Skip to content
Get packs

Outside Counsel Status Emails

Drafts weekly status-request emails to outside counsel for each active legal matter.

Source Download skill
Repository
anthropics/claude-for-legal
Stars
9,870
Licence
Apache-2.0
Files
1 file

What it does

Once installed, the agent reads your matter log, per-matter notes and history, and your outside-counsel preferences, then writes one draft status-request email per qualifying matter as markdown files, plus Gmail drafts if a Gmail connector is authenticated. It skips matters updated recently and flags items for review. A person still reviews and sends every email; the skill does not send mail itself.

Great for

  • In-house legal teams that manage several matters handled by outside firms and send regular check-ins
  • Legal operations staff who want consistent weekly status requests drafted from a portfolio log
  • Attorneys who want a first draft of routine check-in emails to edit before sending

Skip it if

  • Matters with no structured log file, since the skill depends on a specific YAML log and folder layout that must already exist; it cannot draft accurately without it
  • Use where emails could go out unreviewed: the skill itself warns that routine check-ins can reveal strategy or privileged content, so automatic sending is risky
  • Non-legal teams, since the skill is written around privilege conventions and outside counsel directives

Try asking

  • “Draft this week's status requests to outside counsel for all stale matters”
  • “Create an outside counsel status email for the Smith matter only”
  • “Prepare OC check-in drafts without creating Gmail drafts”
  • “Show me which matters were included in this week's outside counsel status run and why”
Step-by-step guide: how to use Outside Counsel Status EmailsInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs

Install in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Download the skill

    The ZIP contains the 1 original files, the Apache-2.0 licence and an attribution note.

    oc-status.zip
  2. 2

    Add it to your agent

    Claude Code (all projects)

    mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && unzip oc-status.zip -d ~/.claude/skills/

    Claude Code / Agent SDK (this project only)

    mkdir -p .claude/skills && unzip oc-status.zip -d .claude/skills/

    Claude apps (web/desktop): Settings → Capabilities → Skills → Upload skill, and choose the ZIP.

  3. 3

    Ask for the task

    No special command needed — the agent reads the skill's description and loads it when your request matches. Try one of the prompts above.

Get better results

  • Review every draft for privileged content, factual accuracy, and budget wording before sending, as the skill's own send gate instructs
  • Keep matter.md and history.md current, since the email content is drawn directly from them
  • Use --slug or --no-gmail flags for one-off runs or when Gmail should not be touched

What's inside

  • SKILL.md

Redistributed unmodified from anthropics/claude-for-legal under the Apache-2.0 licence. The assessment was drafted with AI from the skill's files on 2026-10-29. Skills can instruct your agent to run code — read SKILL.md and any scripts before installing.