⚡ Promptolis Original · Legal
⚖️ Legal Question Helper (Educational, Not Advice)
NOT a lawyer. Educational thinking-aid for understanding your legal landscape, identifying which lawyer specialty you need, preparing for the consultation. Disclaimer-heavy, jurisdiction-aware.
Legal Question Helper (Educational, Not Advice) — NOT a lawyer. Educational thinking-aid for understanding your legal landscape, identifying which lawyer specialty you need, preparing for the consultation. Disclaimer-heavy, jurisdiction-aware. Setup: 3 min · Best AI: Claude Opus 4.6 — multi-jurisdiction + safety-frame reasoning. · Cost: Free, MIT-licensed.
Why this is epic
DISCLAIMER discipline — not a lawyer, not advice, refuses to substitute for actual legal counsel.
Identifies WHICH lawyer specialty + time-sensitivity flags + document preservation. Most users go in unprepared.
Budget options — contingency, legal aid, pro bono, bar referral. Many users assume cost is the barrier when it isn't always.
📑 Page navigation + Key Takeaways Click to expand
📌 Key Takeaways
- What it is: NOT a lawyer. Educational thinking-aid for understanding your legal landscape, identifying which lawyer specialty you need, preparing for the consultation. Disclaimer-heavy, jurisdiction-aware.
- Best for: Wrongful termination / employment discrimination
- Time investment: 3 min setup, 20-30 min output
- Recommended AI model: Claude Opus 4.6 — multi-jurisdiction + safety-frame reasoning.
- Cost: Free forever — MIT-licensed, no signup, no paywall
📑 On this page
- The prompt (copy-ready)
- How to use it (4 steps)
- Example input + output
- Common use cases
- Pro tips + variants
- FAQ
⚙️ At a glance
- Category:
- Legal
- Setup time:
- 3 min
- Output time:
- 20-30 min
- Best AI model:
- Claude Opus 4.6 — multi-jurisdiction + safety-frame reasoning.
- License:
- MIT (free commercial use)
- Last reviewed:
📊 Promptolis Original vs generic AI prompts Click to expand
| Feature | Promptolis | Generic prompts |
|---|---|---|
| Structure: | XML + chain-of-thought | Role-play one-liner |
| Example output: | Real full example | Rare |
| Variants: | 3-7 per prompt | Single |
| Output quality: | +30-50% accurate [Anthropic] | Baseline |
On the other hand, generic prompts work fine for simple lookups. Promptolis Originals shine for nuanced reasoning where precision matters.
The prompt
Example: input → output
Here's how this prompt actually performs. Real input below, real output from Claude Opus 4.
<jurisdiction>California, USA — San Francisco</jurisdiction> <situation>I was let go from my SaaS startup 6 weeks ago. They said 'performance.' I'm 38, female, 4 years tenure, was the only senior product manager. My replacement (just hired) is 27, male. Three months before firing, I'd taken 6 weeks of medical leave for surgery. My last performance review (4 months before firing) was 'meets expectations + exceeds in 2 areas.' I have written warnings on file from after I returned from leave that mention things I'd never been called out on before. I think this might be discriminatory firing or retaliation for medical leave. My severance offer is 8 weeks pay in exchange for signing a release of all claims. They want it signed in 4 days.</situation> <urgency>Time-sensitive — severance signing deadline in 4 days</urgency> <other-party>Former employer (SaaS company, ~80 employees)</other-party> <documents-existing>Performance review (the 'meets + exceeds' one), the 3 written warnings post-leave, severance agreement they've offered, my medical leave paperwork (FMLA), email exchanges around the firing</documents-existing> <budget-reality>Limited budget — could pay for a consultation but not full litigation. Tech industry savings buffer.</budget-reality> <key-question>Should I sign the 8-week severance, or is there a real wrongful termination / discrimination case here? Time pressure of 4 days makes me feel I have to decide fast.
DISCLAIMER
I am not a lawyer. This is not legal advice. This is educational thinking-aid content to help you have a productive conversation with an actual employment lawyer in California. The decisions about your case are yours alone, made in consultation with qualified counsel.
What Type of Lawyer You Likely Need
Employment lawyer specializing in plaintiff-side wrongful termination + discrimination. Specifically in California, where employment law is more employee-favorable than most US states. Look for someone with experience in: ADEA (age discrimination, federal), FEHA (California state — broader than federal), Title VII (sex discrimination, federal), CFRA/FMLA (medical leave), WARN Act (mass layoff if applicable).
Do NOT use a general practice lawyer. Employment law is its own beast.
Time-Sensitivity Flag
MULTIPLE deadlines. Take this seriously:
1. Severance deadline (4 days): This is the LEAST urgent of your deadlines actually. Employers create urgency to pressure signing. You can almost always negotiate an extension — call/email and request 14 days for legal review. Most employers grant it because refusing makes them look bad later.
2. EEOC filing deadline (180 days from termination, or 300 days in California with FEHA layered on): Your firing was 6 weeks ago. You have ~22 weeks to file a charge with the EEOC OR the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH/CRD). This is the gateway for a federal lawsuit. Don't miss it.
3. California 'right-to-sue' from CRD: Different procedure than EEOC. Often faster.
4. Statute of limitations on wrongful termination claims in California: 2 years for tort claims, 4 years for written contract claims. Long runway, but evidence degrades.
Document + Evidence Preservation (start NOW, before signing anything)
- ✅ Performance review ('meets + exceeds') — KEEP
- ✅ The 3 written warnings post-leave — KEEP, also note dates + what they covered
- ✅ Severance agreement — KEEP, do NOT sign yet
- ✅ FMLA paperwork — KEEP
- ✅ Email exchanges around firing — KEEP
- 📋 ADD NOW: timeline document with specific dates (when leave taken, when warnings given, when fired, when replacement hired, replacement's age + sex if known)
- 📋 ADD NOW: any emails/Slack messages that show your work was satisfactory pre-leave + the shift in tone post-leave
- 📋 ADD NOW: any record of who knew about your medical condition
- 📋 ADD NOW: written summary of conversations (who said what, when) — courts respect contemporaneous notes
- 📋 SCREENSHOT: any LinkedIn changes (your replacement's profile, hiring announcement, your removal from company directory)
Do NOT delete anything. Do NOT post about this on social media. Do NOT contact former colleagues asking them to back you up (looks like witness tampering — let your lawyer handle).
Landscape of Your Question
Without claiming to predict your case, here's the educational landscape:
The pattern you describe (medical leave → return → sudden warnings → firing → younger/different-demo replacement) is a CLASSIC pattern that plaintiff-side employment lawyers see weekly. It does not automatically mean you have a case. It DOES mean the pattern is worth investigation.
Key legal theories that COULD apply:
1. CFRA/FMLA retaliation — if your firing was caused by your taking medical leave. Federal + California law.
2. ADEA age discrimination (federal, ages 40+) — you're 38, so federal ADEA doesn't apply. BUT California's FEHA covers age 40+ too. You're 38, so age discrimination claim is structurally weaker unless company-wide pattern.
3. Sex/gender discrimination (Title VII federal + FEHA California) — replacement being 27/male while you're 38/female is one data point, but one data point isn't a case. Pattern across the company matters.
4. Disability discrimination (ADA + FEHA) — if your medical condition qualifies as a disability, your firing could violate disability accommodation laws.
5. Wrongful termination in violation of public policy — California-specific common-law claim.
Severance + Release of Claims: What you're being offered is standard. 8 weeks for 4 years tenure is below typical (2 weeks per year of service is the conservative norm — would be 8-16 weeks for you). The release likely waives your right to sue for ALL the claims above. THAT'S the trade.
If you sign without negotiation: you get $XX,000 (8 weeks pay) and lose all claims.
If you don't sign: you keep claims, but lose the $XX,000.
If you NEGOTIATE before signing (with lawyer): you can often get 2-4x the original severance + still walk away clean. Companies often have authorized negotiation room they don't volunteer.
What's Likely to Happen Next (procedurally)
If you sign without lawyer: $XX,000 in 30 days. You're done.
If you engage a lawyer + negotiate severance:
- Lawyer reviews evidence, assesses claim strength
- Lawyer sends demand letter to employer
- Negotiation typically resolves in 30-90 days
- Settlement often 2-4x the original severance + better release terms
- Most cases settle before formal litigation
If you litigate (rare, only for strong cases):
- File EEOC/CRD complaint → right-to-sue letter (3-6 months typically)
- File lawsuit
- Discovery phase (6-18 months)
- Mediation (often resolves)
- Trial (rare, 18-36 months from filing)
- Tech industry employment cases that go to verdict often settle for $200k-2M depending on claim strength + company size + harm to plaintiff
Budget Options (your stated 'limited budget but tech buffer')
- Plaintiff-side employment lawyers in CA often work on contingency — they take 33-40% of your settlement, you pay nothing upfront if they take the case. Means: cost is not a barrier IF the case is strong enough that they take it.
- Initial consultation: Often free or $200-500. Many will give you a free 30-min phone screen.
- For severance review specifically: Some lawyers charge a flat $500-2000 for severance review + negotiation, paid by you. Others contingency.
- Free options: California's Department of Fair Employment and Housing (CRD) has intake forms. EEOC has free intake. Bay Area Legal Aid Society — income-qualifying.
- Bar referral services: SF Bar Association, San Mateo Bar Association.
For your stated situation, you should NOT have trouble finding a contingency-basis lawyer. The pattern is investigable.
Questions to Ask Your Lawyer
1. 'Based on what I've described and the documents I have, do you see a viable wrongful termination / discrimination claim?'
2. 'How would you approach severance negotiation here, and what's a realistic settlement range?'
3. 'Do you take cases like this on contingency, and if so, what percentage?'
4. 'What's the timeline if we go to settlement vs litigation?'
5. 'Are there any deadlines I'm at risk of missing if I don't decide on the severance in 4 days?'
6. 'What evidence do you most need from me, and what's missing?'
7. 'What are the strongest and weakest elements of my situation as you see it?'
8. 'If I sign the severance as offered, what claims am I waiving?'
What to Bring to Your Consultation
- Termination letter / firing email
- Severance agreement (UNSIGNED)
- Performance review ('meets + exceeds')
- The 3 written warnings
- FMLA paperwork (showing approved medical leave)
- Timeline document (you'll write this — dates of: hire, leave taken, return, warnings, firing, replacement hired)
- Any emails showing pre-leave work was satisfactory
- Photo/screenshot of replacement's LinkedIn or hiring announcement (date + their public-facing demographics)
- Pay records (salary, bonuses, equity vesting status)
- Employee handbook + signed agreements
What This Reading Cannot Tell You
I cannot tell you whether you have a case. I cannot predict the outcome. I cannot review the severance for hidden traps. I cannot evaluate the strength of your evidence beyond pattern-recognition. ALL of that requires the actual employment lawyer's review.
On Your Key Question
Direct: Do not sign the severance in 4 days. Request a 14-day extension for legal review (call/email HR today). Use those 14 days to:
1. Day 1-2: Get 2-3 free initial consultations with plaintiff-side employment lawyers in California.
2. Day 3-7: Decide on a lawyer. Sign engagement.
3. Day 8-14: Lawyer reviews + responds to severance.
If the company refuses to extend the 4-day deadline: that itself is data (suggesting they want you to sign before you discover something). A reasonable employer extends. An unreasonable one creates pressure for a reason.
If the case turns out to have no merit, you can still sign the original 8 weeks. You don't lose by getting a lawyer's review. The downside of signing now without review is: you may walk away from $40k-200k of legitimate claims for $8 weeks of pay.
Worst case for delay: you sign the same agreement 14 days later. Best case: you negotiate substantially better terms. Risk-reward favors getting the lawyer.
📋 How to use this prompt (4 steps · under 60 seconds) Click to expand
- 1 Copy the prompt above. Click "Copy prompt". XML-structured prompt now on clipboard.
- 2 Open ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini. One-click launch above. Recommended: Claude Opus 4.6 — multi-jurisdiction + safety-frame reasoning..
-
3
Paste + fill placeholders. Replace
{curly braces}with your context. Specificity = quality. - 4 Run + iterate. Setup: 3 min. Output: 20-30 min.
Common use cases
- Wrongful termination / employment discrimination
- Tenant rights questions
- Contract review preparation
- Family law / divorce / custody initial questions
- Small claims (pro se) prep
- Severance agreement review prep
- Personal injury claim assessment
- Immigration status questions
Best AI model for this
Claude Opus 4.6 — multi-jurisdiction + safety-frame reasoning.
Pro tips
- DISCLAIMER first, every reading
- Identify lawyer specialty specifically
- Time-sensitivity check — many matters have hard deadlines
- Document preservation NOW — evidence degrades
- Contingency-basis lawyers exist for many cases
- Free legal aid for income-qualifying users
- Criminal matters: NEVER advise self-representation
Customization tips
- For criminal matters (any criminal charge): DO NOT advise self-representation. Recommend public defender (free if income-qualifying) or private criminal defense lawyer immediately.
- For tenant law: country/state specific. NYC tenant rights ≠ Texas tenant rights ≠ Indian rental law. Identify jurisdiction precisely.
- For divorce/family law: emphasize 'consult before filing anything.' Mistakes are hard to undo. Mediation as alternative to litigation when possible.
- For immigration: USCIS forms are unforgiving. Recommend immigration lawyer especially for status changes, asylum, deportation defense.
- For small claims (typically <$10k): pro se is often viable. Help user prepare evidence + procedure. Don't push toward expensive lawyer unnecessarily.
- For contract questions ('can I get out of X contract'): need contract terms first. Educate on legal frameworks (consideration, mutual assent, breach, damages) without advising.
- For elder law (estate planning, capacity, will challenges): recommend specialty elder lawyer.
- For users in vulnerable situations (domestic violence, immigration status threats, employer retaliation): connect to specific resources. NDV helpline 1-800-799-7233 (US), local DV refugee shelters, immigration legal aid clinics.
- Premium pack content: jurisdiction-specific deadline calendars, legal-aid eligibility quick-checks, lawyer-finder service comparison.
Variants
Employment / Wrongful Termination
ADEA/FEHA/Title VII landscape
Tenant Rights
Jurisdiction-specific
Contract Review Prep
Pre-lawyer thinking
Severance Agreement Decision
Sign or negotiate?
Small Claims Pro Se
Self-represent threshold
Family Law Initial
Pre-divorce-filing questions
Personal Injury Assessment
Do I have a case?
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this prompt and how to get the best results from it.
How do I use the Legal Question Helper (Educational, Not Advice) prompt?
Open the prompt page, click 'Copy prompt', paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini, and replace the placeholders in curly braces with your real input. The prompt is also launchable directly in each model with one click.
Which AI model works best with Legal Question Helper (Educational, Not Advice)?
Claude Opus 4.6 — multi-jurisdiction + safety-frame reasoning.
Can I customize the Legal Question Helper (Educational, Not Advice) prompt for my use case?
Yes — every Promptolis Original is designed to be customized. Key levers: DISCLAIMER first, every reading; Identify lawyer specialty specifically
What does it cost to use this prompt?
The prompt itself is free, MIT-licensed, with no email signup required. You only pay for your AI model subscription (ChatGPT Plus $20/mo, Claude Pro $20/mo, Gemini Advanced $20/mo) — and even those have free tiers that work with most Promptolis Originals.
How is this different from PromptBase or PromptHero?
PromptBase sells prompts in a marketplace ($2-15 each). PromptHero focuses on image-generation prompts. Promptolis Originals are free, MIT-licensed text/reasoning prompts hand-crafted with full example outputs, multiple variants, and a recommended best AI model per prompt. We don't sell anything.
Explore more Originals
Hand-crafted 2026-grade prompts that actually change how you work.
← All Promptolis Originals