The useful question is what changes for users, developers or buyers, and whether the announcement stays industry context or becomes something people can actually use.

GitHub’s legal team, composed of lawyers and program managers, used GitHub Copilot CLI to automate repetitive tasks such as contract reviews and legal question responses. By describing their needs in plain language and connecting the tool to their repositories, they rapidly developed solutions without prior coding experience. The approach shifted perceptions from ‘I could never code’ to ‘I just built something,’ fostering a culture of tool-building across the team.

Ngandu Kasuku, Principal Product Counsel, created a contract drafting tool called terms-ai using Copilot CLI. The tool organized drafting instructions, resources, and workflows in a repository, reducing copying and pasting while improving consistency. It incorporated a plain-language style guide and a library of approved agreements, enabling faster drafting and review. Kasuku reported cutting review and drafting time by roughly half while maintaining preferred stylistic standards.

Jesse Geraci, Online Safety Counsel, built a workflow tool using plain-language files to automate legal analysis tasks such as DMCA notices and contract reviews. The tool evolved into a desktop app with customizable workflows, integrating external data sources and enabling different analysis modes for clients and lawyers. Geraci emphasized that the tool’s value lies in its structured decision-support system, which enhances consistency, transparency, and scalability without replacing human judgment.

The GitHub legal team’s experience demonstrates that non-technical professionals can use GitHub Copilot CLI to build practical AI tools tailored to their workflows. The team encourages others to identify repetitive tasks, use Copilot CLI to automate them, and iteratively refine solutions. The approach highlights the potential for AI to streamline workflows across diverse roles beyond traditional software development.