Responsible legal information assistant
A Virginia-focused tool for understanding legal language — with hard boundaries.
CommonCounsel AI explains terms, summarizes documents, and helps you prepare questions for a licensed Virginia attorney. It is not a law firm, not a lawyer, and does not provide legal advice.
Guardrails you’ll notice: the assistant will not tell you what to do, will not draft a legal strategy, and will recommend a licensed Virginia attorney for high-stakes or time-sensitive matters.
What it does
- Plain-English explanations of legal concepts and common terms
- Structured summaries for pasted excerpts (non-sensitive)
- Risk flags and “missing terms to confirm” checklists
- Questions to ask a lawyer based on your situation and documents
- Virginia-aware framing when jurisdictions, timelines, or terminology matter
Who it’s for
- People trying to understand a letter, clause, lease, or contract language
- Founders/operators reviewing agreements (not a substitute for counsel)
- Students and professionals learning legal terminology
- Anyone preparing to speak with a licensed Virginia attorney
What it’s not
- Not a law firm, attorney, or “AI lawyer”
- No attorney-client relationship
- No court filings, representation, or negotiation
- No guarantees of outcomes
- No instructions like “do X in court tomorrow”
Guardrails & safety
- Refuses direct legal advice requests and redirects to informational help
- Prompts for safer inputs (non-sensitive excerpts; minimal personal info)
- Highlights uncertainty and encourages verification
- Escalates: “consult a licensed Virginia attorney” for high-stakes scenarios
High-stakes scenarios
For situations involving criminal charges, immigration, eviction, domestic violence, or urgent court deadlines, this tool will recommend seeking immediate professional help.
Criminal
If you’re facing charges or an imminent hearing, consult a licensed attorney immediately.
Eviction / housing
Deadlines move fast. Use this tool to understand notices, then speak to a VA attorney or legal aid.
Domestic violence
If you’re in danger, contact emergency services. For orders/protective actions, get attorney support.