--- name: matter-journal title: Matter Journal description: Manages client matter journals — persistent case files that give Claude full context on every client and matter. Use this skill when the user says "new client", "new matter", "I'm working on [X]", "open the [X] matter", "update the journal", "log this", "what's the status of", "close the [X] matter", "set up", "configure", or mentions creating a new matter or asks about a client by name. Also use when the user asks "what am I working on", wants to review active matters, or dictates notes after a call or meeting. This is a context management skill — it creates, loads, and logs to journals. It does not draft documents, send emails, or perform legal analysis, but it provides the context that makes those tasks dramatically better. author: bstevescherer author_url: https://github.com/bstevescherer/heycounsel-community/tree/main/skills/matter-journal license: MIT version: 0.1.0 execution_mode: open jurisdiction: general practice: general language: en --- # Matter Journal You manage a system of per-matter journals — one markdown file per client matter that accumulates everything Claude learns about that matter over time. The journal is a living case file: a header identifying the matter and a chronological log of everything that happened. The journal makes you a better collaborator on every legal task because you carry forward full context — strategy, client preferences, opposing counsel behavior, negotiation history, deadlines, impressions — across sessions. The richer the journal, the better you perform. ## Architecture ``` Legal Matters/ ← the folder the attorney opened ├── CLAUDE.md ← standing instructions (written during setup) ├── matters.json ← index of all matters (auto-maintained) ├── Chen-Trademark-2026/ │ └── journal.md ├── Smith-BreachOfContract-2026/ │ └── journal.md ``` `matters.json` is the index. Each entry has: id, folder, client, matter_name, matter_type, aliases, parties (role-tagged), status, created, last_session. Aliases and parties enable fuzzy matching when the attorney mentions a name. ## First-Run Setup If `matters.json` does not exist at the folder root, the system hasn't been set up yet. This also triggers on "set up", "configure", "first time", or any setup-related request. 1. Explain briefly what you're about to create: "I'll create two files — `matters.json` to track your matters, and `CLAUDE.md` so I automatically load the right case file when you mention a client. Over time I'll build up context on every matter so you never have to re-explain anything." 2. Wait for approval. On confirmation: - Read `references/claude-md-template.md` and write its contents to `CLAUDE.md` at the folder root - Create `matters.json` containing `[]` 3. Confirm: "Done. Want to create your first matter?" Keep this conversational and quick. The attorney should never leave the chat to set things up. ## Create Matter Triggered by "new matter", "new client", or any indication the attorney wants to open a new case file. **Do not run a structured interview.** Extract what the attorney already said — client name, matter type, description, any parties mentioned. If the client name or matter type is genuinely missing, ask for just those in a single question. Then ask one thing: "Do you have any existing files or notes on this? Drop them and I'll start the journal from there. Or if you have an existing folder, I can add the journal there." Three paths: - **Attorney drops files** → Read them, create journal with a first log entry summarizing what's in the files. This gives rich starting context. - **Attorney names an existing folder** → Create `journal.md` inside that folder. Don't restructure their files. - **Attorney says no / just proceed** → Create a new folder named `[Client]-[ShortDescription]-[Year]/` To assign a matter ID: read `matters.json`, find the highest `M-XXX` number, increment by one. Create `journal.md` using the template in `references/journal-template.md`, filling in all known fields. Add the new entry to `matters.json` with appropriate aliases (client first name, last name, full name, any business names mentioned) and role-tagged parties. Confirm conversationally: "Chen trademark matter is set up (M-003). Anything else to add before we start?" ## Load Matter Triggered when the attorney mentions a client, matter, or party name — either explicitly ("I'm working on Chen") or in the course of asking for work ("Draft a letter to BigCo about the Chen trademark"). **Matching:** Check the `client`, `matter_name`, `aliases`, and `parties[].name` fields in `matters.json`. Case-insensitive, partial match is fine (e.g., "Chen" matches "Sarah Chen"). - **Single match** → Load the journal.md. Show the last log entry briefly: "Chen — last entry 3/17: Drafted C&D to BigCo. What are we doing?" - **Multiple matches** → Disambiguate with matter IDs: "Two Smith matters: M-012 breach of contract, M-031 trademark. Which one?" - **No match** → "No matter on file for [X]. Want to create one?" **When loading alongside another skill** (e.g., the attorney asks you to draft something and you're also loading the journal for context): load silently. Don't show a status message or take over the conversation. Just use the journal as context for the work. **Long journals** (20+ log entries): Load the header plus the last 10 entries. Mention: "This matter has [N] entries going back to [date]. Say 'full history' if you need more." ## Logging This is the heart of the system. There are three layers: ### Auto-Logging (primary mechanism) After completing any task related to a client matter during a session where a journal is loaded, silently append a timestamped entry to that journal: ```markdown ### 2026-03-19 - Drafted cease and desist letter to BigCo re: "CHEN" mark, Class 25 ``` No approval prompt. No announcement. Just write it. The attorney owns the file and can edit or delete anything. If there's already a `### [today's date]` section, append bullets under it rather than creating a duplicate date header. Keep entries brief and specific — what was done, for whom, regarding what. One or two bullets per task. Think of it as a time entry without the hours. ### Explicit Logging Attorney says "log this", "update the journal", "add to the journal", or dictates notes. Write a timestamped entry preserving the attorney's meaning in clean bullets. Light formatting — don't over-parse or restructure what they said. This is dictation, not analysis. Example: Attorney says "Just got off the phone with Chen. Adding Class 9, BigCo's attorney is Mark Reynolds at Fish & Richardson, wants coexistence not opposition. Budget is $15K." Write: ```markdown ### 2026-03-19 - Call with Sarah Chen. Key updates: - Adding Class 9 to trademark application - BigCo's attorney: Mark Reynolds, Fish & Richardson - BigCo prefers coexistence agreement over opposition - Client budget: $15K ``` Also update `matters.json` if new parties are mentioned (add Mark Reynolds as opposing_counsel, Fish & Richardson as opposing_firm). ### Daily Pass External events (calls, meetings, emails) that happened outside Cowork. See `references/scheduled-tasks.md` for setup instructions. Suggest this during first-run setup or when the attorney first asks about logging non-Cowork activity. ## Close Matter Attorney says "close the [X] matter", "we're done with [X]", or similar. 1. Set `**Status:**` to `Closed` in the journal header 2. Set `status` to `"closed"` in `matters.json` 3. Write a final log entry noting the resolution 4. Confirm: "Chen matter closed. Files preserved, nothing deleted." Closed matters stay in the index and on disk. They just don't show up in "what am I working on" queries and are deprioritized in name matching. ## Status Queries - **"What's the status of Chen?"** → Show the journal header and last few log entries. - **"What am I working on?"** → Read `matters.json`, list all active matters with their last session date and most recent log line. - **"Full history"** (after a truncated load) → Show the complete journal. ## Index Maintenance The `scripts/sync_index.py` script reconciles `matters.json` with journal files on disk. Run it during the daily pass or when the attorney asks to "sync" or "clean up" the index. It handles: - Journals without index entries → adds them - Index entries without journals → marks as orphaned - Metadata drift → updates the index to match journal headers - Last session date → updated from most recent log entry ## Important Behaviors - **Never interrogate.** Extract context from what the attorney already said. Ask only for what's truly missing. - **Never announce auto-logging.** It should feel like memory, not paperwork. - **Preserve the attorney's voice.** When logging dictated notes, keep their meaning and phrasing. Clean up grammar lightly, but don't rewrite or over-formalize. - **Be additive.** The journal only grows. Don't reorganize, summarize, or restructure existing entries unless explicitly asked. - **Respect existing folders.** If the attorney has their own folder structure, work within it. Don't rename or reorganize their files.