The complete hands-on guide for small firm practitioners
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Cowork is the agentic desktop version of Claude — think of it as the difference between asking a colleague a question, and delegating an entire project to them.
Launched in January 2026, Claude Cowork was described by Anthropic as "Claude Code for the rest of your work." Where the standard Claude web interface handles one task at a time in a browser, Cowork is a downloadable desktop application that can take on complex, multi-step tasks and execute them autonomously — reading files from folders on your computer, creating documents, processing batches of contracts, and working through a matter file from start to finish.
The critical difference for legal practitioners is this: Cowork can work with your local files. You give it access to a folder on your computer, and it reads, analyses, and creates documents inside that workspace — all running locally, without your files going back and forth through a chat window.
Available for macOS and Windows. Must be downloaded and installed — it is separate from claude.ai. Works locally on your machine.
You grant Cowork access to a specific folder on your computer. It reads and creates files there — your matter files, contracts, and precedents stay on your machine.
Instead of one prompt → one response, Cowork plans and executes multi-step workflows. "Review these 10 contracts and rank by risk" is a single instruction it can execute.
Cowork is the only place the Legal Plugin (and all other knowledge-work plugins) can be installed and used. Plugins are free for all paid plan users.
The Legal Plugin is a structured workflow layer that sits on top of Claude — giving it a defined sequence, output format, and risk-flagging system specifically for legal documents.
Released on 2 February 2026 and expanded significantly on 12 May 2026 with the full Claude for Legal launch, the plugin is open-source (available on GitHub) and free for all paid Claude users. It doesn't add a new AI model — it gives Claude a structured legal thinking process: how to read a clause, how to flag risk, what a deliverable should look like.
As Reed Smith described it: "A set of high-quality system prompts and workflow maps layered on top of Claude's existing language model — providing a structured pathway for processing legal requests with consistent output formatting and risk flagging."
The plugin automates contract review, NDA triage, compliance checks, risk assessment, vendor agreement monitoring, legal briefings, and templated legal responses — using simple slash commands rather than prompts you have to write yourself.
| Task | Without the Plugin | With the Legal Plugin |
|---|---|---|
| Contract review | Write a detailed prompt, get unstructured output | /legal:review-contract — structured clause-by-clause analysis with GREEN/YELLOW/RED flags |
| NDA triage | Paste and ask, manually interpret output | /legal:triage-nda — classification, risk level, and recommended action automatically |
| Compliance check | Describe the regulation, hope it knows it | /legal:compliance-check — required clauses checklist with pass/fail status |
| Risk assessment | Variable output, inconsistent format | /legal:risk-assessment — risk matrix with visual indicators and mitigation language |
| Batch processing | Not possible in chat | Upload 10 contracts to your folder; run one instruction; get ranked output |
Anthropic itself advises against using the plugin for high-stakes or regulated legal work without lawyer review. Every output must be reviewed by a qualified practitioner. The plugin is a first-pass tool, not a substitute for legal judgment. This is expanded in Section 09.
There are two phases: installing Cowork (the desktop app), then adding the Legal Plugin. Both take under 10 minutes.
The Legal Plugin requires a paid Claude subscription — Pro ($20/month), Max ($100/month), Team, or Enterprise. If you're on the free tier, upgrade first at claude.ai/settings.
Go to claude.ai/download and download for macOS or Windows. This is the Cowork application — separate from the browser. Install it as you would any desktop app.
Open the app and sign in with the same account as your paid Claude subscription. You'll see a tab or toggle to switch to Cowork mode — this is where the Legal Plugin lives.
Cowork works with a folder on your computer. Create a dedicated folder — e.g. Legal Matters / Cowork Workspace — and point Cowork to it in Settings. All files you want Claude to process go here.
There are three ways to install — choose the one you're most comfortable with:
1. Open Claude Desktop and go to Cowork mode 2. Click "Plugins" in the left sidebar 3. Find "Legal" in the plugin marketplace 4. Click Install — it's free, activates immediately 5. The slash commands (/legal:...) appear in your sidebar
1. Go to: claude.com/plugins/legal 2. Sign in with your paid account 3. Click "Add to Cowork" 4. Claude Desktop will open and complete the installation automatically
claude plugin marketplace add anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins claude plugin install legal@knowledge-work-plugins
You'll see the Legal plugin appear in your Cowork sidebar. Your first task: drop a contract PDF into your Workspace folder and type /legal:review-contract in the chat. That's it — no prompt writing needed.
The Cowork interface looks different from the browser version of Claude. Here's what everything does.
Where you type your slash commands and instructions. Unlike the browser version, commands here trigger multi-step agentic workflows — Claude will work through tasks and report progress as it goes.
Shows the files in your connected folder. You can see documents Claude is working with, files it has created, and the outputs it produces — all in your local folder structure.
Lists your installed plugins, including Legal. Click any plugin to see its available commands, documentation, and settings. This is also where you update or remove plugins.
Where you connect external tools (DocuSign, Westlaw, Box, etc.) via MCP. See Section 05 for the full connector guide. Connected tools appear here as active integrations.
Simply drag and drop a PDF, Word document, or text file into your Workspace folder in the Workspace Panel — or copy it directly into the folder on your computer. Once it's in the folder, Claude can access it. You never paste contract text into the chat window — that's the old way.
When you give Cowork an instruction, it doesn't just respond — it plans, then executes. You'll see it work through steps in real time: "Reading contract... Identifying clauses... Checking against playbook... Flagging risks..." This is intentional. You can monitor progress, pause, or redirect at any step.
For a 20-page contract, a full /legal:review-contract run typically takes 60–120 seconds. For a batch of 10 NDAs, expect 5–10 minutes. Claude works through them sequentially and produces a report for each.
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is Anthropic's open standard that lets Claude connect securely to your existing legal software — so it can read from and act on your real systems.
As of the May 2026 Claude for Legal launch, there are 20+ MCP connectors available. You don't need all of them — connect the ones your firm actually uses. Each connector is a one-time setup.
| Category | Available Connectors | What Claude Can Do With It |
|---|---|---|
| Document Management | iManage, NetDocuments, Box, Egnyte | Read, analyse, and create documents directly in your DMS without downloading files |
| Contract Lifecycle | DocuSign, Ironclad, Datasite, Definely | Review contracts in your CLM, trigger signature workflows, check execution status |
| Legal Research | Thomson Reuters / Westlaw, LexisNexis, Midpage, Trellis, Legal Data Hunter (31M+ documents) | Pull cited cases, run research queries, verify authorities within a Cowork session |
| eDiscovery & Litigation | Relativity, Everlaw, Consilio | Process document productions, build chronologies, flag relevant documents |
| Productivity | Microsoft 365 (Word, Outlook), Slack, Jira | Draft in Word, triage matter emails in Outlook, create tasks from legal flags in Slack |
You don't need enterprise software to get value. A small general practice firm should start with: Microsoft 365 (you almost certainly already have it) + DocuSign (if you use it for signatures) + Box or your DMS of choice. That alone covers 80% of daily workflow automation.
1. In Cowork, go to Connectors Panel → Add Connector 2. Search for "Microsoft 365" and click Connect 3. Sign in with your Microsoft work account 4. Grant the requested permissions (read/write on Word, read on Outlook) 5. Test: ask Claude "Summarise the last 5 emails from [client name]"
These are the core commands the Legal Plugin gives you. No prompt writing needed — each command triggers a structured workflow with consistent, formatted output.
What it does: Full clause-by-clause analysis of any contract. Claude reads the entire document before flagging issues — because clauses interact, and context matters.
How to use it: Drop your contract PDF into the Workspace folder, then type /legal:review-contract
Output includes:
Example instruction: "Review this vendor agreement. My client is the service recipient. Flag any liability, IP, and termination risks."
What it does: Rapid pre-screening of NDAs — ideal when you have multiple incoming NDAs to sort before deeper review.
Output includes:
Batch use: Drop 5 NDAs into the folder and type "Triage all NDAs in this folder. Which can be approved with standard terms?"
What it does: Checks a document against a specific regulatory framework and tells you what's present, what's missing, and what needs updating.
How to use it: /legal:compliance-check GDPR data processing agreement
Output includes:
South Africa example: "/legal:compliance-check POPIA data processing agreement"
Mauritius example: "/legal:compliance-check Mauritius DPA 2017 data processing agreement"
What it does: Produces a structured risk matrix for any legal document — useful when a client asks "is this agreement safe to sign?"
Output includes:
Example: "Risk-assess this shareholder agreement for a minority shareholder. Focus on exit rights, drag-along, and deadlock provisions."
What it does: Monitors vendor agreement status, obligations, renewal dates, and SLA commitments — particularly useful with a document management connector.
Output includes:
Example: "Check all vendor agreements expiring in the next 90 days. Flag any with auto-renewal clauses."
What it does: Generates contextual legal briefings — from daily matter summaries to deep research memos to incident response briefs.
Briefing types:
Example: "Brief me on the key commercial law changes in [your jurisdiction — e.g. South Africa / Mauritius] in the last 12 months relevant to SME contracts."
What it does: Creates templated responses for common legal inquiries — reducing time on repetitive correspondence.
Response types:
Example: "Draft a response to a data subject access request. Governing law: [your jurisdiction — e.g. South Africa POPIA / Mauritius DPA 2017 / GDPR]."
Here's what a typical week in a small general practice firm looks like with Cowork and the Legal Plugin active.
Place all new contracts received over the weekend into your Workspace folder. Instruction: "Triage all new documents in the folder. For each: identify the document type, the parties, the key obligations, and give me a priority order for my review this week." → Result: A ranked list with a one-paragraph summary of each document.
Drop the contract PDF into your Workspace folder. Instruction: "/legal:review-contract My client is [Party A]. Flag any clauses that are unusual or disproportionately favour the other party. The governing law is [your jurisdiction — e.g. South African law / Mauritius law / English law]." → Result: Clause-by-clause analysis with GREEN/YELLOW/RED flags and redline suggestions.
Drop 5 incoming NDAs from potential partners into the Workspace folder. Instruction: "/legal:triage-nda Review all NDAs in this folder. Which can I approve on standard terms? Which need modifications? Summarise the top issue in each that needs attention." → Result: Five individual triage reports + a summary table you can share with your paralegal or client.
After running /legal:review-contract, follow up with: Instruction: "Based on your review, draft a plain-language client summary I can send to my client explaining: 1. What this contract is asking them to agree to 2. The three most important risk areas 3. What I recommend they ask the other side to change Keep it under one page. No legal jargon." → Result: A ready-to-review client letter draft.
Drop a folder of target company contracts into the Workspace folder. Instruction: "Review all contracts in this folder. For each: identify key obligations, change of control provisions, termination rights, and any unusual liabilities. Then give me an overall risk summary suitable for inclusion in a due diligence report." → Result: Individual contract summaries + a consolidated due diligence memo. (Best run on Claude Max for large document batches.)
South Africa — POPIA compliance: When reviewing contracts involving personal information processing, add: "Flag any data processing provisions against South Africa's POPIA requirements. Identify missing operator obligations, data subject rights clauses, and cross-border transfer provisions." Always verify against the current Information Regulator guidance at inforegulator.org.za.
South Africa — B-BBEE considerations: For commercial contracts with South African entities, add: "Flag any provisions that may affect B-BBEE compliance or ownership structures, including change of control clauses and subcontracting obligations."
Mauritius — FSC-regulated work: For FSC-licensed entities (Global Business, Management Companies), add: "The entity is FSC-licensed under [category]. Flag any provisions that may require FSC disclosure or conflict with standard licence conditions."
Mauritius — DPA 2017: For data processing agreements, add: "Check this DPA against the Mauritius Data Protection Act 2017. Flag missing provisions and suggest compliant alternative language."
Cross-border SA–Mauritius matters: For joint ventures or investment structures using both jurisdictions, state both explicitly: "This is a Mauritius–South Africa investment structure. Apply Mauritius commercial law as governing law. Flag any provisions that may conflict with South African exchange control regulations or SARS requirements."
All jurisdictions — verification rule: Always verify Claude's statutory references against primary legislation. Claude's training has a knowledge cutoff and will not reflect the most recent regulatory amendments, court decisions, or circular guidance in any jurisdiction.
The single most powerful thing you can do is create a Playbook file. This tells Claude your standard positions — so every review is automatically calibrated to your firm's standards, not generic defaults.
Create a file called playbook.md and save it in your Workspace folder. The Legal Plugin will reference it automatically in every command you run.
## FIRM PLAYBOOK — [Your Firm Name] ## Jurisdiction: [e.g. South Africa / Mauritius / Both] ## Last updated: [Date] --- ## INDEMNIFICATION # Standard position: Mutual indemnification for material breaches only - Acceptable: Cap at total contract value - Flag for review: Cap exceeding 2x contract value - Red line: Unlimited or uncapped indemnity ## LIMITATION OF LIABILITY # Standard position: Aggregate cap at 12 months of fees paid - Acceptable: Cap at contract value - Red line: No limitation of liability clause at all ## IP OWNERSHIP # Standard position: Client owns all work product created for them - Acceptable: Joint ownership with full licence back to client - Red line: Vendor retains any rights in client data or bespoke deliverables ## GOVERNING LAW # Set your preferred jurisdiction(s) below - Preferred: [Your jurisdiction — e.g. South African law / Mauritius law] - Acceptable: English law (common law heritage, widely familiar) - Requires escalation: Unfamiliar jurisdictions without clear enforcement mechanism ## DATA PROTECTION # Set the relevant data protection law for your jurisdiction # South Africa: POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act) # Mauritius: Data Protection Act 2017 # EU/UK clients: GDPR / UK GDPR may also apply - Standard: Full DPA compliant with [your jurisdiction's data protection law] - Acceptable: Standard clauses with explicit statutory reference - Red line: No data processing provisions at all ## AUTO-APPROVAL THRESHOLDS # Adjust currency and values to your firm's risk appetite - Contract value under [ZAR 500,000 / MUR 500,000] + standard terms = paralegal approval - Standard NDA, no unusual terms = paralegal approval - Any IP, exclusivity, or non-compete clause = escalate to senior practitioner - Any cross-border data transfer = compliance review required - Any regulated entity involvement = escalate for regulatory check
Your first playbook doesn't need to be comprehensive. Start with your three most common contract types and your non-negotiable red lines. Add to it after every matter where you find yourself making the same judgment call — that's a signal a playbook rule is needed.
You can also add your standard precedents to the Workspace folder — your preferred NDA template, shareholder agreement structure, employment contract base, etc. Reference them by name in your instructions:
Instruction: "Review the attached vendor agreement against our standard services agreement template (file: standard-services-agreement.docx in this folder). Identify every clause where the vendor's version deviates from our standard position and flag whether each deviation is acceptable, needs negotiation, or is a red line."
This section is not optional. The duty rests with you — not the AI, not the plugin, not Anthropic.
The Legal Plugin can generate case references that sound authoritative but do not exist. Never include a citation in a court document, legal opinion, or client advice without independently verifying it on Westlaw, LexisNexis, or the official case database. This is the single highest-risk area in legal AI use.
Files you drop into your Cowork Workspace are processed locally on your machine — but if you use cloud connectors (Box, iManage), those files travel through third-party systems. Understand your data flow. For highly sensitive matters, use only local processing. Anonymise where possible.
Anthropic explicitly advises against using the Legal Plugin for high-stakes or regulated legal work without full lawyer review. This is not a disclaimer to skip — it is an accurate description of the tool's limits. Every output is a first-pass draft, not a final work product.
Cowork output must be reviewed with the same rigour you'd apply to work from a junior attorney. The GREEN/YELLOW/RED flags are a starting point — your professional judgment is the final gate. A GREEN flag does not mean the clause is unquestionably acceptable for your specific client.
Develop a firm policy on when you disclose AI use to clients. Regulatory guidance is evolving, but the direction of travel globally is toward disclosure. A simple line in your engagement letter — "We use AI-assisted tools in our document review process, all subject to practitioner review" — is a reasonable starting position.
If Cowork reduces a 3-hour contract review to 45 minutes, your billing should reflect the time actually spent. Using AI efficiency gains while billing at pre-AI rates is attracting professional standards scrutiny internationally. Review your billing practices alongside your AI adoption.
Claude Cowork and the Legal Plugin are your associates. You are the partner. The professional judgment, the ethical obligation, and the liability always remain with the qualified practitioner. The plugin does not hold a practising certificate — you do.
Your daily workflow checklist — print it, pin it, use it every time you open Cowork.
☐ Is my Workspace folder set up and pointing to the right directory?
☐ Is my Playbook file (playbook.md) in the Workspace folder?
☐ Have I anonymised or pseudonymised any highly sensitive client identifiers?
☐ Are my relevant connectors (DocuSign, DMS, etc.) showing as connected?
☐ Have I dropped the correct file into the Workspace folder?
☐ Have I specified my client's position and jurisdiction in my instruction?
☐ Have I referenced my playbook or standard template where applicable?
☐ Have I specified the output format I need (summary, full analysis, client letter)?
☐ Have I verified every legal citation and statutory reference independently?
☐ Have I read the full output — not just the executive summary?
☐ Does the output reflect current law? (Check for post-August 2025 changes)
☐ Have I applied my own professional judgment to each RED and YELLOW flag?
☐ Has a qualified practitioner reviewed and signed off the final document?
☐ Is my AI disclosure obligation satisfied (engagement letter / client policy)?
☐ Is billing for this matter accurately reflecting actual time spent?
☐ Would I be comfortable if a professional standards body reviewed this file?
Every playbook rule you add, every workflow you refine, every precedent you upload — these compound. Within three months, your Cowork workspace will be a proprietary firm asset that makes every new matter faster than the last. Start today, even imperfectly.
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