Building a Verification Workflow for AI Assisted Drafting

Creating a reliable workflow for AI-assisted legal drafting requires discipline and structure. The workflow should be repeatable, documented and efficient.

The first step is input preparation. Before sending a task to an AI system, prepare the input carefully. If you are asking the AI to draft a clause, provide the context. Provide the jurisdiction, any specific requirements, any client preferences and any relevant background. The better the input, the better the output. A vague request such as “draft an indemnity clause” will produce generic output. A detailed request such as “draft an indemnity clause for a software service agreement governed by English law, covering data breaches and IP infringement, excluding indirect loss, capped at annual fees for one year” will produce more useful output.

The second step is generation. Run the AI system with your input and obtain the output. Do not modify the output at this stage. Store it as-is. You need to see exactly what the AI generated before you make changes.

The third step is verification. This is the critical step. Read the AI output carefully. Check every factual statement. Verify every legal reference. Check every citation. Look for inconsistencies with instructions you provided. Look for gaps. Look for language that is unclear or inconsistent with your preferred style.

For contract drafting, verification includes checking the clause against your instructions. Did you ask for a cap on liability? Is one in the clause? Did you ask for arbitration? Is it there? Check that the clause structure matches your instructions. Check that defined terms are used consistently.

For legal research output, verification means checking every citation. Use Westlaw or LexisNexis to verify cases exist. Read the summaries to confirm the AI’s characterisation is accurate. If the AI cites a statute, check the statute itself to confirm the quote is accurate.

For precedent drafting, verify that the AI has applied the right precedent. If you provided a precedent letter and asked the AI to adapt it, check that the adaptation is accurate and that client-specific details have been properly updated.

A useful technique is to create a verification checklist specific to each task type. For contract drafting, your checklist might include: compare output to instructions; check defined terms are defined; check cross-references are accurate; check liability provisions match instructions; check dispute resolution matches instructions. For legal research, your checklist might include: verify all citations exist; verify summaries are accurate; check for fabricated cases; check for omitted relevant authorities.

The fourth step is revision. Based on your verification, revise the output. Fix errors you identified. Reorder sections if needed. Add missing content. Remove unhelpful content.

The fifth step is re-verification. Once you have revised, re-read the output. Verify your changes. Check that revision did not introduce new errors. Check that the revised version still makes sense as a whole.

The sixth step is sign-off. Once you are satisfied, mark the work as verified. This might be a note in the file or a formal sign-off on the document itself. “Verified by [your name] on [date]” signals that you have checked the work and take responsibility for it.

Document your process in your file. A note such as “AI-generated initial draft of contract verification completed 20 Sep 2026; checked all cross-references; updated client-specific details; verified against client requirements” creates an audit trail. If questions are later asked about how the work was done, this note shows that you followed a disciplined process.

For large projects, consider building verification into the project plan. If you estimate that a contract will take 10 hours to draft, break that into generation (2 hours), verification and revision (6 hours) and final review (2 hours). This allocation reflects the effort verification requires.