The Review Documents skill allows lawyers to quickly focus their attention on relevant content in many documents. In this situation, CoCounsel Core reads files word-for-word to answer your multiple, specific questions.
A. How the AI works
Select documents and request a review. CoCounsel then reads every word of the document and provides a response for every question for every document.
1. Select files
At the bottom of the chat, select "⊕ Upload" and then use any of these options to select files: "Files from your database," "Recent files," or "Upload from your computer." How do I add files to the chat in CoCounsel Core?
2. Request a review
CoCounsel confirms the selected files. Request a review by entering the questions you want answered when CoCounsel is reading the documents, then press Enter on your keyboard or select the send button in the chat.
3. Confirm the review
CoCounsel interprets your request and the gray, pill-shaped label confirms the use of the Review Documents skill. Edit the text of the questions, delete questions, add questions, or select questions from favorites. How can I use favorites? Cancel the request or select "Submit request."
4. CoCounsel begins reviewing
CoCounsel shows its progress and confirms the files and questions being used for the document review. Select "Email me when complete" to be notified when your results are ready. You may also cancel your request, or select "View results" to watch CoCounsel work.
5. Navigate and verify the results.
When the results are ready, click "View results."
The results include an answer table with a response for every document for every question.
Search and filter the response, read short answers in each cell, hover a cell for a full explanation, adjust "Rows per page" and use navigation arrows.
Select a document to verify results
Select a document or a particular cell to open the viewing pane. If a cell is selected, CoCounsel opens the document and expands that question. The viewing pane shows everything from the prior table screen, including the question, the short answer in the response, and the full explanation that appeared when a response is hovered.
On the left side, expand and collapse headings, select "Show sources..." to see every part of the document that supports the response. Select pages to auto-scroll to that part of the document . Use arrows to navigate to previous and next documents.
On the right side, use the menu options to navigate selected documents.
If CoCounsel makes conflicting statements when answering your questions, it could mean that your documents contain conflicting information. Select a document or a particular cell to open the viewing pane to review the relevant parts.
6. Use the results
Download or copy the results.
There are multiple download options.
Word Document - With Explanations and Sources
The short answers with the longer explanations that appear when you hover a cell in the table.
Word Document - Short Answers Only
The short answers visible in the table.
Excel Document
An overview tab shows the short answers visible in the table, but then also offer a tab for each question where the short answer and longer explanation are both visible.
B. Tips and samples
1. Tips
Overall
CoCounsel understands nuance, humor, and implied references. This means CoCounsel finds information and references that traditional search engines cannot. The best requests are specific, clear, precise, and concise.
Be specific and clear
Use narrow, specific questions.
It is better to ask multiple, narrow questions rather than a single, broad question.
Broad: What was the Planned Parenthood case about? Better: What were the elements of the court’s reasoning in Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992)? |
CoCounsel may try to “help” by omitting additional information to focus on one part of a longer, complex, overbroad question.
Be precise and concise
Avoid using vague or ambiguous language, like passive voice.
Spell out legal terms a law student might not know.
Grammatical and spelling errors in a question can be misinterpreted.
Passive voice: Where the defense was sided with by the court. Active voice: Where the court sided with the defense. |
Wordy: Cases where there was a minor who was the plaintiff, and who was also under the age of 14 at the time of the alleged events that the court was considering. Better: Cases with a minor plaintiff under the age of 14. |
2. Samples
Use these samples as a starting point for your work with CoCounsel.
Requests
I want to review this accident report to answer the following questions: 1) Is Andre Agassi named in this document? 2) Are there any injuries mentioned in this document? 3) Does the document mention any medical treatment? |
Please review these deposition transcripts in a sexual harassment case and answer these questions: Who did the plaintiff email about being harassed by the defendant, Mr. Whitman? Did the plaintiff make a verbal complaint about other officers? To whom did the plaintiff make a verbal complaint? Does the document say how Whitman harassed the plaintiff? |
Review this case and tell me the court, parties, the posture of the case, the key facts, the legal issue(s), the court's opinion, the court's reasoning, and explain any concurrences or dissents. |
Refinements
Here in the chat, provide a narrative overview of what we learned from the Review Documents "Response" above. |
Please use the Review Documents "Response" above to draft a short inter-office memo that provides an overview. It's to my boss, Dr. Clarice Starling. Use a neutral tone. |
Could you tell me everything you learned about the document titled "3.508411.H5UYB2O1J" in the above Review Documents "Response"? |
Review the document again, but instead of only asking “Is anyone joking around in this document” ask three separate questions: Is anyone being sarcastic? Is anyone mocking someone else? Is anyone using puns? |
Please provide a brief summary of the .txt file you just reviewed. |
Could you provide a timeline of the events in the documents you just reviewed? |
C. Limitations
1. Input limits
File types
.doc, .docx, .eml, .msg, .pdf, .txt, .zip
Files within a .zip folder must comply with file size and type limitations.
File size and amount
Generally, there can be a tradeoff between the size of files and the amount of files. For example, CoCounsel may be able to work with many smaller files in the same time as a few larger files. Expect to wait longer for requests with larger files or more files. CoCounsel will provide an estimated time to complete the work.
File size
500 MB .pdfs
20 MB text files
File Amount
~200 files
If a file is rejected for size, split the file into multiple, smaller files.
Upload in batches of ~100 files
Compare and contrast files
CoCounsel reviews each file on its own. This means CoCounsel cannot complete requests that require CoCounsel to compare or contrast information from separate files.
✨ The answer table shows how each document answers each question. For this reason, the answer table provides helpful comparison and contrast information.
Handwriting
Generally, if a human can read handwritten text, then CoCounsel should be able to read it, too. This means CoCounsel’s ability to read handwritten text can vary, depending on legibility.
Questions
~30 questions
Text passages
The source of CoCounsel's Review Documents skill cannot be text pasted into the chat. It must be a file.
2. Output limits
An answer for every question for every document. There is no limit to the relevant answers that can be offered.
Answers do not contain independent legal research. To focus the results on a particular legal provision, provide it in the prompt.