Checklists provide a structured, semi-automated way to review legal documents.
Instead of relying fully on AI, checklists combine human review with digital support.
Each checklist contains items (review rules) based on internal playbooks, team knowledge, or standard legal requirements.
Checklists are especially useful when full automation isn’t suitable, but you still want structure and efficiency.
In this article:
Why use Checklists?
Checklists sit between manual review and full AI automation. They give you structure without removing control.
✅ Use checklists when you want to:
Ensure consistency - Follow a clear structure so nothing is missed, especially across recurring documents or multiple reviewers
Review complex or non-standard contracts - Unlike automated tools, checklists adapt to documents that don’t follow fixed formats.
❌ Avoid checklists when:
You need full automation (use Playbooks instead)
You don’t have predefined review rules
How Checklists fit into document review
Document review sits on a spectrum - from fully manual (traditional review) to fully automated (using tools like playbooks).
Checklists sit in the middle. They rely on predefined review rules (created by your team or based on internal knowledge), but the review itself is still done by a human lawyer, supported by digital tools and optional GenAI assistance.
This makes checklists a practical middle ground:
They provide structure without fully relying on AI
They work well for documents that aren’t standardised
They support lawyers who prefer to stay in control of the review process
Checklists can also be used more flexibly. You don’t have to tick off every item - they can simply act as a reference list to guide your review. This is especially helpful for junior lawyers, helping ensure important points aren’t overlooked.
How to open a checklist
You can open a checklist in three ways:
1. From the Write & Rewrite module
Click Open checklist when no tab is open
Or click + New → Open checklist
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2. From an automated review
Run Review document
Click Export → Checklist to convert results into a checklist
Creating a checklist
Checklists are based on reviewing categories, where each rule becomes a checklist item.
Option 1 – From a sample (easiest)
Click “Create a new checklist based on a sample”
Pick a template (e.g. Consultancy Agreement)
Edit the generated checklist
Option 2 – From a review set
Click “Create a new checklist based on a review set”
Select your existing rules
It converts them into checklist items
👉 Use this if:
You already built rules (review categories)
You want to reuse existing logic as a checklist
Using a Checklist
Each item represents something you need to review.
Basic actions:
Check items
Use the checkbox next to each item to mark it as reviewed. A checked item means "I've checked this".
Click an item (or the + icon) to open its settings panel.
Set status with colours
You can assign a colour to each item to reflect its status. These colours align with the statuses used in LawVu Drafts' automated review, helping you quickly understand how well each requirement is met.
🟩 Bright green = requirement met
🟨 Yellow-green = mostly met
🟧 Orange = partially met
🟥 Red = not met
⬜ Grey = irrelevant
⬜ White = not yet assessed
Create or refine items with AI
In the item panel, use “Create with AI” to describe what you want to check.
The AI will generate checklist items based on your input.
Organise checklist
Use “Add group” to structure items and assign colors to them.
Undo / Redo
Use the buttons in the top-left corner to revert changes anytime
Saving and Loading
Checklists are designed as temporary working tools, but you can save them if needed.
Important:
Only the checklist is saved (not your document)
Checklists are stored locally (not on the server)
Logging out will delete saved checklists
Save a checklist:
Click Save and give the checklist a name.
Load a checklist:
Open the + New > Saved menu
Delete a checklist:
Hold Shift + click on the saved item
Export a checklist:
You can export your checklist to a Word document using the Export button.
