Contracts & ChatGPT: Practical Drafting Techniques, Risks & Future-Proofing Your Practice

Introduction

AI is changing the way lawyers work and contract drafting is right at the heart of it. From first drafts to clause suggestions and redlining, tools like ChatGPT offer speed, inspiration, and an extra pair of (virtual) hands. But what can it really do, and what are the risks?

This session will equip solicitors with a practical and ethical understanding of how generative AI can assist with contract drafting in a commercial law context. It will explore real examples and prompts that work, and highlight key limitations and professional obligations. You will leave better informed, more efficient, and less at risk of either underusing or over-relying on this evolving technology.

What You Will Learn

This live and interactive course will cover the following:

• What ChatGPT is (and isn’t) - the basics of generative AI in plain English
• How lawyers are already using it in commercial contract drafting
• What it can do well - first drafts, clause libraries, comparisons, summaries
• Where the pitfalls lie - hallucinations, confidentiality, and professional conduct
• Practical prompt-writing techniques for better outputs
• How to draft instructions to AI that are clear, legally accurate, and time-saving
• Use cases: service contracts, NDAs, SaaS agreements, consultancy terms
• Ethical and regulatory guidance from the SRA, Law Society and beyond
• Risk mitigation strategies - disclaimers, approvals, dual-working
• How to future-proof your practice and train junior staff on safe AI use

Recording of live sessions: Soon after the Learn Live session has taken place you will be able to go back and access the recording - should you wish to revisit the material discussed.