Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Investigation Memo Drafter agent skill
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The investigation-memo skill is a set of instructions that teaches an AI assistant to write the first draft of a privileged internal investigation memo, of the kind an employment lawyer or HR team prepares, from an existing investigation log. This guide explains what the skill does, how to install it, how to ask for it in plain language, and what it needs before it works. After reading it you should be able to install the skill, run it on a matter, and know what to check before relying on the output.
Investigation Memo Drafteranthropics/claude-for-legal · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Download the ZIP. Download the investigation-memo ZIP file from this page.
- 2Unzip into a skills folder. Unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or into .claude/skills/ in your project.
- 3Or upload it in the Claude apps. Go to Settings → Capabilities → Skills in the Claude apps and add the ZIP there instead.
- 4Install the reference skill. Install and confirm that the internal-investigation reference skill is loadable, since this skill depends on it.
- 5Point the agent at your log. Make sure the investigation log for the matter is readable by the agent.
- 6Ask for the draft. Name the matter and ask for the first memo cut, or the update if a memo already exists.
- 7Review the output. Resolve open high-priority sources, check the change summary, and have counsel review the draft.
What the investigation-memo skill makes the agent do
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file of instructions that an AI assistant loads when a task matches the skill's description. This skill is for drafting or updating the privileged investigation memo for a workplace investigation once the investigation is far enough along to write a first cut.
The skill tells the agent to load the internal-investigation reference skill and run its Mode 4 (Draft or update memo). The memo structure, credibility-assessment framework and update rules come from that reference skill, not from this file.
- When drafting for the first time, the agent warns you if high-priority sources on the checklist are still open.
- When a memo already exists, the agent shows what has changed before rewriting it.
- Every output is marked PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL — ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT.
Install the investigation-memo skill
Download the ZIP file for the skill from this page. You can install it in one of two ways.
Option one is a personal install. Unzip the file into ~/.claude/skills/ so the investigation-memo folder sits there. Option two is a project install. Unzip the file into the .claude/skills/ folder of the project where you work.
Option three is to upload the skill in the Claude apps by going to Settings → Capabilities → Skills and adding the ZIP there. Remember that the internal-investigation reference skill must also be installed and loadable, because this skill depends on it.
- Personal: ~/.claude/skills/
- Project: .claude/skills/ inside your project folder
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills
~/.claude/skills/Check the requirements before you start
The skill will not do its substantive work without two things. The first is the internal-investigation reference skill, which the file says must be loaded first. That reference skill is not included in these files, so you need to obtain and install it separately.
The second is an investigation log for the matter that the agent can read. The skill builds the memo from that log and checks the checklist of sources against it.
The skill does not run scripts and does not use the network, according to the listing.
- internal-investigation reference skill installed and loadable
- An investigation log the agent can read
- Scripts: none
- Network access: none
Trigger the skill with a natural request
The skill's description says to use it when an investigation is far enough along to write the first memo cut, or when new data has been added and an existing draft needs updating. You can ask for it in ordinary language that names the matter and states what you need, such as asking the agent to draft the first investigation memo for a named matter from its log, or to update the existing memo now that new interview notes have been added to the log.
The source also documents a slash-command form, which takes the matter name as an argument. Use it if your setup exposes the command.
- Ask for a first draft: name the matter and say the investigation is ready for its first memo cut.
- Ask for an update: say new data was added to the log and the existing memo should be revised.
- Slash-command form: /employment-legal:investigation-memo [matter name]
/employment-legal:investigation-memo [matter name]Read the output and the warnings carefully
On a first draft, read the open-source warning before anything else. High-priority sources still open on the checklist mean the draft may be missing evidence. On an update, check the summary of what changed before accepting the rewritten memo.
Treat the result as a first cut. The skill produces a draft for human legal review, not a finding or a legal conclusion. Every page should carry the privileged marking the skill applies.
- Resolve or note any open high-priority sources before relying on the draft.
- Compare the change summary against the log to confirm the rewrite reflects the new data.
- Keep the privilege marking on every version.
Safety notes and limits
The privilege label does not create privilege by itself. Privilege depends on counsel's involvement in the investigation. Use this skill only when a lawyer is supervising the work, whether you are an employment lawyer, an in-house legal team, or HR or compliance staff working under counsel's direction.
The skill is scoped to employment investigations. It is not designed for other purposes or jurisdictions, and it does not give legal conclusions.
- Do not use it without a lawyer supervising the matter.
- Do not treat the draft as a final finding; it needs human legal review.
- The skill runs no scripts and uses no network, so the investigation log stays with the tools you already use to read it.
What people use it for
- Drafting the first privileged memo for a workplace investigation once interviews and documents are logged.
- Updating an existing memo after new evidence is added to the investigation log, with a summary of what changed.
- Checking the checklist for high-priority sources that are still open before the memo is circulated.
- Giving HR or compliance staff working under counsel's direction a consistent memo structure to fill in.
Frequently asked questions
Is the investigation-memo skill free to use?
The skill is listed under the Apache-2.0 licence, which governs use of the files. The listing does not state any price, so check the licence terms in the repository for the full conditions.
What do I need before installing investigation-memo?
You need the internal-investigation reference skill installed and loadable, because the memo structure and credibility rules come from it. You also need an investigation log for the matter that the agent can read.
Where do I put the skill files?
Unzip the ZIP into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into .claude/skills/ in a project folder. In the Claude apps you can instead upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
Does the skill make the memo privileged?
No. Every output is marked as privileged and confidential attorney work product, but the label alone does not create privilege. Privilege depends on counsel's involvement in the investigation.
Does the skill run scripts or access the internet?
According to the listing, it runs no scripts and uses no network. It works from the investigation log and the reference skill.
How does it compare with writing the memo by hand or using a general AI prompt?
The skill gives the agent a fixed memo structure, a check for open high-priority sources, and a change summary on updates, all drawn from the reference skill. A general prompt does not carry those rules unless you supply them yourself. The skill is limited to employment investigations.
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Our verdict
This skill suits employment lawyers and in-house legal teams, or HR and compliance staff working under counsel's direction, who want a consistent first-draft memo and a reminder of open evidence sources. It is the wrong choice for anyone without a lawyer supervising, for final findings, or for matters outside employment investigations, and it depends on a separate reference skill you must install yourself.
Download the skill