Creating lists from legal text in Legatics allows you to turn unstructured information into an organized, actionable format. This feature intelligently analyzes legal text and converts it into structured rows and columns, saving time and enhancing clarity.

Whether you’re working with complex agreements or other legal documents, this guide explains how to efficiently transform your text into a fully functional list.

Prerequisites: To create lists in a matter, you must be a Matter Admin

Note: There are some limitations when importing legal text

Start the import

Initiate list creation

Click on Create list located either on the top navigation bar or the dashboard
In the Create list pop-up, choose the Legal text option

Copy and paste your legal text

In the screen that appears, copy the text from your document and paste it into the big box then press continue.

Customise the import

Once the text is imported, you can customise the data before it's imported into Legatics.

Edit text

When you're making other customisations, you may find you need to change the text. To do this, simply press on the reference or text and update the text.

Include or exclude sections and rows

You can decide to include or exclude certain rows or sections. Simply press the toggle on or off next to the relevant row or section.

Change between row and section

We use deep logic to identify what lines in your text are rows and sections. If this attempt is incorrect, you can adjust it by clicking the box in the structure column then pressing section or row.

Repeat text

You can repeat the text from a section into the rows nested inside. To do this:

Press the dropdown in the structure column for any rows marked as sections
Select repeat text

Merge list

You can merge the text from nested rows into their parent section. To do this:

Press the dropdown in the structure column for any rows marked as sections
Select merge list

Tip: A semi-colon is used to separate rows

Split rows by definition

Legal documents often use definitions, which groups separate tasks into one line. But tracking is more effective with individual rows. This feature helps you separate definitions so you can track each item independently.

Note: Legatics will automatically recognise defined terms. You then need to add the definitions for it. If a defined term isn't recognised, you'll need to add it manually.

Adding defined terms

Press the dropdown in the split out by definition column
Select Add defined terms
Enter the definition term (eg Borrower)
Set out how this term is defined (eg Big Bank, Medium Bank and Little Bank)
Press Save

Existing defined terms

The terms you've defined are remembered for each import. To reuse them, simply select them again on a specific row.

Your row will be split into multiple rows.

Tip: You can change the text of the deleted row, and it will remove the same text from the split rows (eg if you had each Obligor, you can remove each and it will be removed from the split row).

Complete the import

Once you're happy with your import:

Press continue at the bottom of the screen
Give a number to the columns that contain the clause number and the text
Press continue
Give your list a name and set any list-level permissions
Press Create

Your list will be created with the data you imported

Next steps

Limitations

Maximum lines of text you can import	500
Import into free-text columns only	Legal text is just free-text!
No editing during import	Editing is done after the table is imported
Work not saved until imported	So don't leave the page open!

Troubleshooting

Clause references

The legal text importer extracts clause references (eg 1.1 Conditions precedent) into a dedicated column. Clause references are only recognised when the first word in your line of text is Roman or Arabic numerals or Latin letters.

Sections and sub-sections

The legal text importer can identify the headers and sub-headers (eg 1 - Initial utilisation) in your legal text, and import them as sections and sub-sections (instead of a normal row).

A line is detected as a section when:

the line has a clause reference (eg 1)
the line does not end with punctuation

A line is detected as a sub-section when:

the clause references indicate a parent relationship (eg 1, 1.1, 1.2)
there are 3 or more sub-headings with a parent relationship (eg 1.1, 1.2, 1.3)
at least 90% of the rows in the relationship do not end in punctuation

Rows

The legal text importer can identify the clause text (eg 1.1 - The obligors shall deliver...) in your legal text, and import them into a separate column.

A line is recognized as an individual row when: