--- name: messaging-allowed-claims-consumer description: Use when drafting or reviewing consumer-facing copy, social posts, ads, email campaigns, or marketing materials for a legal AI assistant. Defines the precise framing, outcome statements, and channel-specific tone that are permitted when addressing non-lawyer end users — positioning the product as a legal information and orientation tool, not a legal advice or practice replacement service. Pair with messaging-banned-claims-consumer to establish the full boundary. license: MIT metadata: id: messaging.allowed-claims-consumer category: messaging priority: P0 intent: [messaging, consumer, marketing, copy, claims, B2C, UPL] related: [messaging-banned-claims-consumer, messaging-bridge-line, messaging-allowed-claims-lawyer, messaging-compliance-checker, messaging-outcome-claims-allowed] source: Louis — HAQQ Legal AI (github.com/sboghossian/mini-claude-for-legal) version: "1.0" --- # Messaging — Allowed Consumer Claims ## When this applies This skill governs all copy directed at **non-lawyer consumers** (the B2C audience): individuals facing a legal situation — employment dispute, contract review, family matter, business start-up, landlord/tenant issue, immigration query — who are not licensed legal professionals. It applies to: - Homepage hero and sub-sections - Social media ads and organic posts (Instagram, TikTok, Meta, Twitter/X) - Search and display advertising - Email campaigns (waitlist, onboarding, retention) - In-app copy visible to consumer-tier users - Influencer brief copy If copy could be read by both consumers and lawyers, use the more restrictive consumer rules. --- ## Behavior — The Permitted Frame The product is a **legal information and orientation tool**. Every allowed claim must fit within this frame. The operative question: "Does this claim assert that the product replaces, substitutes for, or provides the equivalent of advice from a licensed lawyer?" If yes, it is banned. If no, it may be allowed — subject to tone rules below. --- ## Allowed Framing (Verbatim and Paraphrased) These phrases and their close variants are pre-cleared for consumer surfaces: | Claim type | Allowed formulation | |------------|---------------------| | Understanding | "Helps you understand your legal situation" | | Orientation | "Orients you to the law" | | Preparation | "Prepares you for a conversation with a lawyer" | | Information | "Provides legal information (not legal advice)" | | Better questions | "Knows the rules so you can ask better questions" | | Template generation | "Drafts a starting template you can review with a lawyer" | | Plain language | "Translates legal jargon into plain English" | | Process | "Tells you what to expect from the process" | | Rights awareness | "Helps you know your rights" | | Option mapping | "Shows you what your options might be" | **Always** append "review with a lawyer" framing when templates or document drafts are involved. No template or draft should be presented as final or ready-to-sign without that qualifier. --- ## Allowed Outcome Claims These are the permitted outcome-level statements for consumers. Each must be accurate and not overstate capability: - **Legal understanding** — "I understand what this contract means" - **Legal orientation** — "I know where to start" - **Awareness of rights** — "I know what I'm entitled to in this situation" - **Knowledge of options** — "I understand what choices I have" - **Procedural preparation** — "I know what to expect at the hearing" - **Template generation** — "I have a starting draft to take to my lawyer" Each claim must be framed around what the *user* achieves, not what the product guarantees. Say "helps you understand" not "you will understand." --- ## Tone for Consumer Marketing | Dimension | Guidance | |-----------|----------| | Register | Empowering, not intimidating | | Language level | Plain English (Flesch-Kincaid 8th grade target for digital ads) | | Second person | Use "you" throughout — not "users" or "clients" | | Situational | Ground claims in relatable life events: a job loss, a rental dispute, a business launch, a family matter | | Reassuring | Acknowledge that legal situations are stressful before presenting the tool as help | | Not prescriptive | Do not tell the user what outcome they will achieve; describe the process the tool supports | **What empowering looks like in practice:** - "You shouldn't have to hire a lawyer just to understand what a contract says." - "Know your rights — before you need a lawyer." - "Legal clarity, in plain language." --- ## Channel-Specific Rules ### Instagram / TikTok - Visual, situation-driven storytelling ("You just got a lease renewal with new terms…") - Lead with the user's problem; the product is the resolution mechanism - Maximum 1 call to action - Plain language; no citations, no legalese in copy - Avoid anything that reads like a legal ruling or verdict claim ### Meta / Google Display Ads - Jurisdiction-specific where possible ("Help with your Saudi employment contract", "Know your UAE tenant rights") - Use situational micro-copy: "Got a non-compete? Here's what it means." - No guarantee language; no outcome specificity ### LinkedIn (B2C crossover) - More measured, professional register - Slightly longer form allowed (200–300 words) - Can reference the tool's knowledge base, coverage, or accuracy - Still consumer rules apply; do not claim lawyer-level competence ### Email (waitlist, onboarding, retention) - Warm, helpful, conversational - Zero jargon in subject lines - First email: set expectations ("Louis is a legal information assistant — here's what that means") - Subsequent emails: situational use cases ("Starting a business this month? Here's what contracts you'll need.") ### Search Ads - Jurisdiction-specific ad groups (KSA, UAE, LB, UK, US) - Keywords: "understand contract", "know my rights", "legal help without a lawyer" — allowed - Keywords to avoid: "legal advice", "lawyer replacement", "legal services" — may trigger bar advertising concerns --- ## Examples **Allowed:** > "Louis explains what your employment contract means — in plain language. So you can ask better questions when you talk to a lawyer." **Allowed:** > "Understand your lease, your rights, and what you can negotiate — before you sign." **Not allowed (see [[messaging-banned-claims-consumer]]):** > "No lawyer needed — Louis handles it." **Not allowed:** > "Win your case with Louis." --- ## Edge Cases | Situation | Rule | |-----------|------| | User-generated testimonial referencing legal advice | Do not amplify or publish without legal-framing edit | | Celebrity or influencer using "legal advice" in sponsored post | Correct in brief and require revision before publication | | Comparison ad vs lawyer costs | Allowed if framed as "understanding vs fees" not "replacement vs fees" — see [[messaging-pricing-framing-b2c]] | | Crisis situations (domestic violence, urgent eviction) | Add "Seek immediate legal counsel" regardless of any other copy | --- ## Do not - Imply the product gives legal advice, legal opinions, or legal representation - Promise specific legal outcomes - Suggest that using the product eliminates the need for a lawyer - Use the word "free legal advice" — even if the product has a free tier - Reference specific case wins or dollar amounts recovered --- ## Related skills - [[messaging-banned-claims-consumer]] - [[messaging-bridge-line]] - [[messaging-allowed-claims-lawyer]] - [[messaging-compliance-checker]] - [[messaging-outcome-claims-allowed]] - [[messaging-pricing-framing-b2c]]