matter-workspace

name	matter-workspace
description	Manage matter workspaces — create, list, switch, close, or detach the active matter. Use in multi-client private practice to keep one client's context separate from another, or when a 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

• /ip-legal:matter-workspace new <slug> — create a new matter workspace, run a short intake, write matter.md
• /ip-legal:matter-workspace list — list matters with status and active flag
• /ip-legal:matter-workspace switch <slug> — set the active matter
• /ip-legal:matter-workspace close <slug> — archive a matter (move to ~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/ip-legal/matters/_archived/, never delete)
• /ip-legal:matter-workspace none — detach from any active matter, work at practice-level only

Instructions

1. Read ~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/ip-legal/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 /ip-legal:cold-start-interview --redo and select a private-practice setting. Otherwise, you don't need /ip-legal:matter-workspace at all." Don't error — the disabled state is the expected one for in-house users.
2. Follow the subcommand logic below.
3. Dispatch on the first token of $ARGUMENTS:
   • new → run the intake interview, write ~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/ip-legal/matters/<slug>/matter.md, seed history.md and notes.md.
   • list → enumerate ~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/ip-legal/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/claude-for-legal/ip-legal/matters/<slug>/ to ~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/ip-legal/matters/_archived/<slug>/, log the close date in history.md.
   • none → set Active matter: to none — practice-level context only.
4. 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. If Enabled is ✗, this skill does not run; instead it explains the disabled state and suggests /ip-legal:cold-start-interview --redo for users who actually need matter isolation.

Storage layout

All matter data lives under:

~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/ip-legal/
├── 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-trademark-2026, zenith-dmca, novacorp-fto.

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>

1. Confirm slug is not already present in matters/<slug>/ or matters/_archived/<slug>/. If reused, ask the user to pick a different slug.
2. Run the intake interview:
   • Client (the party we represent, or the internal business unit if in-house)
   • Counterparty (the other side — may be multiple; may be "unknown third-party infringer" for watch-triggered matters)
   • Matter type (read the plugin's practice profile for typical categories; for ip-legal: trademark clearance | trademark enforcement | DMCA | patent FTO | patent infringement | IP clause review | OSS compliance | portfolio maintenance | other)
   • Confidentiality level (standard | heightened | clean-team — heightened prompts extra care in cross-matter settings; clean-team common in patent FTO work)
   • Key facts (2–5 sentences: what this matter is about, who the stakeholders are, what's at stake)
   • Matter-specific overrides to the practice posture (e.g., "client wants aggressive posture for this mark only", "counterparty is a strategic partner — measured tone only", "inventor unavailable — don't surface for interview")
   • Related matters (slugs of any connected matters)
3. Write matters/<slug>/matter.md using the template below.
4. Seed matters/<slug>/history.md with a single "Opened" entry.
5. Create an empty matters/<slug>/notes.md.
6. Do not auto-switch to the new matter. Ask: "Want to switch to <slug> now? (/ip-legal: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>

1. Confirm matters/<slug>/matter.md exists. If not, offer /ip-legal:matter-workspace new <slug>.
2. Edit the Active matter: line in the practice-level CLAUDE.md to Active matter: <slug>.
3. Show the user the matter.md summary so they can confirm they're on the right matter.

close <slug>

1. Confirm matters/<slug>/ exists.
2. Append a "Closed" entry to matters/<slug>/history.md with today's date.
3. Move matters/<slug>/ → matters/_archived/<slug>/.
4. 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

[trademark clearance | trademark enforcement | DMCA | patent FTO | patent infringement | IP clause review | OSS compliance | portfolio maintenance | 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 posture.]

## Matter-specific overrides

*Any deviation from the practice-level posture that applies to this matter and only this matter.*

- [e.g., "Enforcement posture: measured here even though house default is aggressive — counterparty is a key channel partner."]
- [e.g., "Approval for assertion: extra sign-off from marketing required before any letter goes out."]
- [e.g., "Clean-team: matter files not readable even with cross-matter context on."]

## 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 — e.g., "Opened in response to watch-service hit on `APEXLEAF` in class 25."]

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. This is the confidentiality guarantee the setting exists to provide.

When it's on, a skill may read files across matter folders only when the user explicitly asks it to (e.g., "show me every enforcement letter we've sent on this mark across matters"). Even when on, the default is to load only the active matter unless the user asks for a cross-matter view.

What this skill does not do

• Run a conflicts check. Conflicts are the practitioner's/firm's job; the intake captures what the user declares.
• Enforce retention. Closing archives a matter; it does not delete. Retention policy is out of scope.
• Auto-route outputs. The substantive skill decides where to write; this skill tells it which folder is active, not what to put in it.
• Decide whether cross-matter is appropriate. It reads the flag and obeys.