuse of right, or moral damage — and what has to be proved. 3. The interaction between the criminal and civil tracks: which one stays the other, and on what conditions. 4. Practical steps in order, with the responsible body for each — execution court, public prosecution, labour authority. 5. The risks of each step for the employee, including any exposure created by responding aggressively. Mandatory rules: cite the article behind each proposition. Where the answer turns on facts I have not given, list exactly what you need. Do not present a strategy as certain when the outcome depends on prosecutorial discretion.
Amending a DIFC Will After a Change in the LawMemoAdvancedEstate Planning
A DIFC-registered will defines a minor beneficiary by reference to an age of majority that a later legislative change has moved. The will provides [describe the clause as drafted]. Advise: 1. Whether the will now operates on the old age or the new one, and what determines that — the wording of the will, the date of registration, or the transitional provisions of the amending law. 2. Whether the will can be amended, and the difference between a codicil and a fresh registration in terms of cost, formality and risk. 3. The formalities for either route at the Wills Service Centre, including witnessing and registration. 4. What happens to guardianship and trustee provisions that were drafted around the old threshold. 5. A redraft of the clause that is age-neutral, so a further legislative change does not reopen this. Mandatory rules: cite the DIFC wills rules and the amending instrument. Say clearly where the analysis depends on the exact wording of the will, and ask me for the clause rather than assuming it. Distinguish the DIFC position from onshore succession rules.
Registered Commercial Agency Termination ExposureMemoExpertCorporate / Commercial
My client is the [principal / agent] under a commercial agency in the UAE. Registration status [registered with the Ministry of Economy / unregistered], term [fixed until date / indefinite], exclusivity [exclusive / non-exclusive], and the principal wants to [terminate / not renew / appoint a second distributor]. Advise: 1. What registration changes legally — the protections it confers and what falls away without it. 2. The grounds on which the relationship can lawfully be ended, and whether a contractual termination right is enough on its own. 3. The compensation exposure: the heads of claim available to the agent, how each is quantified, and what evidence supports or defeats them. 4. The forum: the agency committee, the courts, or arbitration, and whether an arbitration clause is effective against the statutory regime. 5. A sequenced plan for the principal that minimises exposure, with the point of no return marked. Mandatory rules: cite the Commercial Agencies Law article for every proposition, and flag that the law was amended — say what turns on which version applies and how to check. Do not treat an unregistered agency as if it were registered.
Execution File: Attachment and Debtor ObjectionsPlaybookExpertDebt & Bankruptcy
I am running a file before the execution department in [jurisdiction], based on a [judgment / enforceable instrument / cheque / promissory note] for [amount] against [debtor]. Prepare a playbook covering: 1. The types of attachment available — over movables, over real property, garnishment of bank accounts with third parties, over shares and partnership interests — the conditions for each and the practical order in which they are used. 2. What the law puts beyond attachment, so we do not apply for one that will be refused. 3. The debtor's likely objections: payment, limitation, nullity of the instrument, lack of standing, an application to pay by instalments — with the deadline for each and its effect on staying execution. 4. Instalment or payment-plan applications: who decides them, and whether cancelling an earlier plan bars a fresh application, and what the law says about that. 5. The effect of the creditor signing the receipt of payment on the progress of the execution file. 6. A recommended sequence from today, in dated steps. Mandatory rules: cite the article of the execution law or procedure code of that jurisdiction. Distinguish what stays execution by operation of law from what needs an order of the execution judge.
Appeal Scope: Challenging Part of a JudgmentMemoExpertDisputes / Litigation
A judgment has been handed down in [jurisdiction] and I want to appeal part of it and not the rest. Facts: judgment dated [date], served on [date], the parts I accept [details], the parts I challenge [details]. Deliverables: 1. Whether a partial appeal is permitted in this jurisdiction, the provision, and whether not appealing the rest counts as accepting it. 2. The effect of a partial appeal on the unchallenged parts: do they become final, and can they be enforced immediately. 3. The risk of a cross-appeal: does it reopen what I thought was closed, and how do I limit that. 4. How the appeal period is computed — from service or from delivery — and what interrupts or suspends it. 5. The parts that are legally indivisible, so that appealing them pulls the rest of the judgment with them. 6. A recommendation: is a partial appeal the right choice here, or a full appeal, and why. Mandatory rules: cite article numbers. If the answer differs between appeal and cassation, separate the two. If the period appears to have expired, tell me that before any other analysis.
Exclusive Distribution: Targets, Territory and TerminationMemoExpertCorporate / Commercial
A supplier granted a distributor exclusive rights in [territory] for [number] years. The contract requires annual sales targets of [amount], permits termination for failure to meet them, and [describe any other relevant term]. Governing law [jurisdiction]. Advise for [the supplier / the distributor]: 1. Whether missing the target on these facts actually entitles the supplier to terminate, or whether it must first give notice and an opportunity to cure — and whether that is a matter of the contract or of the general law. 2. Whether the target itself is enforceable if market conditions made it unachievable, and what doctrine would be invoked — hardship, good faith, abuse of right, force majeure — with its conditions in this jurisdiction. 3. The distributor's claims on termination: compensation for goodwill or clientele, stock buy-back, notice, and investments made in reliance — and which of these exist by statute rather than by contract. 4. The effect of exclusivity on the analysis, and whether the supplier selling direct or online in the territory has already breached. 5. The forum and the enforcement position if the parties are in different countries. 6. My best three arguments and the other side's best three, then a realistic settlement range. Mandatory rules: cite the article for every statutory right. Say clearly which points turn on the contract's exact wording and ask me for that wording rather than assuming it.
Government Contractor: Calling All the BondsMemoExpertCitizen / Admin
My client holds [number] live contracts with a government body in [jurisdiction]. It defaulted on one of them, and the body has called in the bonds on all four contracts. Deliverables: 1. Is the administrative body entitled to call bonds on contracts where there was no breach, and what is the legal basis either way — address the independence of each contract from the others, and the independence of the bond from the underlying contract. 2. The nature of the bank guarantee: on demand or conditional, the effect of that on the contractor's ability to stop payment, and the conditions for obtaining an order restraining payment. 3. The correct route to challenge: administrative grievance, annulment action, damages claim, or urgent application — with the deadline for each and which must come first. 4. The compensation to claim: the value of the bonds called, the damage from loss of eligibility to bid, and interest. 5. The effect of the single default on the contractor's classification and future eligibility to contract, and what can be done now to limit it. 6. Dated steps from today, marking what is urgent and what can wait. Mandatory rules: cite the article of the government tenders or procurement law and the administrative justice law of that jurisdiction. Distinguish what the contract provides from what the general regime of administrative contracts imposes.
Traffic Accident Compensation From a Disability RatingReportAdvancedPersonal Injury
My client was injured in a road accident on [date], aged [age] at the time. The accident caused [describe the injuries], and a disability rating of [percentage]% was assessed with an incapacity period of [period]. Monthly income [amount]. Jurisdiction [jurisdiction]. Deliverables: 1. The heads of compensation due, each separately: permanent disability, loss of income during incapacity, loss of future earning capacity, past and future medical expenses, moral damage, and third-party costs if any. 2. The method of calculation for each head, with the formula, the multiplier used and its source — statute, schedule, or case law. 3. A full numerical calculation on the facts above, showing the steps, and then a low-to-high range rather than a single figure. 4. What is deducted: insurance payments received, contributory fault, and any social security sums. 5. The procedural route: a civil claim joined to the criminal proceedings or a standalone action, the competent forum, and the limitation period. 6. The documents needed to prove each head, and what is missing from the file. Mandatory rules: do not invent a multiplier or a compensation schedule. Where the multiplier is a matter of judicial discretion, say so and give a range rather than a single number. Cite the article for each head that has a statutory basis.
Succession File: Heirship, Transfer and PartitionChecklistAdvancedEstate Planning
[The deceased] has died leaving [describe the estate: a single plot comprising a house and land / accounts / company shares]. The heirs are [number and status]. Jurisdiction [jurisdiction]. Prepare a complete plan of action: 1. The sequence of formalities in the correct order: the declaration of heirship, then the shares under the applicable personal status law or statutory distribution, then the transfer entries at the land registry, then partition — with the competent authority and the documents for each stage. 2. Splitting the property: what is required to separate the house from the land so each becomes an independent title — planning conditions, minimum plot size, municipal approvals, survey and subdivision. 3. The fees and taxes due at each stage, and who bears them. 4. The effect of the heirs obtaining a certified copy of the heirship judgment and using it in the transfer formalities: does that amount to notification of the judgment by them, and what does it do to the appeal period. 5. What stalls a file of this kind: a minor among the heirs, an heir abroad, a debt of the estate, a will, or a pending dispute — and how each is handled. 6. An estimated timeline by stage. Mandatory rules: cite article numbers. Distinguish what the applicable personal status law provides from what the civil code or the land registry system provides. Ask me the deceased's confession or community if that changes the distribution rules.
Enforcement of JudgmentMemoAdvancedDisputes / Litigation
Prepare a strategy memo for enforcing the judgment obtained by [Client] against [Judgment Debtor] in [Case]. Identify available enforcement mechanisms, locate assets, consider domestication requirements if cross-border, and recommend enforcement priorities.
Carve-Out Transaction MemoMemoEnterpriseCorporate / M&A
Prepare a strategy memo for [Parent Company] planning to carve out and sell [Business Unit]. Address legal entity restructuring, separation of shared services, IP/contract assignments, employee transfers, tax structuring, and regulatory considerations.
Contract Negotiation PreparationPlaybookExpertCorporate / Commercial
Analyze this contract before negotiation: [PASTE CONTRACT]. Create a negotiation brief for [COMPANY NAME]. Include: - Clauses that should be renegotiated - Clauses that should not be changed - Suggested alternative wording for key provisions - Questions to ask the other party Present the output as a clear negotiation checklist.
Expert Witness Report OutlineReportExpertDisputes / Litigation
Create an outline for an expert witness report on [subject matter] for [case type] proceedings. Include qualifications summary, methodology, factual assumptions, analysis framework, opinions, and limitations/caveats section.
Workplace Investigation PlanChecklistAdvancedEmployment
Create a workplace investigation plan for a complaint of [harassment/discrimination/misconduct]. Include investigation scope, witness list, interview questions framework, evidence preservation steps, confidentiality measures, timeline, and reporting structure.
Child Support CalculationMemoAdvancedFamily Law
Estimate child support obligations for one parent earning [income A] and the other [income B], with [N] children. Apply the typical guidelines used in [jurisdiction] and explain factors that may adjust the amount up or down.
Grandparent VisitationMemoAdvancedFamily Law
Explain how a grandparent can seek court-ordered visitation with their grandchildren in [jurisdiction] when the parents object. Cover the legal standard, evidence needed and typical outcomes.
DV Safety PlanPlaybookAdvancedFamily Law
Help me build a personal safety plan if I am leaving a domestic violence situation: documents to gather, safe contacts, code words, hotlines, shelter options and steps to secure finances and devices.
Fight EvictionMemoExpertHousing & Tenancy
Help me respond to an eviction notice received on [date] alleging [reason]. Identify possible defenses, deadlines to answer, evidence I should gather, and the typical court process in [jurisdiction].
Rent Increase ChallengeMemoStandardHousing & Tenancy
Help me respond to a rent increase from [current rent] to [new rent] received on [date]. Check whether it complies with rent control / notice rules in [jurisdiction] and draft an objection if it does not.
Wrongful TerminationMemoExpertEmployee Rights
Analyze whether my dismissal on [date] from [company] for [reason given] may be wrongful or discriminatory under the law of [jurisdiction]. Identify next steps, deadlines and evidence to preserve.
Non-Disclosure NegotiationMemoStandardEmployee Rights
Help me push back on this employer-imposed NDA. Identify overbroad clauses (duration, scope, return of materials, mutual obligations) and propose redlines that protect both sides.
Gift Tax PlanningMemoAdvancedEstate Planning
Outline how I can gift [amount] to my children over [years] in [jurisdiction] while minimizing gift / inheritance tax, including annual exclusions and lifetime allowances.
Inheritance DisputeMemoExpertEstate Planning
Analyze whether I can challenge a will dated [date] in [jurisdiction] on grounds of [lack of capacity / undue influence / improper execution]. Outline standing, evidence and timeline.
Family ReunificationMemoAdvancedImmigration
Outline how I, a resident of [country], can bring my [relationship] to live with me, with paths, documents, processing time and likelihood of approval.
Work Permit StrategyMemoAdvancedImmigration
Compare work permit options for an [occupation] professional moving to [country], including employer-sponsored, self-employed and digital nomad routes, with pros, cons and timelines.
Slip and FallMemoAdvancedPersonal Injury
Analyze whether I can recover for a slip-and-fall injury at [premises] on [date] caused by [hazard]. Address notice, comparative fault, statute of limitations and evidence to preserve.
Pain & Suffering MemoMemoAdvancedPersonal Injury
Estimate a fair pain and suffering valuation for injuries: [list], requiring [treatment], over [recovery period] with [permanent effects]. Reference multipliers and per diem methods.
Settlement NegotiationMemoAdvancedPersonal Injury
Help me negotiate a settlement of my injury claim. Counter the insurer's offer of [offer] with a strong position citing damages of [amount], comparable verdicts and lien negotiation.
LLC Formation StepsPlaybookStandardSmall Business
Walk me through forming a single-member LLC / limited company in [jurisdiction]: name reservation, articles, operating agreement, EIN/tax ID, bank account, licenses and ongoing filings.
Business Insurance SelectorMemoStandardSmall Business
Help me decide which insurance my [type of business] needs in [jurisdiction]: general liability, professional indemnity, cyber, property, workers' compensation, with key exclusions.
Co-Founder ConflictMemoAdvancedSmall Business
Help me navigate a conflict with my co-founder over [issue]: relevant clauses in the operating agreement, mediation paths, deadlock breakers, and buy-out scenarios.
Mortgage Term ComparisonMemoStandardReal Estate (Personal)
Compare three mortgage offers for a [type] property at [price] with down payment [amount] over [years]: rate, APR, fees, prepayment, insurance, total cost.
Boundary DisputeMemoAdvancedReal Estate (Personal)
Help me address a boundary dispute with my neighbor over [issue]. Cover survey evidence, adverse possession, mediation and litigation in [jurisdiction].
Title Defect DiscoveryMemoAdvancedReal Estate (Personal)
Explain what I should do if my title search on [property] reveals [defect type], including how to clear it, escrow holdbacks, title insurance and re-negotiation with the seller.
Expat Tax MemoMemoAdvancedPersonal Tax
Analyze my tax residency moving from [country A] to [country B] in [year], including double-tax treaty, exit tax, foreign income, retirement accounts and reporting obligations.
Crypto TaxMemoAdvancedPersonal Tax
Explain how to report crypto gains and losses for [year] in [jurisdiction] from trades on [exchanges], staking and airdrops, including cost basis methods and DeFi specifics.
Real Estate Capital GainMemoAdvancedPersonal Tax
Calculate the taxable capital gain on the sale of my home at [address] bought in [year] for [amount] and sold for [amount], applying primary-residence exemptions in [jurisdiction].
Inheritance Tax PlanMemoAdvancedPersonal Tax
Outline strategies to minimize inheritance / estate tax on assets worth [amount] passing to [heirs] in [jurisdiction], including gifts, trusts, insurance and exemptions.
Garnishment DefenseMemoAdvancedDebt & Bankruptcy
Help me respond to a wage garnishment of [amount/percent] from my paycheck starting [date] for debt [type]. Identify exemptions, hardship claims and procedures in [jurisdiction].
Insolvency Action PlanPlaybookExpertDebt & Bankruptcy
Build a 90-day action plan for someone realizing they cannot pay their debts: triage, essential vs unsecured, negotiations, legal options, mental health and emergency budgeting.
Child Support Computation WorksheetReportExpertFamily Law
Walk through a child-support computation step by step for my jurisdiction's model (income-shares, percentage-of-income, or Melson — tell me which applies and cite the source). Using the inputs below, show: each parent's net income for support purposes, the combined figure, the basic obligation, each parent's percentage share, add-ons (childcare, health insurance), any shared-parenting adjustment, and the presumptive amount. Then list any deviation factor that may apply, and flag the self-support reserve or cap if my jurisdiction has one. Do NOT invent the schedule numbers — mark them [CONFIRM AGAINST CURRENT GUIDELINE]. Inputs: [PARENT A INCOME], [PARENT B INCOME], [OVERNIGHTS], [CHILDCARE], [HEALTH PREMIUM], [# CHILDREN]. Jurisdiction: [JURISDICTION]. Presumptive draft for attorney verification only.
Property Division ScenariosMemoExpertFamily Law
Using the marital balance sheet below, produce three property-division scenarios appropriate to my jurisdiction's legal family (equitable distribution, community property, or a civil-law matrimonial regime — state which and cite the rule). Label them conservative, midpoint, and aggressive for my client. For each, show who takes which asset, any equalizing payment, the net to each spouse, and a one-paragraph rationale tied to the governing factors. Note the tax treatment of each transfer as [CONFIRM LOCALLY]. Present as illustrative scenarios, not predictions. Balance sheet: [PASTE]. Jurisdiction: [JURISDICTION]. For attorney review only.
Mediation Proposal & BATNA MapPlaybookExpertFamily Law
Prepare my client for divorce mediation. From the issues and goals below, produce: (1) an opening settlement proposal covering custody, support, and property; (2) an issue-by-issue map with, for each issue, my client's position, a realistic range, the concessions available, and the walk-away point (BATNA); and (3) the two or three trades most likely to unlock a deal. Bake in the local tax treatment of support and transfers as [CONFIRM LOCALLY]. Keep everything as ranges and options, not predictions. Issues and goals: [PASTE]. Jurisdiction: [JURISDICTION]. For attorney review only.
Escalation Memo to Business LeadershipMemoAdvancedCorporate / Commercial
Write a one-page escalation memo from legal to [executive or committee] flagging a risk in [describe the deal, contract, or situation] that needs a business decision, not just a legal opinion. State the risk in plain language, what happens if leadership does nothing, two or three realistic options with the trade-off of each, legal's recommendation, and the deadline for a decision. Keep it under 400 words and free of jargon a non-lawyer would have to look up.
Devil's Advocate Stress-Test of Our ArgumentMemoAdvancedDisputes / Litigation
Take the argument below and argue against it as opposing counsel would, as hard as the facts and law honestly allow. Identify the three weakest points in our position, the counterargument most likely to persuade a judge or arbitrator, and any factual gap the other side could exploit that we have not addressed. Then tell me, straight, whether the argument is strong enough to lead with or whether we should lead with a different theory. Our argument: [PASTE].
Negotiation Position and Fallback LadderPlaybookExpertCorporate / Commercial
Act as lead negotiator for [OUR SIDE] on [DEAL OR DISPUTE]. Scope: the open terms listed here and nothing else — [LIST OPEN TERMS]. Counterparty: [NAME AND TYPE]. Work only from the facts and documents I provide; where a fact is missing, list it as an assumption rather than inventing it. Return: (1) Our Position — the opening ask on each open term, written in the words we would put in writing; (2) Fallback Ladder — for each term, three graded retreat positions (Ideal / Acceptable / Last Resort) and the trigger that moves us down a rung; (3) Red Lines — the terms we do not trade, with why each is structural rather than a preference; (4) Trade Currency — what we can give that costs us little and is worth much to them, paired term by term; (5) Their Likely Position — the counterparty's probable opening, their own red lines, and the pressure they are under; (6) Concession Sequence — the order in which we release ground and what we demand in exchange for each move; (7) Deadlock Breakers — three mechanisms (staged pricing, sunset, escalation to principals, third-party determination) to unlock a stuck term; (8) Walk-Away — the point at which no deal beats this deal, stated as a condition we can actually test. Keep every entry in language a partner could read aloud in the room.
Four-Column Negotiation Table for a Counterparty MarkupReportExpertCorporate / Commercial
Act as deal counsel for [OUR SIDE] responding to the counterparty's markup of [AGREEMENT]. Scope is the attached redline only — do not reopen terms the counterparty accepted, and do not invent facts about the commercial deal that are not in the document or in [DEAL BACKGROUND]. Return: (1) Negotiation Table — one row per contested clause with exactly four columns: Clause and Current Text | What They Are Asking For | What We Can Live With | Our Response Line (the sentence we actually send back); (2) Classification — mark each row Market Standard, Aggressive, or Deal-Breaking, with a one-line reason grounded in the drafting rather than in a market claim; (3) Cost of Conceding — for each row, the concrete exposure we take on if we simply accept, in operational terms; (4) Linked Terms — which rows must move together (indemnity with liability cap, termination with transition assistance, IP with licence scope) so we do not concede one and lose the pair; (5) Authority Needed — which rows the deal lead can settle alone and which need sign-off from [APPROVER], with the reason for escalation; (6) Package Offers — two bundles we would accept whole, each framed as a single trade rather than a list; (7) Open Questions — what we must ask them before responding, phrased as we would send it; (8) Client Summary — one paragraph a non-lawyer can act on. Redline: [PASTE].
Settlement Anchor and Walk-Away AnalysisMemoExpertDisputes / Litigation
Act as settlement counsel for [OUR CLIENT] in [MATTER]. Scope: the facts, claim value, costs to date and procedural posture I give you below — build the economics only from those figures. If a number is not supplied, name it as an input required and leave it blank; do not estimate it. Return: (1) Realistic Range — the low, likely and high outcomes if this runs to judgment, each tied to the specific fact or document that drives it; (2) Anchor — the opening number, plus the three facts we cite alongside it so it reads as reasoned rather than arbitrary; (3) Concession Path — the sequence of numbers we move through, the interval between moves, and what we ask for at each step so no move is free; (4) Walk-Away Point — the figure below which continuing is the better commercial choice, shown as a calculation from the inputs provided (expected recovery, remaining costs, delay, recoverability), with the arithmetic visible; (5) Their Alternative — what the other side gets by not settling, including their cost exposure and any deadline that pressures them; (6) Non-Monetary Terms — what we can trade instead of money (payment timing, confidentiality, scope of release, mutual or one-way, dismissal terms, references), ranked by what it costs us; (7) Risk Flags — anything that would move the range sharply, and the evidence that would resolve it; (8) Client Script — the short explanation the client hears, including the one sentence that frames the walk-away. Facts and figures: [PASTE].
Leverage Map and Concession Sequencing PlanPlaybookEnterpriseCorporate / M&A
Act as negotiation strategist for [OUR SIDE] on [TRANSACTION]. Scope: parties [A AND B], deal size [AMOUNT], signing target [DATE], and the dependencies I list here — [DEPENDENCIES]. Base every conclusion on what I have told you; where you are inferring, label it Inference and say what would confirm it. Return: (1) Leverage Inventory — what each side actually controls (time, alternatives, information, internal approvals, switching cost, regulatory need), one line each, marked Ours / Theirs / Contested; (2) Time Map — every deadline, expiry, board meeting, financing milestone or long-stop date that shifts leverage, and which side it pressures; (3) Alternatives Test — our best alternative to this deal and theirs, each with how credible it is and how easily the other side can verify it; (4) Information Asymmetry — what they know that we do not and the reverse, and which gaps we should close before the next session; (5) Decision Map — on their side, who signs, who can veto, who merely influences, and what each of them is measured on; (6) Concession Sequencing — a session-by-session plan setting out what we put on the table when, what we hold back, and the exchange we require for each release; (7) Signals to Watch — behaviours that indicate they are near their limit (who joins the call, how fast they respond, which terms they stop arguing) and how to test them without conceding; (8) Contingency — what we do if the timetable slips, a dependency fails, or they bring in a competing bidder, with the trigger for each response.
Free Zone, Mainland or Offshore: Entity and Licence SelectionMemoExpertSmall Business
Act as corporate counsel advising [FOUNDER OR GROUP] on where and how to incorporate in [COUNTRY]. The business: [WHAT IT SELLS, TO WHOM, WHERE THE CUSTOMERS ARE, HOW MANY STAFF, PHYSICAL PREMISES NEEDED, EXPECTED REVENUE, WHETHER IT WILL RAISE OUTSIDE CAPITAL]. Founders: [NATIONALITIES AND RESIDENCE]. The decision is not simply which vehicle is cheapest to set up — a free zone entity that cannot invoice customers inside the local market is worthless to a business whose customers are all local, and a structure that blocks a future investor is expensive later. Rank the options against how this business actually earns. Do not state a licensing rule, an ownership restriction or a tax position you cannot attribute to a named source; mark it To Be Confirmed and refer it to local counsel and a tax adviser. Return: (1) Options Table — the realistic vehicles (mainland company, named free zones relevant to this activity, offshore or holding vehicle, branch of a foreign company), scored on market access, ownership, cost, speed, visa allocation and credibility with customers and banks; (2) Market Access Test — for each option, who the entity may lawfully invoice and where it may operate, and what a local distributor, agent or service arrangement would be needed to reach the rest; (3) Activity and Licence Match — the licence categories that cover this activity, any regulated element needing a sector approval, and the risk that the activity is described too narrowly at registration; (4) Ownership and Control — foreign ownership limits if any, local participation requirements, and how the share structure would look with a future investor and an employee option pool; (5) Substance and Running Costs — office or desk requirement, minimum capital, audit, annual renewal, and the ongoing filings, with a first-year and steady-state cost estimate marked as an estimate; (6) People — visa quota, sponsorship, hiring locally versus remotely, and any national-employment quota that attaches at a given headcount; (7) Banking and Payments — what an account opening will realistically require for each option, and which options banks treat as higher risk; (8) Recommendation and Migration Path — the option you would take, why, what it costs to change later if the business turns out differently, and the questions to put to local counsel and a tax adviser first. This is a planning aid for a qualified practitioner, not legal or tax advice.
Dishonoured Cheque and Debt Recovery StrategyPlaybookExpertDebt & Bankruptcy
Act as recovery counsel advising [CREDITOR] on collecting [AMOUNT] from [DEBTOR] in [COUNTRY]. What is held: [SECURITY CHEQUE OR POST-DATED CHEQUE / PROMISSORY NOTE / INVOICES ONLY / SIGNED ACKNOWLEDGEMENT / BANK GUARANTEE], with [DATES, WHETHER PRESENTED AND WHEN, THE BANK'S RETURN REASON, WHETHER THE DEBTOR IS AN INDIVIDUAL OR A COMPANY, KNOWN ASSETS, WHETHER THE DEBTOR IS RESIDENT]. In several jurisdictions in this region an instrument like a cheque or a registered promissory note can be taken straight to an execution route without first winning a judgment on the underlying debt, which is faster and cheaper than a full claim — establish first whether that route is open here, because it changes the whole plan. Do not state that a route exists, or that a particular consequence follows, unless you can attribute it to a named source; mark it To Be Confirmed for local counsel. Return: (1) Route Comparison — direct execution on the instrument, an ordinary civil claim, a summary or order-for-payment procedure, and any regulatory or criminal complaint route, each with what it requires, its speed, its cost, and its risk; (2) Instrument Check — whether what the creditor holds actually qualifies for the fast route (form, endorsement, presentation within time, registration where required), and what would disqualify it; (3) Recommended Sequence — the route to take first, the step that preserves the others, and the deadlines that must not be missed; (4) Pre-Action Steps — formal notice or protest, the wording that starts time running or triggers interest, and how to serve it so service is not later challenged; (5) Asset and Enforcement Measures — attachment of bank accounts, salary, receivables, shares and vehicles, precautionary measures available before judgment, travel restrictions where they exist, and what can be obtained without alerting the debtor; (6) Debtor's Likely Defences — the standard answers (the instrument was security only, the underlying debt is disputed or set off, the signature or authority is denied, prescription), each with the evidence that meets it; (7) Company Debtors — piercing to directors or shareholders where possible, insolvency filing as leverage or as a risk, and how ranking would work if others are also chasing; (8) Recovery Plan — a costed, sequenced plan with owners and dates, a realistic recovery range, the settlement number worth taking, and the questions for local counsel. This is a strategy aid for a qualified local practitioner, not legal advice.
Workforce Localisation Quota ImpactMemoExpertEmployment
Act as employment counsel advising [EMPLOYER] in [COUNTRY] on a workforce localisation or nationalisation requirement. Current position: [TOTAL HEADCOUNT, HOW MANY ARE NATIONALS, ACTIVITY OR SECTOR CLASSIFICATION, LICENCE TYPE AND WHERE REGISTERED, CURRENT BAND OR RATING IF KNOWN, HIRING PLAN FOR THE NEXT TWELVE MONTHS]. Localisation rules typically drive far more than a hiring target — they gate visa quotas, government service access, tender eligibility and fee levels, and the counting rules for who qualifies and at what weight are where most employers get it wrong. Do not state a quota percentage, a band threshold, a fee, a penalty or a counting rule you cannot attribute to a named source; mark it To Be Confirmed and tell the employer to verify it on the government portal before acting. Return: (1) Applicability — whether this employer is in scope at all, on what basis (headcount, sector, licence, location), and the date the obligation bites; (2) Counting Rules — who counts toward the target, at what weight, and the traps (part-time and shared employees, dual nationals, staff of an affiliate, contractors, employees registered under a different licence, staff who do not have a properly documented contract on the government system); (3) Current Gap — the number of qualifying hires needed to reach the required position, shown as a calculation with the inputs the employer must confirm; (4) Consequences Map — what changes at each band or compliance level (visa issuance, fees, government transactions, tender and contract eligibility, penalties, suspension), each stated as a question for verification; (5) Compliance Routes — genuine hiring, training and graduate programmes, restructuring roles, or reclassifying the entity, with the cost, lead time and durability of each, and an explicit warning against arrangements that create a paper employee rather than a real one; (6) Payroll and Systems — wage-protection or payroll-registration obligations that interact with the quota, and what evidence the authority will look for; (7) Twelve-Month Plan — a hiring and training plan by quarter, with owners, budget and the milestone that must be hit before the next assessment; (8) Verification Checklist — the exact portal pages, reports or confirmations to pull, and the questions for local counsel and the employer's government-relations contact. This is a planning aid for a qualified local practitioner, not legal advice.