/matter-workspace

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

Instructions

1. Read `~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/ai-governance-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 `/ai-governance-legal: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. 2. Use the workflow below. 3. Dispatch on the first token of `$ARGUMENTS`:

• `new` → run the intake interview, write `~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/ai-governance-legal/matters/<slug>/matter.md`, seed `history.md` and `notes.md`.
• `list` → enumerate `~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/ai-governance-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/ai-governance-legal/matters/<slug>/` to `~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/ai-governance-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; the workflow above explains the disabled state and suggests `/ai-governance-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/ai-governance-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-msa-2026`, `zenith-renewal`, `vendor-xyz-nda`.

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)
• **Matter type** (read the plugin's practice profile for typical categories; for ai-governance-legal: use case (internal) | vendor AI review | AIA | regulatory change | policy project | other)
• **Confidentiality level** (standard | heightened | clean-team — heightened prompts extra care in cross-matter settings)
• **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 24-month LoL cap not 12", "counterparty is a strategic partner — relationship-preserving tone")
• **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