Legal Syllogism

Organization

open-legal-products

legal-syllogism

Build the explicit legal syllogism for an issue: state the major premise (the rule and its interpretation), the minor premise (the material facts), the application subsuming each fact under each element of the rule, and the conclusion, then flag the weak links - unstated assumptions, contested facts, debatable interpretation. Forces every step of the reasoning to be said out loud and checkable instead of jumping from facts to a holding. Maps to civil-law subsumption and common-law IRAC/CREAC. Use when drafting an opinion, brief, or memo and the reasoning needs to be laid out element by element.

Overview

Publisher	open-legal-products
Repository	`mike-workflows`
Skill name	`legal-syllogism`
Stars	91
Forks	43
Bundled files	Instructions only
License	MIT
Links	Skill source Repository

Markdown instructions
A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.
Works with any LLM
AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.
Self-contained
Everything the model needs lives in the instructions — no extra files to sync.
Open source
Published by open-legal-products on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Legal Syllogism AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
Choose "Install from GitHub".
Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
https://github.com/open-legal-products/mike-workflows/tree/main/assistant-workflows/eu-gdpr-pack/legal-syllogism
Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.

Store

Installed

Skills

Add skills

Import one or more skills from a public GitHub folder or a local .skill or .zip archive, or SKILL.md file.

From GitHub URLFrom .skill, .zip, or SKILL.md

GitHub repo or folder

https://github.com/open-legal-products/mike-workflows/tree/main/assistant-workflows/eu-gdpr-pack/legal-syllogism

Points to a single skill folder, or any folder that contains multiple skills. Public repos only.

CancelContinue

Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/open-legal-products/mike-workflows.git /tmp/mike-workflows
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/mike-workflows/assistant-workflows/eu-gdpr-pack/legal-syllogism .claude/skills/legal-syllogism

Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Legal Syllogism in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Legal Syllogism on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Legal Syllogism is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

Loaded only when it is needed
The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.
Switch models mid-chat
Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

Legal Syllogism

A flawed opinion rarely fails at the conclusion - it fails at the premise nobody stated. Legal reasoning is a syllogism: the rule (major premise), the facts (minor premise), the application, and the conclusion. When a step is left unsaid because it seems obvious, that is where the gap hides, and that is where the other side, or the court, will strike. This workflow forces each step to be stated and marks what is settled and what is contested.

It structures the reasoning; it does not decide the case. Judgement and the decision stay with the lawyer.

Method (subsumption / IRAC)

Major premise (rule and interpretation) - identify the governing rule, then its reading: how each element of the rule is construed (text, structure, purpose). Note where authority or commentary splits.
Minor premise (material facts) - list the facts that matter to the rule's elements. Separate undisputed facts from contested ones, and facts from characterisations.
Application (subsumption) - for each element of the rule, show which fact satisfies it or does not. This is the real work: matching fact to element.
Conclusion - the legal consequence that follows from the application.
Weak-link test - mark which elements are contested in interpretation, which facts are contested on the evidence, and which assumptions were made silently. This is the map for any adversarial review that follows.

Output format


ISSUE: <the legal question>

MAJOR PREMISE (rule): <provision/authority> - "<elements>"
  Interpretation: <how the elements are read; any split in authority>

MINOR PREMISE (material facts):
  - undisputed: <...>
  - contested (evidence): <...>

APPLICATION (element -> fact):
  - <element 1> : satisfied by <fact> | NOT satisfied | contested
  - <element 2> : ...

CONCLUSION: <legal consequence>

WEAK LINKS:
  - interpretation: <which element is contested and why>
  - facts: <what needs proof>
  - silent assumptions: <...>

Limits

The syllogism orders reasoning - it does not perform interpretation or fact-finding. Whether the rule, its reading, and the facts are right is for the lawyer.
It does not weigh competing arguments - it arranges them so attack and verification have something to work on.
Subsumption assumes a rule with elements. For open-textured standards and the balancing of principles, a pure syllogism is not enough - mark it as balancing, not subsumption.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Legal Syllogism AI skill do?

Why use Legal Syllogism on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Legal Syllogism is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Legal Syllogism in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/open-legal-products/mike-workflows/tree/main/assistant-workflows/eu-gdpr-pack/legal-syllogism. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Legal Syllogism?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Legal Syllogism?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Legal Syllogism with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Legal Syllogism AI skill free?

Yes. It is published on GitHub by open-legal-products under the MIT license. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

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Overview

Installation

Install in TypingMind

Install in another agent

Use it in TypingMind

Works with any AI model

Skill instructions

Legal Syllogism

Method (subsumption / IRAC)

Output format

Limits

Frequently asked questions

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