How to use the Law Flashcards Drill agent skill (flashcards)

What is an agent skill, and what does this one make the agent do?

An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file that tells an agent like Claude Code how to perform a specific task. This skill, named flashcards, is built for black-letter memorization: learning rules such as the elements of a claim or the four elements of negligence for exams or the bar.

The skill can generate cards from your material, drill you on them, and track progress. Each card has one concept, a question on the front and a short rule on the back. After you answer, you rate yourself, and the skill moves the card between simple buckets (new, learning, review, mastered) so hard cards come back sooner.

• Generate cards from your outline, notes, or casebook excerpts, saved per subject.
• Drill mode: show a question, wait for your answer, show the answer, then take your self-assessment (right, partial, wrong, or don't know).
• Review mode: browse the deck grouped by bucket.
• Stats mode: progress per subject and a list of stuck cards.
• Session mode: a focused run of N cards, prioritizing cards you missed before and cards that are due.

Install the flashcards skill

Download the ZIP for this skill from this page and unzip it. The skill is a single file, SKILL.md. Put the unzipped folder in one of these locations:

• Personal skills for Claude Code: ~/.claude/skills/
• Project-only skills: the .claude/skills/ folder inside your project
• Claude apps: upload the ZIP in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Trigger the skill with natural requests

You do not need to type a command. Phrases such as "drill flashcards", "make flashcards from", "quiz me on cards", or a request to memorize a rule will match the skill. You can also use flags, which the skill accepts in this form: /flashcards [subject] [--generate | --drill | --review | --stats | --session <n>]. If you give no flag, the skill defaults to drill mode.

• "Make flashcards from my Contracts outline."
• "Quiz me on cards for Torts."
• "Drill flashcards on Criminal Law for 5 cards."
• "Show my flashcard stats."

What the skill needs and where it saves data

The skill needs an agent that can read and write files in your home directory, such as Claude Code. It reads a settings file at ~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/law-student/CLAUDE.md for your current classes, weak subjects, and outline locations. It writes cards to a per-subject file under ~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/law-student/flashcards/, and session results to study-plan.yaml or session-history.yaml in the same folder.

Westlaw or CourtListener access is optional. It can help you verify cited cases, but the skill does not require it.

• Reads: your law-student CLAUDE.md, existing cards.md for the subject, and any outline or notes you point it to.
• Writes: flashcards/[subject]/cards.md, plus study-plan.yaml or session-history.yaml.

Safety notes: scripts and network

This skill runs no scripts and uses no network access, according to its listing. Its work is reading your files and writing markdown and YAML files in the law-student folder.

The skill is for study only. If your question concerns a real situation such as a lease, a ticket, a dispute, or a real deadline, it will stop and redirect you to an actual lawyer, legal aid, a law school clinic, or a lawyer referral service.

Tips for getting good cards

Cards made from your own outline or casebook are the most reliable, because the skill takes their questions and answers from that source. Cards written from the model's own knowledge are flagged with [VERIFY], and you should check them before you treat them as learning targets. The skill also generates fewer cards rather than inventing ones it is unsure of, so a small deck is normal.

If you miss a card twice, the skill suggests a verbal drill with /law-student:socratic-drill. Flashcards help with recall, but a concept you do not understand needs working through.

• Build the deck subject by subject, in small batches, from your own outline.
• Check every [VERIFY] card against your outline, casebook, or a research tool before memorizing it.
• Use --stats weekly to find stuck cards.
• Use the skill alongside, not instead of, your reading of the material.

Limits: what this skill is not

This is not a full spaced repetition system. It uses simple Leitner-style buckets. If you already use Anki, keep using it. This skill is for when you are in chat and want a quick drill without switching apps. It is not designed for very large decks over 500 cards, though it works for typical law school deck sizes.