--- title: "Using Skills with Claude — Compound Law" description: "How to install and use Compound Skills in Claude Cowork and Claude Code." image: "https://compound.law/assets/images/og-image-en.webp" source: "https://compound.law/en-DE/learn/using-skills-with-claude/" language: "en" --- Learn · Chapter 3 of 8 # Using Skills with Claude How to install and use Compound Skills in Claude Cowork and Claude Code. 4 min read On this page ## Overview Compound Skills are plain Markdown files that contain structured legal methodology. They work natively with Claude products — no plugins, no integrations, no API keys. You download a `.md` file, give it to Claude, and Claude follows the methodology to analyze your document. A Skill file gives Claude a specific legal framework to apply — the same way a checklist gives structure to an experienced reviewer. The two main ways to use Skills are Claude Cowork (the desktop app) and Claude Code (the command-line interface). ## Claude Cowork (Desktop App) Claude Cowork is the desktop application most lawyers start with. Here is how to use a Skill step by step. **Step 1 — Download the Skill file.** Browse the Compound Skills library and download the `.md` file for the Skill you need — for example, `nda-review.md` or `gdpr-data-request.md`. **Step 2 — Start a conversation.** Open Claude Cowork and start a new conversation or open an existing project. **Step 3 — Attach the Skill file.** Drag and drop the `.md` file into the conversation window, or use the attach button. Claude reads the Skill automatically — there is no install step or activation command. **Step 4 — Upload your document.** Attach the document you want to analyze: an NDA, employment reference, general terms and conditions, a GDPR data subject request, or anything else the Skill covers. Claude supports PDF, DOCX, and plain text. **Step 5 — Ask Claude to apply the Skill.** Be explicit about which Skill to use. Example prompts: - *“Review this NDA using the NDA Review skill.”* - *“Apply the GDPR Data Request skill to this email from the data subject.”* - *“Use the Employment Reference skill to check this Arbeitszeugnis for hidden language.”* - *“Analyze these GTCs with the B2B Terms Review skill. Flag anything unusual for a German SaaS company.”* Claude will work through the Skill’s methodology step by step, producing a structured analysis. ## Claude Code (CLI) If you prefer working in a terminal, Claude Code gives you the same capability from the command line. **Step 1 — Place the Skill file in your workspace.** Put the `.md` file in your project directory or a `skills/` folder. Claude Code automatically picks up Markdown files in the workspace context. **Step 2 — Reference the Skill directly.** Run Claude Code and tell it which Skill to use: ``` claude "Use the NDA Review skill to analyze this contract" -f ./contract.pdf ``` Or start an interactive session and attach files as you go: ``` claude > Read the NDA Review skill in skills/nda-review.md and apply it to contract.pdf ``` **Step 3 — Make a Skill permanently available (optional).** If you use a Skill frequently, add a reference to it in your project’s `CLAUDE.md` file. For example: ``` ## Skills Always load skills/nda-review.md when reviewing NDAs. ``` Claude Code then knows about the Skill in every session. You can simply say *“Review this NDA”* and Claude will apply the right methodology. ## Best Practices **Be explicit about which Skill to use.** Say *“Use the NDA Review skill”* rather than just *“Review this NDA.”* Claude can review an NDA without a Skill, but the result will be generic. Naming the Skill ensures Claude follows the specific methodology and structure the Skill defines. **Provide the full document, not excerpts.** If you paste only a few clauses, the Skill cannot check for missing provisions or interactions between sections. Upload the entire file. **Ask follow-up questions.** The Skill structures the initial pass, but the real value often comes in the follow-up. After the first analysis, ask things like: - *“What is the practical risk of the non-compete clause given that the company is based in Munich?”* - *“Draft an alternative version of clause 7 that would be more balanced.”* - *“Compare this liability cap to what we typically see in German SaaS contracts.”* **Chain multiple Skills for complex matters.** For an M\&A context, you might run the NDA Review skill first, then follow up with the GmbH Formation skill on the corporate documents. Tell Claude when you switch: *“Now apply the GmbH Formation skill to this Gesellschaftsvertrag.”* **Treat the output as a starting point.** Save Claude’s analysis, then apply your professional judgment. The Skill ensures nothing gets overlooked, but the final assessment is yours. ## What to Expect When you apply a Skill, Claude works through each step of the methodology in sequence. The output is a structured analysis — organized by topic or clause, with flagged issues, risk ratings where the Skill defines them, and references to the document text. This is not a legal opinion. It is a structured first-pass review — think of it as a thorough associate’s memo that surfaces issues and organizes them clearly. You remain the decision-maker on risk assessment, client advice, and strategic judgment. Chapters #### Ready to try? Browse our library of AI-powered legal skills. [Explore Skills →](https://compound.law/en-DE/skills/#all-skills) ## Contribute ### Have expertise to share? We're building a hub where legal experts can build and distribute their workflows. Be among the first contributors. [Submit Your Skill →](mailto:contact@compound.law) ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": [ "Organization", "LegalService" ], "@id": "https://compound.law/#organization", "name": "Compound Law", "alternateName": "Compound Law — AI Law Firm", "url": "https://compound.law/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://compound.law/press/logos/PNG/Compound_Law_Icon.png", "width": 1024, "height": 1024 }, "image": "https://compound.law/assets/images/og-image.webp", "description": "The AI-native law firm in Berlin for start-ups, mid-sized companies and corporates: commercial and contract law, data protection, the EU AI Act, trademarks, corporate law, and restructuring and insolvency. 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