Case Summary Template: The One Page Your Lawyer Reads First
A case summary is one page that explains your dispute to someone who knows nothing about it: a new lawyer, a lawyer you're pitching, your CFO or your board. If they can't understand the case in three minutes, the next conversation costs more.
It's also the first thing to write, because it forces clarity: what happened, what you want, and what you don't know yet.
When you need it
- Before calling or emailing any lawyer, including firms you're asking to take your case.
- When updating partners, investors or your board.
- Whenever the status changes. Date it.
What goes in it
- The dispute in two sentences
- Who, what, and what's being asked for. No adjectives.
- Parties
- Your entity, the other side, anyone else involved.
- Status
- Pre-dispute, demand received, lawsuit filed, arbitration, settlement talks.
- What we want
- Your realistic goal: payment, exit, a fix, a settlement range.
- Money
- Amount in dispute and legal spend so far.
- Our lawyer
- Name, firm, rate, billing contact (if you have one).
- Top three open questions
- What you most need answered.
Example (fictional)
| Field | Example (fictional) |
|---|---|
| The dispute | Our supplier delivered 400 of 500 contracted units, a week late. We lost a customer order and are seeking the difference. |
| Status | Demand letter sent 2026-06-20; no response yet. |
| Money | About $48,000 in dispute; $6,300 legal spend to date. |
Build it faster with Claude or ChatGPT
Ask your lawyer before pasting case documents into any AI tool, and check every row against the source. How to use legal AI safely.
Using the timeline below, draft a one-page summary of my business dispute for my lawyer with these headings: The dispute in two sentences, Parties, Status, Key dates, Money involved, Open questions. Neutral and factual. No arguments, no legal analysis. [paste timeline]
Tips
- Write facts, not arguments. "They delivered 400 of 500 units" beats "they breached and owe us everything."
- Keep it to one page. Detail belongs in the timeline and evidence log.
- Date every version.
- When pitching a lawyer you haven't hired, share the summary before any documents.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I explain my case to a lawyer?
- Start with a one-page summary: the dispute in two sentences, the parties, status, what you want and the money involved, followed by a dated timeline. It lets the lawyer evaluate the case quickly.
- Should I include my opinion of the other side?
- No. Stick to facts. Your lawyer turns facts into arguments; opinions in the summary make it harder to evaluate.
An organizing tool, not legal advice. Legal HQ is not a law firm. Example rows are fictional. Ask a lawyer licensed where you are about your situation and any deadlines.