# Litigation

> Root reference for litigation practice spanning civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings. Provides sub-area taxonomy, core principles, and routing guidance. Use when classifying litigation work, routing to a sub-practice skill, or applying general litigation standards.

- Skill: `lev-os/litigation` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add lev-os/litigation`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/lev-os/litigation/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: lev-os (https://skillmd.com/u/lev-os)
- Updated: 2026-09-10
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/lev-os/litigation

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# Litigation Practice

Root skill for all litigation-related work. Route to a sub-practice skill when a specific type is identified; apply these general principles when no sub-practice skill exists.

## Sub-Practice Areas

| Area | Scope |
|---|---|
| Commercial Litigation | Contract disputes, business torts, partnership/LLC, fraud |
| Personal Injury | Negligence, product liability, premises liability, auto accidents |
| Employment Litigation | Discrimination, wage/hour, wrongful termination, retaliation |
| IP Litigation | Patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret |
| Family Law | Divorce, custody, support, property division |
| Criminal Defense | Felony, misdemeanor, white-collar, appeals |
| Appeals | State/federal appellate practice, writs |
| Bankruptcy Litigation | Adversary proceedings, preference actions, stay relief |
| Class Actions | Certification, settlement, notice, MDL |
| Real Estate Litigation | Title disputes, construction defects, landlord-tenant, zoning |

## Core Principles

- Zealous advocacy within ethical bounds (Model Rules 1.1, 1.3, 3.1)
- Investigate and discover before forming conclusions
- Strategic motion practice — file with purpose, not volume
- Settlement evaluation grounded in realistic risk assessment
- Prepare as if trial will happen

## Quick Start

1. Identify the litigation type from the sub-practice table above
2. Route to the matching sub-practice skill if one exists
3. Confirm jurisdiction before applying any procedural rules
4. Apply the core principles throughout

## Pitfalls

- **Skipping jurisdiction check** — procedural rules vary significantly; always confirm before advising
- **Privilege leaks** — preserve attorney-client privilege and work-product protections in all outputs
- **Premature conclusions** — complete investigation and discovery before committing to a theory
- **Motion overload** — excessive filings waste resources and credibility; each motion should serve a clear strategic purpose