Plain-English client update email writer for lawyers

What it does

Client communication is the #1 reason for bar complaints — and lawyers underdo it because writing client updates from scratch eats hours. This skill turns your case notes into a plain-English, MRPC-compliant client update email in under a minute. Paste the milestone (complaint filed, answer received, RFE received, settlement offer, verdict, closing scheduled) and any raw notes. The skill drafts the full email using the canonical structure: specific subject line, 1-2 sentence opening with the status, progress bullets in past tense, next steps with concrete timeline, bolded client action with a deadline (or omitted entirely if no action needed — never the clichéd 'no action required on your end at this time'), warm-but-professional closing. It translates legalese automatically using the bundled plain-English glossary ('motion to dismiss' → 'the other side is asking the court to throw out the case before it starts'; 'RFE' → 'a Request for Evidence — this is not a denial'), calibrates tone based on practice area and client signal, and scans every draft for high-risk language patterns: outcome promises ('we expect to win'), deadline representations that create malpractice exposure if wrong, waiver language, settlement pressure, apologies that admit fault. Five bundled references do the work: a milestone reference covering complaint-through-verdict for litigation plus the analog milestones for transactional, family, estate, and immigration; a plain-English glossary translating 80+ legal terms; a tone calibration guide with formal-vs-warm and reassuring-vs-direct axes plus practice-area defaults; an ethics-and-risk reference covering Rule 1.4 and 1.6 with the high-risk language patterns; and a settlement communication guide with templates for offer received, demand sent, negotiation in progress, and disbursement statement. For adverse developments, the skill produces the email PLUS a coaching note telling you to call before sending — bar discipline data shows clients are far less likely to complain when bad news is delivered personally. Will never put settlement recommendations in writing, never make outcome promises, and never draft fault-admitting language without flagging it as malpractice exposure first.

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