/semester-handoff

name: semester-handoff
description: >
  End-of-semester case handoff memos — the mirror of /ramp. Produces per-case
  transition memos and a cohort summary so the departing cohort hands work to
  the incoming cohort cleanly. Reads deadlines, client-comms, and case history.
  Use when the professor or departing students need to wrap up the semester,
  build transition memos, or offboard a graduating/withdrawing student.
argument-hint: "[--semester=YYYY-term (default: current)] [--case=[case_id] (for a single case)]"

/semester-handoff

1. Load `~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/legal-clinic/CLAUDE.md` → clinic profile, semester dates, supervision style. 2. Load `~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/legal-clinic/deadlines.yaml` and `~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/legal-clinic/client-comms/[case-id]/log.md` per case. 3. Use the workflow below. 4. Take active-case list as input (ask if clinic doesn't have a central list). Map outgoing → incoming owners. 5. Generate per-case handoff memo → `~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/legal-clinic/handoffs/[semester]/[case_id].md`. 6. Generate cohort summary → `~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/legal-clinic/handoffs/[semester]/_summary.md`. 7. Route per supervision model — formal queue / configurable flags / lighter-touch.

---

Semester Handoff

Purpose

Every semester, clinics lose their entire workforce and rebuild. `/ramp` solves half the problem — it onboards the new cohort. This skill solves the other half: it offboards the departing cohort by producing handoff memos that capture what the next student needs to know about every active case.

Without this, case knowledge walks out the door with the student. The new student starts from the case file and intake summary, which is never enough. Two weeks are wasted re-learning the case before the new student can do anything useful. The client experiences the re-learning as a regression — calls go unanswered while the new student catches up, questions already answered get asked again.

Audience

Professor or departing students. The professor runs it to orchestrate the full cohort offboarding; individual students can run it on their own cases if they're transitioning mid-semester (graduation, withdrawal).

Load context

• `~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/legal-clinic/CLAUDE.md` → clinic profile, semester, practice areas, supervision style
• `~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/legal-clinic/deadlines.yaml` → all active deadlines, grouped by case
• `~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/legal-clinic/client-comms/[case-id]/log.md` (per case) → communications history
• Case files / intake summaries the clinic maintains
• Student roster — who owns what going into the handoff

Workflow

Step 1: Identify cases and owners

• Pull all active cases (from intake records + `~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/legal-clinic/deadlines.yaml` case_ids + client-comms folders)
• For each case: who's the current owner student? Are they staying or leaving?
• Map: outgoing owner → incoming owner (if known; otherwise mark "TBD — professor to assign")

If the clinic doesn't maintain a central active-case list, the skill needs one input: a list of active cases. Ask for it. Don't guess.

Step 2: Per-case handoff memo

For each case:

# Case Handoff — [case name] — [semester ending]

**Case ID:** [case_id]
**Practice area:** [area]
**Outgoing student:** [name]
**Incoming student:** [name or "TBD"]
**Supervising attorney:** [professor]
**Client:** [name or client ID]

---

## Where we are

[One paragraph: current posture. What's been done, what's pending, where the case is heading. If the case is at a natural pause point or between filings, say so.]

## Pending deadlines

*Pulled from `~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/legal-clinic/deadlines.yaml`. Incoming student's first job is to confirm these are accurate and owned.*

| Due | Type | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| [date] | [type] | [one-line] | [if tight: "URGENT — due within [N] days of semester start"] |

## What's been done

- [Key actions this semester: intake, filings, hearings, major correspondence]
- [Documents produced — with pointers to where they live]

## What's open

- [Decisions pending: e.g., "client hasn't decided whether to accept settlement offer"]
- [Research gaps: e.g., "need to confirm whether [jurisdiction] allows [remedy]"]
- [Open communications: e.g., "awaiting response from opposing counsel's office"]

## Client relationship

- [How often has the student been in touch? Phone, email, in-person?]
- [Any relationship context the next student should know: language preference, trust-building notes, circumstances that affect scheduling]
- [Upcoming planned contact or appointments]

## Documents drafted / filed

*Pointers, not content.*

- [Date] [Document type] — [path or file reference] — [status: filed / drafted / in review queue]

## Communications history summary

*From `~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/legal-clinic/client-comms/[case-id]/log.md`. Three-line summary here; incoming student reads the full log.*

[Short summary of recent contact patterns — e.g., "3 phone calls since intake, all in Spanish, client prefers evenings. Last contact: 2026-04-15, confirmed address for hearing notice."]

## Professor's flags for incoming student

*Added by professor review before the handoff memo goes to the incoming student. Could include: "this case has a sensitive family dynamic — read the intake carefully before calling client"; "client has requested all mail go to PO box not home address"; "there's a scope question here we haven't resolved — check with me in week 1."*

[flags, or "none"]

## First-week priorities for incoming student

1. [Specific — e.g., "Call [client] within 48 hours of taking the case. Introduce yourself. Confirm you've received the case file."]
2. [Deadline-driven — e.g., "Answer to eviction complaint is du