Building the Best Playbooks in Gavel Exec

Playbooks in Gavel Exec help you automate contract review by teaching the AI how to spot and respond to specific issues, just like a junior associate following your exact instructions. To get the most accurate and helpful results, you need to break down your Rules and Rule Descriptions with precision.

This guide explains how to structure your Playbook effectively so the AI knows exactly what to look for, where to look, and what to do when it finds (or doesn’t find) something.

Step 1: Create One Rule per Issue

Each Rule should focus on a single issue. If an issue shows up in different forms or in multiple clauses, create separate Rules for each variation. This lets the AI apply narrower logic and respond more accurately. Why? LLMs work best when the instruction is clear, targeted, and unambiguous. Combining too many concerns in one Rule reduces precision and increases hallucination risk.

Example: Proprietary Information in Consulting Agreements

In this case, breaking down the overarching “Proprietary Info” concern into subtopics (assignment, confidentiality, return obligations) gives the AI clearer instructions and ensures nothing is missed.

Step 2: Write a Strong Rule Description

The Rule Description is where you “train” the AI for that Rule. Think of it like giving a paralegal step-by-step instructions. The best Rule Descriptions contain three elements:

1. Start with a Blanket Statement

Tell the AI what the rule is looking for in plain terms, e.g., “This Rule checks whether the agreement requires the consultant to assign all IP to the company.”

2. Tell It Where to Look

Guide the AI to the right section using contextual cues like clause headers or common clause positions. This reduces false positives.

“This clause usually appears under a section titled ‘Intellectual Property,’ ‘Ownership,’ or ‘Work Product.’ It may be near the end of the agreement.”

3. Provide Examples or Fallback Clauses

Give good versions (what should be there) and red-flag versions (what shouldn’t be there) to help the AI benchmark.

“Acceptable fallback language includes:

• ‘Consultant hereby assigns all right, title, and interest in any Work Product to Company.’
• ‘All intellectual property created in connection with this agreement shall be the sole property of Company.’

Problematic language includes:

• ‘Consultant retains all intellectual property rights unless otherwise agreed.’”

Example of a Complete Rule

Rule Name: Proprietary Info: Assignment Clause

Rule Description:

This Rule checks whether the consultant is required to assign all intellectual property created under the agreement to the company. This clause typically appears under “Ownership,” “Intellectual Property,” or “Work Product.” Look for phrases indicating an obligation to assign rights to the company.

Acceptable language might include:

- “Consultant agrees to assign all right, title, and interest in any inventions or work product…”

- “All IP created by Consultant shall be owned exclusively by Company.”

Red flags include:

- “Consultant retains ownership of their ideas.”

- Lack of any assignment language at all.

Tips for Writing Strong Rules

When to Combine or Split Rules

Use your judgment, but if a clause can fail in multiple distinct ways, it’s often better to create separate Rules for each scenario.

Example: Indemnification

• Rule 1: “Does the indemnity clause cover third-party IP claims?”
• Rule 2: “Is the indemnity mutual, or only one-sided?”
• Rule 3: “Is the standard of fault (e.g., negligence, willful misconduct) clearly stated?”

These could be combined if you're doing a general review, but separating them lets you track and flag each issue more precisely.

To build the best Playbooks in Gavel Exec:

• Break each issue into one Rule per risk type
• Use the Rule Description to train the AI like a paralegal
  • Start with a clear goal
  • Guide it to the right place in the doc
  • Offer sample clauses (good and bad)

When done right, your Playbook becomes a reliable AI reviewer that mirrors your legal instincts, creates the best outcomes for your deal, and gets you to the redlined and final version of the document faster.

Get 15 free redlines when you download Gavel Exec today.