What we do. What we don’t.
SynthCounsel is legal-information software. We are not a law firm, our employees are not your lawyers, and using SynthCounsel does not create an attorney-client relationship. This page draws the line in plain English so you can decide whether we’re the right tool for what you need.
What SynthCounsel does
- Document automation. Wizards that fill out official .gov forms (FDCPA / FCRA / TCPA letters, bankruptcy schedules, court motions) and generate court-ready PDFs.
- Statute and rule lookup. Verbatim text from federal and state statutes / court rules, with citations the user can verify on .gov sources.
- AI-assisted drafting. General legal information based on the documents you provide and the public corpus we’ve curated. The AI quotes its sources so you can verify.
- Deadline tracking. Per-state SOL calculators, filing deadlines, and procedural windows pulled from .gov source data.
- Educational content. Plain-English guides to procedure, forms, and citation conventions — like a self-help book that knows what URL you’re currently on.
What SynthCounsel does not do
- Practice law. We don’t give legal advice tailored to your specific situation, predict case outcomes, or recommend a specific course of action over another.
- Represent you. We don’t enter appearances, sign filings, attend hearings, take depositions, or speak to opposing parties on your behalf.
- Establish privilege. Communications with our app and AI are not protected by the attorney-client privilege. Don’t share information with us that you would not want a court to see.
- Replace counsel for high-stakes matters. If you’re facing custody disputes, criminal charges, significant assets in bankruptcy, or material business exposure, hire a lawyer. Most state bar associations run free lawyer-referral services.
- Operate in courts that prohibit it. Some courts and some procedural contexts prohibit the use of document-automation tools by non-lawyers. The pro-se filer is responsible for verifying local rules before filing.
Why this matters — UPL
The unauthorized practice of law (UPL) doctrine bars non-lawyers from giving legal advice or representing others in court. UPL exists primarily for client protection: lawyers carry malpractice insurance, are subject to bar discipline, and owe fiduciary duties that software vendors don’t. If you choose to use SynthCounsel, you are representing yourself pro se — you are the lawyer of record for your case. We provide the tools; the legal judgments are yours.
Pro se rights are real but limited. Federal courts recognize pro-se appearance under 28 U.S.C. § 1654; most states have parallel provisions. Pro-se filings are sometimes construed liberally (Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519 (1972)), but the underlying substantive and procedural law applies the same way. Missing a deadline, filing the wrong form, or pleading the wrong cause of action will lose your case whether you have a lawyer or not.