Claude CoWork for Attorneys

What is Claude CoWork?

Claude CoWork is the practice of using Claude as a persistent, knowledgeable co-worker embedded in your daily legal workflow. This is not about asking a chatbot a one-off question and hoping for the best. It is about configuring Claude with your practice context, jurisdictional knowledge, and writing style so that every interaction produces output you can actually use.

Claude-native prompts. The prompts in this guide use Claude's native XML tag structure (<context>, <instructions>, <format>, <avoid>) for more precise, consistent output. These tags help Claude parse your intent with less ambiguity. They work in ChatGPT too, but are optimized for Claude.

Think of Claude as the sharpest associate you have ever worked with, one who never forgets your firm's formatting conventions, knows your practice area inside and out, and can draft a demand letter, client memo, or contract summary in seconds. The difference between attorneys who dabble with AI and those who gain a real edge comes down to setup and consistency.

This guide walks you through setting up Claude specifically for legal work, the five workflows that will save you the most time, and the prompting techniques that separate generic output from production-ready content.

Install the Attorney Plugin

This guide works on three Claude surfaces. The plugin is the fastest path on two of them. Pick whichever you use:

If you're on Cowork (desktop or mobile app)

Claude Cowork is Anthropic's agentic workspace — Claude completes work autonomously and returns finished deliverables. The Attorney plugin packages the workflows below as native skills and slash commands.

Open the Cowork plugin directory in your desktop app.
Filter by Cowork, search for "Attorney", and click Install.
The plugin's slash commands and ambient skills are now available in any Cowork task.

If you don't see the plugin in the directory yet, install via custom marketplace: paste https://github.com/alexclowe/awesome-claude-cowork-plugins in your Cowork plugin settings.

If you're on Claude Code (CLI)

Install from your terminal:

claude plugin add alexclowe/awesome-claude-cowork-plugins/attorney

The plugin's slash commands and skills load on next session.

If you're on Claude.ai (web chat only)

Plugins aren't directly installable on the web chat surface. You have two options:

Use the prompts in this guide directly in a Claude Project (covered in the next section). Same outputs, more typing.
Upload the plugin's skills as a zip via Settings → Features → Custom Skills (Pro/Max/Team/Enterprise plans). Higher friction; only worth it if you want the auto-activating skills, not the slash commands.

What the plugin gives you (any surface)

Slash command	What it does
`/client-memo`	Draft intake memos and case assessment summaries with legal analysis and recommendations
`/demand-letter`	Generate demand letters with legal citations, factual recitations, and specific relief requested
`/contract-summary`	Create contract review summaries highlighting key terms, obligations, and risk areas
`/billing-narrative`	Write time entry narratives and billing descriptions for client invoices

Auto-activating skills (no command needed — Claude applies them when relevant):

Legal Practice — Civil litigation, contract law, legal research, rules of professional conduct, and case analysis
Client Communication — Plain-language legal explanations, client-facing correspondence, and professional legal writing

The plugin works standalone for one-off tasks. Pair it with the surface-specific setup below for persistent context across every task — that combination is the full Claude CoWork setup.

Setting Up Claude for Legal Work

Surface note: The Project setup below is for claude.ai web users. Cowork users have their own task-context mechanism (set context once when starting a Cowork task). Claude Code users get the plugin's ambient skills automatically — no Project setup needed. The workflows themselves are surface-agnostic — paste the prompts wherever you're working. The key to getting consistently useful output from Claude is using Claude Projects. A Project lets you set custom instructions that persist across every conversation, so you are not re-explaining your practice every time.

Step 1: Create a Legal Practice Project. In Claude, click "Projects" and create one called something like "My Legal Practice."

Step 2: Set your custom instructions. In the Project settings, add instructions like:

You are my legal practice assistant. Here is my context:

<business-profile>
- Name: [Your Name], [Your Firm]
- Practice areas: [Personal injury / Commercial litigation / Family law / etc.]
- Jurisdiction: [State(s)] and [Federal district(s) if applicable]
- Typical matters: [Plaintiff PI / Contract disputes / Estate planning / etc.]
- Writing style: [Formal and precise / Persuasive and assertive / Plain language]
- Court formatting preferences: [Double-spaced, Times New Roman 12pt / etc.]
</business-profile>

<rules>
- Never fabricate case citations, statutes, or legal authorities. If unsure, say so.
- All output is a draft for attorney review. Include a note at the top: "DRAFT — FOR ATTORNEY REVIEW ONLY."
- When drafting correspondence, match my voice: [paste a sample letter you have written].
- Always flag potential conflicts of interest or ethical concerns you identify.
</rules>

Step 3: Upload reference documents. Add your firm's brief templates, sample demand letters, engagement letter templates, or jurisdiction-specific rules to the Project knowledge base. Claude will reference these when generating content.

Step 4: Start every session inside this Project. This ensures Claude always has your context loaded.

Your Top 5 Workflows with Claude

1. Demand Letters

A well-structured demand letter sets the tone for a case. Give Claude the facts and let it draft the framework while you focus on strategy.

<task>Draft a demand letter for a personal injury claim.</task>

<context>
- Client rear-ended at a stoplight, liability clear — other driver cited by police
- Injuries: cervical strain and lumbar disc herniation
- Treatment: 3 months PT, 2 epidural injections — medical specials $34,500
- Lost wages: $8,200 (6 weeks missed work as warehouse supervisor)
</context>

<instructions>
- Present liability, injuries, treatment, and damages in logical order
- Demand $128,000 (3x specials plus lost wages and pain/suffering)
- Professional and assertive tone, not hostile
- Include a 30-day response deadline
</instructions>

<avoid>Fabricating case citations; including client's full name, SSN, or DOB</avoid>

Before Claude: 2-3 hours researching format, organizing facts, drafting, and editing. After Claude: 15 minutes to input the facts, 20 minutes to review and refine.

2. Contract Review and Redlining

Claude can identify potential issues in contracts and suggest protective language, giving you a head start on redlining.

<task>Review this vendor services agreement and identify issues from my client's perspective as the hiring party.</task>

<context>Mid-size manufacturing company engaging a logistics vendor. Agreement is vendor's standard form.</context>

<instructions>
- Flag one-sided indemnification and missing limitation of liability provisions
- Note automatic renewal or termination traps
- Check data protection and confidentiality obligations
- Suggest specific redline language for each issue, organized by section number
</instructions>

<avoid>Stating any clause is definitively enforceable without qualification</avoid>

Before Claude: 1-2 hours reading and marking up the agreement. After Claude: 10 minutes to upload, 30 minutes to review and refine your redlines.

3. Client Memos

Internal memos analyzing legal issues are essential but time-consuming. Claude can structure the analysis so you focus on the conclusions.

<task>Draft an internal memo analyzing whether our client has a viable wrongful termination claim.</task>

<context>
- Client: 7-year regional sales manager, terminated 3 weeks after filing a WC claim
- Employer cited "restructuring" but replaced client within 2 weeks
- Client has emails from supervisor frustrated about the WC claim
- Jurisdiction: California
</context>

<instructions>
- Use IRAC format; analyze under CA Labor Code 132a and public policy wrongful termination
- Assess temporal proximity and pretext evidence strength
- Include a candid risk assessment; keep under 800 words
</instructions>

Before Claude: 3-4 hours researching and drafting. After Claude: 10 minutes to input, 30 minutes to verify analysis and finalize.

4. Discovery Response Drafting

Drafting objections and responses to interrogatories and requests for production is tedious but critical. Claude can generate the boilerplate and structure.

<task>Draft responses to these interrogatories on behalf of the defendant.</task>

<context>Commercial breach of contract — our client (software vendor) is defendant. Plaintiff alleges failure to deliver contracted features. Our position: features delivered, plaintiff changed specs mid-project.</context>

<instructions>
- Draft standard objections (overbroad, unduly burdensome, privilege) and substantive responses
- Preserve all privileges; use "Responding Party" instead of client name
- Flag interrogatories that require client input to complete
</instructions>

<avoid>Waiving privilege or making admissions; using confidential business information</avoid>

Before Claude: 2-3 hours drafting objections and responses. After Claude: 10 minutes to input, 45 minutes to review and customize.

5. Engagement Letters

A solid engagement letter protects both you and your client. Claude can draft from your template with matter-specific details filled in.

<task>Draft an engagement letter for a new estate planning client.</task>

<context>Married couple seeking wills, POAs, and a revocable living trust. Flat fee $4,500. Scope: estate planning documents only, not tax planning or business succession. Timeline: 4-6 weeks.</context>

<instructions>
- Define scope and exclusions clearly
- Specify flat fee and payment terms (50% retainer, balance on signing)
- Include conflict check, document storage, file retention, and termination provisions
</instructions>

Before Claude: 45 minutes customizing your template for each new engagement. After Claude: 5 minutes to input, 10 minutes to review and finalize.

Prompt Engineering Tips for Attorneys

1. Always specify the jurisdiction. "Analyze under California law" produces very different output than "Analyze under Texas law." Never assume Claude will default to the right jurisdiction.

2. Require citation transparency. Add "Do not fabricate case citations. If you are unsure of a citation, note that it needs verification" to every research-related prompt. Always verify every citation Claude provides.

3. Define the role and audience. "Draft this for a senior partner reviewing the file" produces different output than "draft this for the client." Tell Claude who will read it.

4. Use IRAC and other legal frameworks explicitly. Asking Claude to "use IRAC format" or "structure this as a brief with statement of facts, argument, and conclusion" produces dramatically better legal writing.

5. Set word limits ruthlessly. Judges and clients alike have limited patience. Specify "Keep the argument section under 500 words" or "This memo should not exceed 2 pages."

6. Ask Claude to identify weaknesses. After drafting an argument, ask: "Now argue the opposing side's strongest counterarguments." This stress-tests your position before opposing counsel does.

Privacy & Compliance

Attorney-client privilege demands caution. Do not paste privileged communications, confidential client documents, or sensitive case strategy into Claude without understanding your firm's AI usage policy. Use anonymized facts and general descriptions wherever possible.

Never include identifying client details. Replace client names with initials or placeholders. Do not include Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, or other personally identifiable information in prompts. Use "Client A" or "the plaintiff" instead.

Verify every citation. Claude can generate plausible-sounding but nonexistent case citations. Every statute, case, and rule Claude references must be independently verified through Westlaw, Lexis, or official sources before inclusion in any filing or correspondence.

Ethical obligations remain yours. AI-generated content is a draft. You are responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and ethical compliance of everything filed or sent under your name. Several jurisdictions now have specific rules or guidance on attorney use of AI — know yours.

Court disclosure requirements. Some courts require disclosure of AI use in legal filings. Check your jurisdiction's local rules and standing orders before submitting any AI-assisted work product.

Going Further

Ready to build on this foundation? Check out these resources:

Browse our full collection of legal prompt packs and cheat sheets for ready-to-use templates
Run an AI readiness audit for your legal practice to identify your biggest opportunities
Explore AI-powered tools built specifically for attorneys to automate even more of your workflow