The Two Modes
Arbiter operates in two primary modes, accessible via the toggle in the sidebar:Documents Mode
The Document CanvasCreate, edit, and analyze contracts with the full document editor, AI assistance, and analysis panel.
AI Research Mode
Research ChatAsk legal questions, conduct research with GitLaw, and get multi-model analysis with the three-analyst system.
Document Canvas
The Document Canvas is Arbiter’s powerful document editor. It combines a rich text editor with AI-powered drafting and analysis capabilities.Canvas Layout
The canvas is divided into two resizable panels:- Editor Panel (Left)
- AI Panel (Right)
The main editing area where you write and format document content. Features:
- Full rich text editing
- AI-generated content integration
- Track changes and redlines view
- Inline analysis flags
- Section navigation
Editor Toolbar
The toolbar at the top of the canvas provides access to all editing features.Text Formatting
The toolbar provides comprehensive text formatting options: Basic Formatting| Format | Shortcut | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | Ctrl+B | Make text bold |
| Italic | Ctrl+I | Italicize text |
| Underline | Ctrl+U | Underline text |
| Strikethrough | - | Strike through text |
| Format | Description |
|---|---|
| Superscript | Raise text (e.g., 1st, 2nd) |
| Subscript | Lower text (e.g., H₂O) |
| Inline Code | Monospace for code snippets |
| Code Block | Multi-line code with syntax highlighting |
- Text Color - Choose from 12 colors for text
- Highlight - Choose from 12 background highlight colors
- Remove Formatting - Strip all styles from selected text
Headings & Structure
Select from 7 text levels:- Normal Text - Standard paragraph
- Heading 1-6 - Hierarchical headings for document structure
Alignment & Direction
Text Alignment:- Left align
- Center align
- Right align
- Justify
- Auto - Automatically detect direction
- LTR - Left-to-Right (English, French, etc.)
- RTL - Right-to-Left (Arabic, Hebrew, etc.)
Text direction is essential for contracts in RTL languages. Arbiter fully supports Arabic, Hebrew, and other RTL scripts.
Lists & Quotes
- Bullet List - Unordered lists
- Numbered List - Ordered/sequential lists
- Blockquote - Indented quote blocks for citations or referenced text
Links, Images & Tables
- Insert Link - Add hyperlinks with URL validation
- Insert Image - Embed images from URL
- Insert Table - Create and edit tables with:
- Add/remove rows and columns
- Merge and split cells
- Header row formatting
Document Width
Control the editing area width with 8 options:| Option | Width | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Extra Narrow | 400px | Mobile preview |
| Narrow | 500px | Simple letters |
| Compact | 600px | Short documents |
| Normal | 700px | Standard contracts |
| Wide | 900px | Complex agreements |
| Extra Wide | 1100px | Multi-column layouts |
| Ultra Wide | 1300px | Side-by-side comparisons |
| Full | 100% | Maximum screen use |
Toolbar Actions
Beyond formatting, the toolbar provides quick access to key features:Version Control
Version Control
Click the clock icon to open version history. Features:
- View all saved versions with timestamps
- Compare any two versions side-by-side
- Restore previous versions
- See word count changes between versions
Section Summaries
Section Summaries
Generate AI summaries for each section of your document:
- Click the list icon in the toolbar
- Arbiter analyzes document structure
- Get a summary for each major section
- Download summaries as a separate document
- Navigate directly to any section
Document Properties
Document Properties
View and edit document metadata:
- Document title
- Document type (NDA, MSA, Employment, etc.)
- Status (Draft, Review, Final)
- Language
- Word count and reading time
- Creation and modification dates
- Current version number
Chat Sessions
Chat Sessions
Manage document-specific chat sessions:
- View all chats associated with this document
- Switch between different conversation threads
- Create new focused chat sessions
- See chat count badge in toolbar
Upload Document
Upload Document
Import existing documents:
- PDF with automatic text extraction
- DOCX with formatting preserved
- TXT for plain text
- OCR processing for scanned documents
Context Menu (Right-Click)
Right-click on selected text to access AI-powered actions and standard editing options. AI Actions| Action | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Summarize | Condense the selected text into a shorter version |
| Expand | Add more detail and elaboration to the text |
| Simplify | Rewrite using clearer, simpler language |
| Formalize | Make the tone more professional and formal |
| Translate | Convert to another language (choose from 13 languages) |
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Cut / Copy / Paste | Standard clipboard operations |
| Text Formatting | Apply bold, italic, underline, etc. |
| Text Direction | Set LTR, RTL, or Auto |
| Case Conversion | Convert to UPPERCASE, lowercase, or Title Case |
Analysis Flags
When document analysis is run, flags appear inline in the editor:- Critical (Red) - Issues requiring immediate attention
- Important (Orange) - Significant concerns to address
- Moderate (Yellow) - Items worth reviewing
- Minor (Blue) - Suggestions for improvement
DOCX Export with Comments - When you export your document as DOCX, analysis flags are automatically included as Word comments at their corresponding locations. This makes it easy to share flagged issues with colleagues who use Microsoft Word.
AI Chat Panel
The AI Chat panel (right side of canvas) is your direct interface with Arbiter for document drafting and editing.Chat Tab Features
Welcome Screen
For new documents, you’ll see quick action cards:- Draft an NDA - Start with a common template type
- Create a contract - Begin custom contract drafting
- Something else - Describe any document type
- Analyze for risks - Run risk analysis
- Explain a section - Get clarification on selected text
- Suggest improvements - Get AI recommendations
Drafting with Arbiter
Arbiter can draft any type of document - not just contracts. Use it for legal essays, research papers, memoranda, briefs, policy analyses, and more. Arbiter intelligently uses GitLaw to research and build a citation bank that it references throughout your work. Example Use Cases:- Contracts, NDAs, and agreements
- Academic legal essays and dissertations
- Legal memoranda and briefs
- Policy analysis documents
- Research papers with citations
1
Describe Your Document
Tell Arbiter what you need. Be specific about the type, topic, and any requirements.Example: “Draft an essay on Algorithmic Sentencing: Can AI Judge Justice? - Examining COMPAS, the Loomis case, and the due process implications of predictive algorithms in criminal justice”
2
Complete the Requirements Form
Arbiter generates a custom form tailored to your document type. For an academic essay, this might include:
- Thesis statement and central argument
- Target word count and academic level
- Citation style (Bluebook, OSCOLA, etc.)
- Key issues to cover and jurisdictions to focus on
- Primary and secondary sources to include
- Main arguments and counterarguments to address
- Theoretical framework
- Output preferences (abstract, bibliography, recommendations)
3
Review the Blueprint
Arbiter generates a section outline based on your requirements. Review and approve the structure before drafting begins.
4
Draft Sections with GitLaw Research
During drafting, Arbiter automatically researches using GitLaw to build a verified citation bank. You’ll see research progress and source count in real-time.You have two options:
- Manual: Click each section to generate content one at a time
- AutoDraft: Toggle AutoDraft ON to automatically generate all sections sequentially
5
Review and Refine
Edit the generated content, ask Arbiter for revisions, or regenerate specific sections
Real Example: A user drafted a 21,000-word academic essay on algorithmic sentencing with 10 sections, 61 verified GitLaw sources, and 46 inline citations - all generated automatically by Arbiter.
Reasoning Mode
Choose how Arbiter processes your requests:| Mode | Description | Token Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Fast, direct responses | ~1x |
| Advanced | Deeper reasoning with chain-of-thought | ~1.5x |
Advanced mode shows reasoning summaries in purple expandable cards, letting you see how Arbiter reached its conclusions.
Requirements Form
For complex documents, Arbiter may display a requirements form:- Categorized input fields (Parties, Terms, Jurisdiction, etc.)
- Required vs optional fields clearly marked
- Dropdown selections for common options
- Date pickers for deadlines and effective dates
Real-Time Progress
During drafting, see live progress indicators:- Thinking - AI is processing your request
- Researching - GitLaw is searching for relevant sources
- Drafting - Content is being generated
- Progress bar for AutoDraft sessions
Context Documents
Add documents to enhance AI responses:- Click the folder icon in the chat input
- Select documents from your library
- AI will reference them when responding
- Matter documents are automatically included when a matter is selected
Chat Message Actions
Each AI response includes:- Copy - Copy to clipboard (plain text or Markdown)
- Apply to Document - Insert content into editor
- Research Card - Expandable citation sources (when GitLaw enabled)
Document Analysis Panel
The Analysis panel provides comprehensive contract review with AI-powered insights. It has four tabs:Section Analysis Tab
The main analysis view for document-level insights. Party Perspective Selector Analyze from different viewpoints using the dropdown:- Neutral - Balanced analysis
- Each Identified Party - Arbiter detects all parties in the document (can be 2 or more) and lets you analyze from each one’s perspective
| Step | What It Does | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Structure Analysis | Identifies sections, parties, document type | Always run first |
| Party Analysis | Analyzes from selected party’s perspective | After structure analysis |
| Clause Analysis | Detailed clause-level review with revision options | For redlining and edits |
- Content summary
- Scoring across three dimensions (Clarity, Enforceability, Risk)
- Specific issues with importance levels
- Metrics breakdown with issue counts
- Relevant case law citations
- Statutory references
- Total sources found and queries executed
Redlining Tab
Clause-level edits and revision suggestions. Redline Controls- Party Perspective - Select which party’s perspective to view
- Show/Hide Redlines - Toggle visibility of tracked changes in the document
- AI commentary explaining issues
- Multiple revision options to choose from
- One-click apply to insert changes into document
- Revert option to undo applied changes
Doc Intelligence Tab
Visualize your document’s semantic structure with a 3D graph.- Each point represents a document chunk
- Clusters indicate semantically related content
- Click any point to navigate to that section in the editor
- Useful for understanding document organization and finding related clauses
Export Tab
Export your analysis in professional formats. Export Type Selection Choose what to export:- Section Analysis - Complete document analysis with executive summary
- Clause Redlining - Detailed clause-level analysis with revision options
| Format | Best For |
|---|---|
| Sharing with clients, archiving, professional reports | |
| DOCX | Further editing in Word, collaboration, track changes |
Analysis Workflow
1
Run Structure Analysis
Start with structure analysis to identify sections, parties, and document type
2
Select Party Perspective
Choose Neutral or a specific party’s viewpoint
3
Run Party Analysis
Get section-level insights from the selected perspective
4
Run Clause Analysis (Optional)
For detailed redlining, run clause-level analysis
5
Review in Redlining Tab
See all flags and apply revision suggestions
6
Export
Generate PDF or DOCX reports for sharing
Token Costs - Each analysis step shows the estimated token cost before you run it. Structure analysis is the cheapest, clause analysis is the most detailed and costs more.
Sidebar Navigation
The left sidebar provides access to all major features.Always Visible
- Dashboard - Return to your command center
- Mode Toggle - Switch between Documents and Chat modes
- Search - Find documents and chats across your workspace
In Documents Mode
- Document Library - Browse all your contracts and drafts
- New Document - Create a blank document
- Upload Document - Import existing contracts (PDF, DOCX, TXT)
- Recent Documents - Quick access to recently edited files
In Chat Mode
- New Chat - Start a fresh AI research session
- Matter Library - Access your matters and run workflows
- Recent Chats - Continue previous research conversations
Header Bar
Left Side
- Arbiter Logo - Click to return to dashboard
- Mode Indicator - Shows current mode (Documents/Research)
Center
- Global Search (Ctrl+K) - Find anything across your workspace
Right Side (Documents Mode)
- Save Button - Save current document version
- Templates - Access the template library
- Token Balance - Current tokens with click-to-purchase
- User Menu - Profile, settings, organization, logout
Right Side (Research Mode)
- Token Balance - Current tokens with click-to-purchase
- User Menu - Profile, settings, organization, logout
User Menu
Located at the bottom left, the User Menu provides:Profile
Edit your profile, view subscription status
Settings
Notifications, language, AI research engine selection
Organization
Switch contexts, manage team settings
Subscription
View plan, manage billing via Stripe
Keyboard Shortcuts
Navigation
Navigation
Document Editing
Document Editing
- Ctrl/Cmd + S - Save current version
- Ctrl/Cmd + Z - Undo
- Ctrl/Cmd + Y - Redo
- Ctrl/Cmd + B - Bold
- Ctrl/Cmd + I - Italic
- Ctrl/Cmd + U - Underline
- Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + D - Toggle text direction
Chat & Research
Chat & Research
- Enter - Send message
- Shift + Enter - New line in message
- Ctrl/Cmd + . - Toggle web research
- Escape - Close dialogs
Tips for Power Users
Use Command Palette
Press Ctrl/Cmd + K to access the command palette for quick navigation without clicking through menus.
Resize Panels
Drag the divider between editor and AI panel to adjust the layout. Your preference is saved.
Context is Key
When chatting about documents, add them to context via the folder icon. The AI gives much better answers with document context.
Use Advanced Mode Wisely
Advanced reasoning mode costs 1.5x tokens but provides deeper analysis. Use it for complex legal questions, not simple edits.