Summary
In this guide we will take you through the steps of working with Eve to create a comprehensive case overview. First you will upload all of your key documents and set your instructions, then you will ask Eve to build the individual sections of your case file. This step-by-step guide will take you through this process with sample messages to use with Eve.
Hack tip! Use the Case Evaluation skill
Go into the Skills view of Eve, type 'Case' in the find a skill bar, and take advantage of the incredible pre-existing skill of Eve for Case Evaluation.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Upload relevant documents
Upload the essential documents that will inform your case evaluation. These may include intake form, call transcripts, and/or emails from your potential client. The more comprehensive your documents, the more detailed a case overview Eve will be able to provide.
💡 Pro Tip: Although you want to include all crucial information, remember that less is more! Be careful about uploading too much information - too much information can cause Eve’s answers to be unfocused. If you have large documents that are important (such as long Employee Handbooks or Policies) try using Eve to first generate an outline of the document that answers key questions, and upload that instead.
For more information on uploading documents to Eve click here.
Step 2: Set the Instructions
You can now set Eve “Instructions”. Instructions are for high-level information about you as a user, your firm, your preferences and any pertinent background information you like to provide to Eve when working with Eve on a particular task. Read more about instructions here.
Example Instructions for working on a Case Overview:
🗒️ You are an advanced legal case assistant tasked with assisting in the preparation of case overviews. Your role is to analyze client intake forms, transcripts, and other relevant documents that I have uploaded to synthesize key information into a coherent and comprehensive case summary. Your responses should be detailed, organized, and reflect a nuanced understanding of the legal issues presented.
Step 3: Identify key details of the case
Now that you have uploaded your documents to Eve, you can start to ask a series of questions to identify the key facts, parties, events, claims, etc. To get the best results from Eve, ask for each answer individually, letting Eve focus on one task at a time. This will also allow you to iterate on each task. If you ask Eve for a timeline, but find the first answer needs to be elaborated on, ask a follow up question - “Can you please elaborate on the events that took place between X year and today?”.
💡 Pro Tip: By asking Eve to put your results into a “code block,” which will allow you to simply use the “save to project” button present in the code box to save your work to the project as its own file.
Alternatively, you can copy the results of the output into your overall case file (see appendix). You can do this after each section to maintain a comprehensive case overview document.
💡 Pro Tip: We recommend opening a blank document in Eve (see full guide here), or a Word document - for each section you collaborate with Eve on, you can copy and paste the results of the best answers and build out a comprehensive overview. Doing this will allow you to iterate with Eve on each section of the file to get the optimal results, and keep an organized final product.
Step 3a: High-level overview of the case
It’s easy, just ask. Ask Eve to give you a high-level overview of the case details based on all of the information you have provided. You can specify how you want to receive the information - bullets, numbered list, plain text - etc. You can also direct Eve to focus on particular facts, claims if you already have a sense of the case focus.
💬 Example Message: Tell me about this case. Include all legally relevant facts from all of the documents that I have given you. Give me a detailed bulleted (or numbered) list of the key details about this case including why the case has been brought and relevant legal details. Place the results in a separate code block, while maintaining the human readability.
Once you have gotten the results you’re looking for, you can save the results to your project, copy them into your working case overview document, and continue onto the next steps of your case overview.
Step 3b: Identify Parties of the Case
Ask Eve to provide you with the key parties to this case, and an overview of what role they play in the potential claims that will be brought.
💬 Example Message: Tell me about the key parties to this case. Provide me with their full names, roles, and their relation to the overall case claims. Place the table in a separate code block, while maintaining the human readability.
Step 3c: Create a case timeline
Ask Eve to provide you a detailed chronology of all key events in the case. First, ask for Eve to identify all the events and dates across your documents. If possible, give Eve direction on what kind of events are most relevant to the case at hand. Then have Eve organize this information into a chronological overview.
💬 Example Message 1: Please identify all key events and dates mentioned in my case. [Make sure that you identify and pay specific attention to any details and dates related to racist language.] Place the table in a code block, while maintaining the human readability.
💬 Example Message 2: Summarize the timeline of events into a visual timeline or chart documenting the key dates, actions taken, and parties involved. Please place this in a human readable markdown formatted table. Place the table in a code block, while maintaining the human readability.
Step 3d: Create an employment overview
Ask Eve to compile all key details about the employment history of the client.
💬 Example Message: Give me a detailed overview of all key employment details provided by the client including, but not limited to, the name of the employer, timeline of employment, and any other employment key details.
Step 3e: Evidence overview
Ask Eve to summarize all key evidence that the client provides, and identify key outstanding evidence that might be helpful in taking on this claim. First you will ask to summarize all of the evidence that was provided or identified by the client. If possible, provide Eve with direction on what type of claim the evidence should be supporting. Next, brainstorm any evidence that the client has not yet provided, but might be able to add to strengthen their case.
💬 Example Message: Provide a list of all tangible evidence mentioned by the client. The list should include the form of evidence (email, text message, video, etc.) and what facts the evidence supports. have the list denote whether we have the evidence yet or not, and if not, whether we are likely to be able to secure it from our client or a discovery request would likely be required. Please place this in a human readable markdown formatted table. Place the table in a separate code block, while maintaining the human readability.
💬 Example Message (optional): Identify any other pieces of evidence that the client has not provided or identified that would be helpful in proving the claims of [retaliation and a hostile work environment]?
Step 3f: Witness list
Ask Eve to identify all key witnesses relevant to proving the client’s claim.
💬 Example Message 1: Please identify all witnesses, and what they would have personal knowledge about (through the lens of proving or disproving elements of our claim).
💬 Example Message 2: Create a detailed witness list, and describe what each witness may have been witness to, based on the information provided by the client. Please place this in a human readable markdown formatted table. Place the table in a separate code block, while maintaining the human readability.
💡 Pro Tip: If you find that you use these same questions repeatedly on cases, you can use the “Teach Eve” button to save your messages and easily reuse them later. Read more here.
Step 4: Claim Analysis
Now Eve can help us identify the potential claims that are present in the case materials you have provided. Eve is going to help you find key claims and then evaluate their strengths and weaknesses based on your case facts.
Step 4a: Identify potential claims
First, ask Eve to identify potential claims that could be brought based on the details of the case.
💬 Example Message: Identify the best legal claims that I can make on behalf of my client base on the details of the case I have provided in the documents uploaded.
Step 4b: Evaluate potential claims
Then ask Eve to evaluate the key strengths and weaknesses of each claim that you identified.
💬 Example Message: Provide me the top 3 strengths and weaknesses of the [first claim]. For each strength and weakness, reference the key facts, pieces of evidence, and witnesses that would support (or disprove) this claim.
Repeat the above for each claim that you would like to break down - replacing the name or number of the claim in your text.
By following these steps you should be able to get a comprehensive case overview in a matter of minutes.
If you have any questions about doing a case overview with Eve, don't hesitate to reach out to our support team at support@eve.legal.