| name | matter-workspace |
| description | Manage matter workspaces — new, list, switch, close, or detach (practice-level). File-management logic for keeping one client or engagement's context separate from every other. Use when working across multiple clients or matters, when the user says "new matter", "switch matter", "list matters", "close matter", or when any substantive skill needs to know which matter it's working in.
|
| argument-hint | <new | list | switch | close | none> [slug] |
/matter-workspace
Practitioners work across multiple clients and matters. A matter workspace keeps one client or engagement's context separate from every other. This skill manages those workspaces.
Subcommands
/ai-governance-legal-uk:matter-workspace new <slug> — create a new matter workspace, run a short intake, write matter.md/ai-governance-legal-uk:matter-workspace list — list matters with status and active flag/ai-governance-legal-uk:matter-workspace switch <slug> — set the active matter/ai-governance-legal-uk:matter-workspace close <slug> — archive a matter (move to ~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/ai-governance-legal-uk/matters/_archived/, never delete)/ai-governance-legal-uk:matter-workspace none — detach from any active matter, work at practice-level only
Instructions
- Read
~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/ai-governance-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md — confirm the ## Matter workspaces section is populated. If Enabled is ✗, tell the user: "Matter workspaces are off — you're configured as an in-house practice with one client, so the plugin works from practice-level context automatically. If you actually work across multiple clients, re-run /ai-governance-legal-uk:cold-start-interview --redo and select a private-practice setting. Otherwise, you don't need /matter-workspace at all." Don't error — the disabled state is the expected one for in-house users.
- Use the workflow below.
- Dispatch on the first token of
$ARGUMENTS:
new → run the intake interview, write ~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/ai-governance-legal-uk/matters/<slug>/matter.md, seed history.md and notes.md.list → enumerate ~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/ai-governance-legal-uk/matters/*/matter.md, print a table, mark the active matter.switch → update the Active matter: line in the practice-level CLAUDE.md.close → move ~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/ai-governance-legal-uk/matters/<slug>/ to ~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/ai-governance-legal-uk/matters/_archived/<slug>/, log the close date in history.md.none → set Active matter: to none — practice-level context only.
- Show the user what changed and confirm before writing.
Notes
- The skill never reads across matters unless
Cross-matter context is on in the practice-level CLAUDE.md.
- Archiving is not deletion — closed matters remain readable for retention/conflicts purposes.
- Slugs are lowercase with hyphens. If a slug is reused across archived and active, the archived one is preserved under
_archived/<slug>/.
Multi-client practitioners (private practice — solo, small firm, large firm) work across many matters. Context from one must not leak into another. This skill is the thin file-management layer that makes that true.
Default state is off. In-house users never see this — they run at practice-level only. Matter workspaces turn on at cold-start for private-practice users, or by editing ## Matter workspaces in the practice-level CLAUDE.md.
Storage layout
All matter data lives under:
~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/ai-governance-legal-uk/
├── CLAUDE.md # practice-level practice profile
└── matters/
├── <slug>/
│ ├── matter.md # client, counterparty, matter type, key facts, overrides
│ ├── history.md # dated log of events, decisions, drafts, reviews
│ ├── notes.md # free-form working notes
│ └── outputs/ # skill outputs for this matter (optional subfolder)
└── _archived/
└── <slug>/ # closed matters — readable but not active
Slugs are lowercase with hyphens. Examples: acme-ai-review-2026, zenith-aia-renewal, vendor-openai-uk-terms.
Active matter is in the practice CLAUDE.md
The Active matter: line under ## Matter workspaces in the practice-level CLAUDE.md is the single source of truth. Switching a matter edits that line. No separate state file.
Subcommand logic
new <slug>
- Confirm slug is not already present in
matters/<slug>/ or matters/_archived/<slug>/. If reused, ask the user to pick a different slug.
- Run the intake interview:
- Client (the party we represent, or the internal business unit if in-house)
- Counterparty (the other side — may be multiple)
- Matter type (for ai-governance-legal-uk: use case (internal) | vendor AI review | AIA | regulatory change | policy project | ICO/CMA/FCA engagement | other)
- Confidentiality level (standard | heightened | clean-team)
- Key facts (2–5 sentences: what this matter is about, who the stakeholders are, what's at stake)
- Matter-specific overrides to the practice playbook (e.g., "client requires English law governing clause", "counterparty is a strategic partner — relationship-preserving tone")
- Related matters (slugs of any connected matters)
- Write
matters/<slug>/matter.md using the template below.
- Seed
matters/<slug>/history.md with a single "Opened" entry.
- Create an empty
matters/<slug>/notes.md.
- Do not auto-switch to the new matter. Ask: "Want to switch to
<slug> now? (/ai-governance-legal-uk:matter-workspace switch <slug>)"
list
Enumerate matters/*/matter.md. Read each file's front-matter or first few lines to extract status. Print a table:
| Slug | Client | Matter type | Status | Opened | Active |
|---|
Mark the currently-active matter with *. Include _archived/* under a separate "Archived" heading if any exist.
switch <slug>
- Confirm
matters/<slug>/matter.md exists. If not, offer /ai-governance-legal-uk:matter-workspace new <slug>.
- Edit the
Active matter: line in the practice-level CLAUDE.md to Active matter: <slug>.
- Show the user the matter.md summary so they can confirm they're on the right matter.
close <slug>
- Confirm
matters/<slug>/ exists.
- Append a "Closed" entry to
matters/<slug>/history.md with today's date.
- Move
matters/<slug>/ → matters/_archived/<slug>/.
- If the closed matter was the active matter, set
Active matter: to none — practice-level context only.
none
Set Active matter: in the practice-level CLAUDE.md to none — practice-level context only. Confirm with the user.
matter.md template
[WORK-PRODUCT HEADER — per plugin config ## Outputs — differs by role; see `## Who's using this` in the practice-level CLAUDE.md]
# Matter: [Client] — [short description]
**Slug:** [slug]
**Opened:** [YYYY-MM-DD]
**Status:** active
**Confidentiality:** [standard / heightened / clean-team]
---
## Parties
**Client:** [name]
**Counterparty:** [name(s)]
## Matter type
[use case (internal) | vendor AI review | AIA | regulatory change | policy project | ICO/CMA/FCA engagement | other — with one-line rationale]
## Key facts
[2–5 sentences. What this matter is about. Who the stakeholders are. What's at stake. What makes it different from the default playbook.]
## Matter-specific overrides
*Any deviation from the practice-level playbook that applies to this matter and only this matter.*
- [e.g., "Governing law: English law only."]
- [e.g., "Tone: relationship-preserving — counterparty is a strategic partner."]
- [e.g., "EU AI Act applies — client has significant EU nexus."]
## Related matters
- [slug — one line why related]
## Notes on confidentiality
[If heightened or clean-team, describe why. Who may see matter files. Whether cross-matter context is permissible even if globally on.]
history.md seed
# History: [Client] — [short description]
Append-only event log. Most recent at top.
---
## [YYYY-MM-DD] — Matter opened
Intake completed. Slug: `[slug]`. Status: active.
[Any initial context worth preserving beyond matter.md.]
Cross-matter context
The practice-level CLAUDE.md has a Cross-matter context: flag. When it's off (the default), a skill working in matter A never reads files in matters/B/ for any other B. Period.
What this skill does not do
- Run a conflicts check. Conflicts are the practitioner's/firm's job.
- Enforce retention. Closing archives a matter; it does not delete.
- Auto-route outputs. The substantive skill decides where to write.
- Decide whether cross-matter is appropriate. It reads the flag and obeys.
