GitLaw How-To guides
Use Memory and context files
GitLaw's Memory is the collection of knowledge the Agent loads at the start of every chat: your company details, how you like contracts written, and notes on your counterparties. The individual notes are called Context Files. View and edit them on the Memories tab in the Memory area of the main menu.
Before you start: a GitLaw account.
What does GitLaw Memory remember?
Memory is organised into distinct layers:
- Profile: your legal name, trading name, jurisdiction, industry and registered address. Set during account setup and editable in Settings.
- Playbook: drafting defaults, both cross-category and contract-specific, such as your preferred liability position, standard payment terms, governing law and rules like "for NDAs, always use a mutual structure".
- Contact notes: per-counterparty intelligence, including negotiation history, red lines, fallback positions accepted and communication style. One note per contact, built up over time.
File summaries are not context files; they appear on the file detail page alongside the extracted structured fields.
The Agent loads whichever layers are relevant to the work in hand. If you open a chat about an NDA with Acme Ltd, it loads your Profile, your Playbook and your Acme contact note, not every note you have.
How is Memory updated?
GitLaw builds your Memory from several sources:
- Chat: as you talk to the Agent, it picks up preferences, corrections and decisions. If you say "actually we switched to Net 45" mid-chat, that can update the relevant entry.
- File upload: when you upload an existing contract, GitLaw extracts parties, dates, governing law, category and status, then generates a file summary and, where relevant, a counterparty note.
- You, directly: you can read and edit any Context File yourself at any time.
Facts the Agent learns are written to Memory and are always visible and reversible; you can open any entry and edit it.
How do I view and edit my Context Files?
Your Context Files are collected in the Memory area of the main menu, on the Memories tab. From there you can:
- See each entry's scope at a glance on its chip (Profile, Notes, Playbook, Contact).
- Click any entry to read the full note.
- Edit the body inline and save your changes.
Contact-specific notes are also accessible from a contact's detail view. File summaries appear on the file detail page alongside the extracted structured fields.
Where Memory shows up in chat
The Agent cites memory at the point it uses it. If it applies your standard liability cap, it will say so, for example "Using your preferred liability cap of £100k here", rather than announcing a save during the conversation. This makes it easy to spot when a remembered preference is being applied, and to correct it if circumstances have changed.
Good habits for a useful Memory
- Check your Profile is complete. A full profile, especially jurisdiction and industry, means the Agent's first draft is already closer to what you need.
- Upload your existing contracts. The more contracts GitLaw has seen, the more accurate your playbooks and counterparty notes become.
- Add contact notes for frequent counterparties. A few lines on a counterparty's red lines saves you re-explaining them every time. Find contacts under Memory → Contacts; see Manage your contacts.
- Check your Memory entries now and then. When the Agent saves a new fact, taking a moment to read and correct it keeps your Memory accurate.
Frequently asked questions
Can I see and change what GitLaw remembers about me?
Yes. Every Context File is visible on the Memory → Memories tab, where you can read and edit any entry inline. Facts the Agent saves are always visible and reversible.
Does the Agent load all my notes into every chat?
No. It loads only the layers relevant to the work in hand, for example your Profile, your Playbook and the counterparty's contact note.
Do I need to approve Memory updates before they are saved?
No. Facts the Agent learns are written to Memory, and every entry is always visible and reversible, so you can edit or remove anything it has saved.
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Reviewed by the GitLaw team. Last updated 29 July 2026.