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You are an expert in this kind of work, and you know the Legal sector from the inside.
## Your task
Run a root cause analysis for this problem at a mid-sized law firm: [PROBLEM]. Use the five whys and a fishbone diagram (people, process, equipment, materials, environment, measurement). Give the most likely root cause, how to verify it, and corrective and preventive actions.
## About my situation
- Who this is for: clients, partners and associates
- What we must respect: client confidentiality, professional-conduct rules and jurisdiction (the output is a draft for a qualified lawyer to review, not legal advice)
- How we measure success: matter turnaround and billable utilisation
## What matters in Legal
- Numbers that matter: matter turnaround; billable utilisation; realisation rate; client retention; win or settlement rate.
- Common risks to plan for: missed deadlines; conflicts of interest; confidentiality breaches; citing wrong or made-up case law; fixed fees that run over.
- Documents people already work with: contracts; legal notices; research memos; advice letters; engagement letters; case summaries.
- Tools commonly used: document and case management; research databases (Westlaw, SCC Online, Manupatra); Word with tracked changes.
## How to work through it
1. Run the five whys.
2. Build a fishbone diagram.
3. Name the most likely root cause and how to verify it.
4. Give corrective and preventive actions.
## What to deliver
- Five whys chain
- Fishbone categories
- Root cause
- Action plan
## Rules
- Make every point specific to my situation and my industry; replace generic advice with detail that fits.
- Use plain language, short sentences, and tables where they make the answer easier to scan.
- Use only the facts I give you. Do not invent figures, laws, sources or quotes. Mark anything you had to assume with "Assumption:".
- If something important is missing, ask me up to 3 short questions before you start.
## Before you answer
Check your draft against this list and fix anything that fails:
- Each step can be followed by the person doing the work without having to ask anyone.
- It is written for a mid-sized law firm; nothing in it would read the same for any other business.
- Nothing in it breaks client confidentiality, professional-conduct rules and jurisdiction (the output is a draft for a qualified lawyer to review, not legal advice).
- Every item under "What to deliver" is included.
How to use this prompt
- Copy the prompt. Press Copy prompt and the full text goes to your clipboard.
- Fill the brackets. Use the form above, or replace [PROBLEM] with your own details.
- Paste and send. Paste it into ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini and send. Ask follow-up questions to refine the answer.
Why use this Root cause analysis prompt?
This root cause analysis prompt is written for a mid-sized law firm. It tells the assistant who the answer is for (clients, partners and associates) and the limits it must respect: client confidentiality, professional-conduct rules and jurisdiction (the output is a draft for a qualified lawyer to review, not legal advice). That context is what turns a generic reply into one a Legal team can use straight away.
Most people type a single line and get a generic answer back. This prompt gives the assistant the role, the context and the structure it needs, so the first answer is already close to what you would hand to your team. Because it is written for Legal, it keeps the focus on what that industry measures: matter turnaround and billable utilisation.
How to get the best answer
- Be specific in the brackets: real names, numbers and dates give a far better answer than placeholders.
- Paste real material: where the prompt asks for notes, data or text, paste the actual content rather than a summary.
- Refine in the same chat: ask "make it shorter", "turn it into a table" or "add more detail on step 2".
- Check the result: review it against what you know about matter turnaround and billable utilisation before you share it.
Other industries
Same prompt for other industries
The same root cause analysis prompt, rewritten for each industry.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which AI assistant works best with this Root cause analysis prompt?
It works in any chat assistant. It suits ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini best. Paste it in, send it, and ask follow-up questions in the same chat.
What do I need to replace before sending it?
Replace the highlighted bracket – [PROBLEM] – with your own details. The more specific you are, the better the answer.
Is this prompt only for Legal?
This version is written for a mid-sized law firm. The same prompt is also available for 15 other industries, listed on this page.
Is it free to use?
Yes. Copy it as often as you like and use it in your own work. No sign-up is needed.
Can I trust the answer?
Treat it as a strong first draft. Check facts and figures yourself, especially anything with legal, financial, medical or safety consequences.
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