---
title: "Running your practice from Claude and ChatGPT"
url: https://thematteros.com/resources/running-your-practice-from-claude-and-chatgpt
updated: 2026-10-17
author: Raghav Handa
---

# Running your practice from Claude and ChatGPT

You cannot run a law practice from a chat assistant alone. Claude and ChatGPT are good at drafting, summarising and planning, but they do not hold your matters, deadlines or time records in a durable, structured way. The workable pattern is a structured system of record, such as Notion, with an assistant used on top.

## Key takeaways

- A chat assistant is a thinking and drafting partner, not a system of record.
- Conversations are not matter files; keep the record elsewhere.
- Structured records make assistants more accurate and easier to check.
- Check each tool's plan and data terms before using client information.

## What assistants do well and badly

| Good at | Not built for |
| --- | --- |
| Drafting first versions of letters and memos | Being the authoritative record of a matter |
| Summarising documents you supply | Tracking deadlines reliably |
| Brainstorming issues and questions | Recording time and billing |
| Turning notes into checklists | Knowing what changed since last week without being told |

Memory and project features in these products change over time. Even where they exist, a chat history is hard to audit, share with colleagues or hand over, which are things a matter record has to do.


## A pattern that works

1. Keep the record in one place: Matters, actions, evidence and research in connected Notion databases, as MatterOS provides.
2. Copy in only what the task needs: Paste the relevant matter summary, not the whole file.
3. Ask for a draft or a check: Summaries, checklists, first-draft letters, questions to ask.
4. Verify and save: Check the result, then store the final version back on the matter.

MatterOS also includes an AI prompt pack for common tasks such as summarising a matter, drafting a client update and building next steps. It works with Claude, ChatGPT, Notion AI or another assistant.

- What MatterOS is: https://thematteros.com/product
- The Matter Method: https://thematteros.com/method
- Why structure comes first: https://thematteros.com/blog/ai-for-small-law-firms-structure-first


## What you still need besides an assistant

- Trust accounting and billing software where your rules require it.
- A court-rules deadline method.
- Secure document storage and email.
- A written policy on AI use.

Check the terms: Plans differ on whether your inputs are retained or used for training, and on admin controls. Read the current terms and bar guidance, such as the ABA's Formal Opinion 512 (July 2024), and check your own jurisdiction.

- AI ethics for lawyers: https://thematteros.com/resources/legal-ai-ethics-guide
- Legal AI agents: https://thematteros.com/resources/legal-ai-agents


## FAQ

### Can Claude or ChatGPT replace practice management software?

No. They help with drafting and analysis but do not provide a durable, structured record of matters, deadlines and time.

### How do I give an assistant my matter details?

Copy the relevant parts of a structured matter record into the conversation, redacting what the task does not need, after checking the tool's terms.

### Does MatterOS connect directly to Claude or ChatGPT?

MatterOS is a Notion template and does not itself connect to them. Its prompt pack is designed to be used with the assistant of your choice.

### Is it safe to put client data into a chat assistant?

It depends on the plan, the provider's terms and your professional rules. Review them and minimise what you share.