The Summarise Documents workflow generates a structured summary of your documents before you begin your review. Vincent AI produces a summary for each document and, when multiple documents are uploaded, an overall synthesis covering key similarities, differences, and a combined takeaway. The results give you a structured starting point before you begin your review.
Note: To upload documents and start the summary, see Analyse Legal Documents in Clio Work. This article covers how to read the summary output and use the available tasks.
Important: All Vincent AI output requires final review and due diligence by a qualified legal professional before use in litigation strategy, pleadings, or court proceedings.
Upload documents and start the summary
When you upload one or more documents, Vincent generates a structured summary automatically. No task selection is required for the initial output. After the summary is generated, a set of tasks appears for further analysis.
- In Clio Work, click Vincent in the left navigation.
- On the Summarize Documents screen, select Add Documents.
- Select one or more documents from your matter or upload directly from your device.
- Select Add Documents to confirm. Vincent generates the summary automatically.
- Review the summary output, then select any tasks for further analysis and click the arrow to submit.
Understand the summary output
Vincent generates summary output automatically after upload. The structure depends on how many documents you upload.
Single document summary
When you upload one document, Vincent generates a two-part summary followed by a numbered list of general conclusions. Below the summary, Vincent generates a numbered list labeled General conclusions from the single file. Each conclusion is an analytical statement with inline linked citations. The number of conclusions scales with the complexity of the document.
- Part 1: Document identification
Identifies what the document is, including document type, parties, subject matter, and key topics, with inline linked citations.
- Part 2: Key points
Identifies key points from the document with specific factual details and linked citations.
Multi-document summary
When you upload two or more documents, Vincent generates a per-document summary for each file followed by a multi-section overall summary containing four sections.
Note: Vincent verifies page references during processing. A progress indicator is visible while verification is in progress. The summary is available to review before verification completes.
- Overall summary
Identifies the central matter, the relationship between the documents, and key themes across the document set, with inline linked citations.
- Key similarities
Identifies shared themes, parties, subject matter, and factual positions across the documents.
- Key differences
Identifies differences in document purpose, procedural posture, tone, specificity, and timing.
- Combined takeaway
Synthesizes what the documents show together, including the core disputes, each party's objectives, and the factual details that may affect those issues.
Tasks and outputs
Vincent generates tasks based on the specific content and document types uploaded. The tasks below are representative of what you may see after the summary is generated.
Presents the summaries as a structured table for easier comparison across documents.
Extracts the main disputed issues from the document, including custody, support, property division, and other contested matters specific to the filing.
Creates a paragraph-by-paragraph chart showing what was admitted, denied, or admitted in part and denied in part, with a short note on the position taken. This task may appear in pleadings and answer documents.
Summarises the uploaded documents into a concise litigation overview covering parties, claims, defences, positions, property issues, and key factual disputes. This task may appear when multiple documents are uploaded.
Compares the uploaded documents and identifies consistencies, admissions, contradictions, and areas that may affect credibility or settlement leverage. This task may appear when multiple documents are uploaded.
Creates a chronology of key events and dates drawn from the document content, including procedural events, financial transactions, and other relevant facts.
Lists all relief requested in the document and converts it into a litigation checklist for pleadings, disclosures, evidence, and hearing preparation. This task may appear in pleadings and answer documents.
Generates research memos based on the documents' governing law and subject matter. These tasks vary by matter and may not appear for every document set.
Each memo is organised into the following sections:
- Short response
- Summary
- Background and relevant law
- Detailed analysis
- Exceptions and caveats
- Conclusion
- Legal authorities (source extracts, relevance scores, and citations, filterable by case, statute, regulation, administrative decision, and secondary source)
Work with the results
Navigate to source passages
Select any linked page number in the summary output to open the exact location in the source document. Verify context before relying on output in a motion, brief, or client communication.
Edit in Legal Pad
Select the Legal Pad icon to open the content in an editable panel alongside your conversation, where you can annotate, edit, and save Vincent's output. For full guidance, see Use Legal Pad in Clio Work.
Continue the conversation
Use the Ask any follow-up question text box to request additional analysis or ask Vincent questions about the documents. For example:
- Summarise the key financial disputes across both documents.
- What are the strongest factual points in support of the custody position?
- Identify any admissions in the deposition that contradict the pleading.
Up Next
- Side-by-side comparison: see Compare Documents in Clio Work to generate a structured comparison of two documents
- Analyse a specific document type: see Analyse Complaints in Clio Work, Analyse Contracts in Clio Work, or Analyse Depositions in Clio Work for workflow-specific analysis
- Build a legal position: see Build Arguments in Clio Work to develop a structured argument from the findings surfaced here