research-start

Generate a legal research roadmap with unverified statutes, case-law areas, and search terms.

Updated May 26, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/yachela/claude-for-legal-ar --skill research-start-yachela
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: research-start
Source: https://github.com/yachela/claude-for-legal-ar/tree/main/legal-clinic/skills/research-start
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/yachela/claude-for-legal-ar --skill research-start-yachela

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

It helps you quickly identify where to start legal research by turning an issue prompt into a structured plan of statutes to check, case-law areas to investigate, and search terms—without pretending the results are verified authorities.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Roadmap-first legal research plan: Produces an organized set of leads (not citations) tailored to the student’s specific question and jurisdiction/practice area.
  • Seed-document prioritization: Instructs the system to read the clinic’s CLAUDE.md seed materials first, surfacing the most relevant pre-vetted starting points.
  • Gap detection from uploaded research: When the student has prior work, it guides synthesis and highlights what’s missing.
  • Safety via uncertainty and verification gates: Explicitly flags uncertainty, requires verification, and directs students to stop or escalate when coverage is thin.

Quick Start

Ask for a research roadmap by running: /legal-clinic:research-start "habitability defense to nonpayment eviction in [State]"

Frequently Asked Questions about research-start

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I create a legal research roadmap for a specific jurisdiction?▼

A legal research roadmap is generated by inputting your issue and jurisdiction, producing structured leads for statutes, case-law areas, and search terms explicitly labeled as unverified rather than confirmed authorities.

Can I use this to find case law and statutes for a clinical workflow?▼

Yes, you can use this for clinical workflows to find jurisdiction-appropriate statutes and case-law areas, but it outputs unverified leads that require independent citation verification.

How do I start legal research when I only have a general issue prompt?▼

Start legal research by submitting a general issue prompt to receive an organized plan of statutes to check, case-law areas to investigate, and targeted Westlaw search terms as initial leads.

Does legal research lead generation require reading clinic seed documents?▼

Yes, the roadmap generation prioritizes reading clinic seed materials like CLAUDE.md first, surfacing the most relevant pre-vetted starting points before exploring external case law or statutes.

What happens when legal research coverage is thin or uncertain?▼

When coverage is thin, the roadmap explicitly flags uncertainty, requires citation verification, and directs students to stop or escalate rather than relying on unverified leads.