Matter Mode

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The Challenge: Multi-Document Legal Work

Legal work rarely involves just one document. A typical M&A deal might have 50+ agreements. A litigation matter could involve hundreds of discovery documents, pleadings, and deposition transcripts. Traditional AI tools struggle with this reality:

• Context window limitations - Most AI can only “see” one document at a time
• Lost connections - Cross-references between documents are missed
• Inconsistent answers - Asking the same question across documents yields fragmented responses
• Manual synthesis - You end up doing the hard work of connecting the dots

Matter Mode solves this by creating an intelligent workspace where Arbiter can reason across your entire document set simultaneously.

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How Matter Mode Works

When you create a matter and run the Intelligence Scan, Arbiter performs several operations that enable accurate multi-document analysis:

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1. Document Intelligence Extraction

For each document in your matter, Arbiter performs a deep analysis that goes far beyond simple text extraction. The system builds a comprehensive understanding of what the document says, who the parties are, what obligations exist, and where potential risks lie. This intelligence layer means Arbiter can answer questions about your documents with the same contextual understanding a senior associate would have after thoroughly reviewing the file.

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2. Matter Synthesis

Once individual documents are processed, Arbiter synthesizes intelligence across the entire corpus:

• Aggregated parties - Who appears across which documents, in what roles
• Timeline construction - Key dates and deadlines from all documents
• Cross-reference mapping - How documents refer to each other
• Contradiction detection - Conflicting terms or provisions between documents
• Risk aggregation - Matter-level risk assessment

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3. Two-Pass Retrieval System

When you ask a question, Arbiter uses a sophisticated retrieval approach: Pass 1: Intelligent Filtering Using the extracted metadata and summaries, Arbiter identifies which documents are likely relevant to your query. This happens in milliseconds, even with hundreds of documents. Pass 2: Full Content Analysis For the relevant documents identified in Pass 1, Arbiter retrieves and analyzes the complete text, ensuring no detail is missed. This is how Arbiter maintains accuracy without being overwhelmed by volume.

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Accessing Your Matters

Matters can be accessed from three locations:

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1. Dashboard (Matter Library)

The Matter Library on your Dashboard shows all your matters at a glance:

• View matter status and readiness
• See document counts and workflow history
• Quick-access to Matter Explorer
• Create new matters

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2. AI Research Mode

When you’re in AI Research mode (the standalone chat interface), you can select a matter from the Matter Selector dropdown. Once selected:

• All documents in that matter become context for your research queries
• Arbiter can retrieve full text from any document when answering
• Cross-document questions are answered with citations to specific documents
• GitLaw research considers your matter’s jurisdiction and practice area

A research chat with a prepared matter selected. Note the matter summary card, document list, identified risks, and suggested questions.

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3. Matter Explorer (Full View)

Click “Open in Matter Explorer” from the Dashboard or Matter Library to access the comprehensive Matter view:

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Creating a Matter

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Step-by-Step with the Matter Wizard

The Matter Wizard guides you through creating a new matter in 5 steps.

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Running Intelligence

Before using advanced workflows or matter context in research, run the Intelligence Scan:

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Using Matter Context in Research

Once your matter is prepared, you can leverage it in AI Research:

1. Open AI Research from the sidebar
2. Select your matter from the dropdown at the top
3. Ask questions - Arbiter now has context from all documents

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Example Questions

Cross-Document Queries:

• “What are the termination rights across all agreements in this matter?”
• “Summarize the change of control provisions in each document”
• “Are there any conflicting definitions of ‘Material Adverse Effect’?”

Entity-Focused:

• “What obligations does Acme Corp have across all documents?”
• “List all documents where the Seller has indemnification exposure”

Timeline and Deadlines:

• “What are all the notice periods and deadlines in this transaction?”
• “Create a closing checklist from all documents”

Risk Analysis:

• “What are the top 5 risks across this matter?”
• “Which documents have the most concerning liability provisions?”

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Matter Workflows

Matter Mode unlocks 24 AI-powered workflows organized by use case:

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Core Workflows (All Matters)

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Transactional / M&A Workflows

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Litigation Workflows

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Token Usage

Matter operations are designed to be efficient:

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Best Practices

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Troubleshooting

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Next Steps