10 Ways Lawyers Can Use Copilot for 365 in Microsoft Word
Microsoft offers an artificial intelligence-based add-on for the MS 365 suite called Copilot for 365. While they do offer a free version of Copilot, the add-on costs an additional $30 per user per month. It is embedded in the entire MS 365 suite. Copilot in Word can act as a drafting assistant that needs clear instructions and careful editing. Below are ten practical skills you can use in Word. The idea is to let Copilot get you to a solid first pass. Then you step in to verify and finish the job.
If you or your firm is already paying for the Copilot add-on, Microsoft just announced that they will be rolling out a new Legal Agent, an AI tool built into Word specifically designed for legal work like drafting, working with tracked change edits, and reviewing contracts. This product will be rolling out to Copilot for 365 subscribers. While you are waiting for Legal Agent to roll out to your environment, here are some actions you can take today to use Copilot in Word.
1. Draft from a structured prompt
Copilot works best when you do not ask it to “write a letter” and hope for the best. Give it a container to write into. Tell it what you are drafting, who it is for, what tone you want, and what sections you need. For example, if you want a first draft of an engagement letter, ask Copilot to include a plain-language scope of representation. Ask for a short section on what the client must provide, a communication policy, and a clear description of fees and billing cadence. Include placeholders for matter-specific details. Once you have that draft, it is easy to iterate. Ask for a shorter version, a more formal version, or one that sounds more like your firm. Add examples from prior engagement agreements by adding a sample by clicking the plus icon. You can also tell it a folder to reference.
2. Turn rough notes into a clean first draft
This is where Copilot really shines. If you have the substance but not the time to shape it, paste what you have and let Copilot do the first round of organizing. Drop in meeting notes, intake notes, or a rough outline and ask it to turn that into a short memo with headings. For example, after a kickoff call for a new matter, paste your notes about the client’s goals, the key players, the dates you already know, and the risks you are watching. Then ask Copilot to draft an internal matter summary with sections for “Objectives,” “Key facts,” “Known deadlines,” “Open questions,” and “Next steps.” You get something your team can actually use. You can clean it up without retyping everything.
3. Rewrite for a specific audience and reading level
You already know how often you have to say the same thing in different ways. The client needs plain language. The other side may need something more formal and careful. Your team needs a version that is short and direct. Copilot can help you keep the substance while changing the delivery. For example, take a paragraph explaining a process, like what happens after signing a contract or after filing a lawsuit. Ask Copilot to rewrite it for a non-lawyer client at an eighth to tenth grade reading level. Ask it to include a short “what happens next” section. Then ask Copilot for a second version that is more formal and reserved for a sophisticated audience. Tell it to keep defined terms and avoid language that could read like a promise you did not mean to make.
4. Make a document shorter without losing the legal meaning
Most of us can spot wordiness, but fixing it line by line is tedious. Copilot can give you a tighter version fast. Then you can spend your time reviewing for meaning instead of rewriting sentences. For example, if you have a long client advisory or a multi-page internal policy draft, ask Copilot to cut it by 25 percent while keeping every deadline, dollar amount, condition, and exception. When it is done, do a quick reality check. Make sure the numbers survived. Make sure the “unless” and “except” clauses still say what you think they say. Make sure nothing turned into an unintended commitment.
5. Generate alternative clause language for negotiation
Negotiation can bog down when you know what you want, but you do not have the time to draft three different options. Copilot can help you get those options on the page so you are choosing and editing, not starting from zero. For example, for a clause that needs careful calibration, ask Copilot for three versions. Ask for a neutral version, a client-favorable version, and a compromise version you could live with if talks tighten up. You may not use Copilot’s exact wording, and that is fine. The point is speed. It is much easier to revise a decent option than to draft every alternative from scratch.
6. Create issue-spotting checklists from a draft
One of the quickest ways to improve quality is to standardize what you look for during review. Copilot can help by turning a draft into a checklist you can work through. For example, paste a draft agreement, policy, or client-facing form into Word and ask Copilot to generate a review checklist. Ask it to organize the checklist around common risk areas like scope, timing, money, confidentiality, data handling, dispute resolution, and termination. Ask it to add the questions you should confirm with the client or business team. Those questions might include who is responsible for approvals, what records are kept, and what timelines are realistic. You still apply the legal judgment, but you are less likely to miss something basic when you are moving fast.
7. Summarize a long document into a usable internal brief
Summaries are most helpful when you tell Copilot what you need the summary to do. A generic recap is rarely the goal. For example, if you receive a long contract, a dense policy, or a big stack of material you need to understand quickly, paste it into Word and ask Copilot for an internal brief. Ask it to include sections titled “Key takeaways,” “Deadlines and triggers,” “What we must do,” and “Open questions.” Then keep going. Ask where key terms are defined, what events trigger notice obligations, and what assumptions the document makes about timing and responsibility. Treat the output like a map, not a final answer. Confirm the important points in the underlying text before you rely on them.
8. Build a reusable template from your best prior work
Templates are still one of the most reliable ways to save time and reduce errors, and Copilot can help you build them without making it a weekend project. For example, take your best version of a common document, like an engagement letter, a standard contract, a demand response, or a cease-and-desist letter. Ask Copilot to convert it into a reusable template. It can replace matter-specific information with bracketed placeholders, add short drafting notes above each section, and flag areas that vary by court, jurisdiction, or deal terms. This also pairs nicely with old-school tools like Quick Parts or AutoText. You standardize what should be standard. You keep your judgment for the parts that actually change.
9. Create a chronology and a gap list from messy facts
If you have ever inherited a file and thought, “I just need the timeline,” this one is for you. When the facts are scattered across emails and notes, Copilot can help you pull them into a chronology and a list of gaps to chase down. For example, paste a set of dated notes, emails, and key events into Word and ask Copilot to build a chronological timeline. Then ask it to add a “facts to confirm” section that flags missing dates, unclear participants, and contradictions. The timeline gives you a backbone for whatever you are drafting. The gap list turns into a practical checklist for follow-up questions and document requests.
10. Produce client-ready “next steps” and document requests
If you want a low-risk way to use Copilot, use it to turn your plan into clear instructions for someone else. For example, after a key milestone like signing an agreement, filing something, receiving a draft from the other side, or finishing a client meeting, ask Copilot to write a short client-facing “next steps” section. Tell it to explain what happens next, what the client needs to provide, and what deadlines matter. Ask for plain language and a calm tone. You can also have Copilot draft a first version of a document request message. Then you verify it against your file and adjust it to match your voice. Clear instructions tend to get faster client responses, and that alone can save you time.
Conclusion
Copilot is at its best when you use it to take the busy work out of drafting. It helps you get started, reorganize, tighten, and standardize. It is not a safe shortcut for facts, citations, or conclusions. The habit that makes Copilot genuinely useful is a simple, repeatable review step. Before you share anything, verify names, dates, numbers, defined terms, and any legal assertions. Start with one document you create over and over. Refine your prompts until you reliably get a good first draft. Then move on to the next workflow.
Want to try this without making it a big project? Pick one document you draft all the time, such as an engagement letter, a client status update, or a standard contract provision, and use Copilot to create a better first draft this week. Save the prompt that works, tweak it once or twice, and keep it in your back pocket for next time.
Join us in Wilmington (5/7) or Charlotte (5/14) during Member Appreciation Month to talk about all the ways you can get skilled up in Microsoft Word.
Interested in what else Copilot can do? Check out the On Demand CLE, The Legal Professional’s Guide to Microsoft Copilot for 365 from August 2025 and sign up for the upcoming Lunchtime Webcast CLE Microsoft Copilot 201: Where Are We Now? on June 4th, 2026.
** This blog post was written with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot for 365**