# Docusign Contract Extractor

> Use when the user shares a contract, MSA, SOW, NDA, vendor agreement, lease, employment offer, or any legal document and asks for a summary, key terms, risk review, "what am I signing", "should I sign this", red flags, renewal dates, or to extract specific clauses. Triggers on phrases like "review this contract", "what does this mean", "is this normal", "find the auto-renewal clause", "summarize this MSA". Also triggers when user uploads a .pdf or .docx contract file or pastes contract text.

- Skill: `fengyiqicoder/docusign-contract-extractor` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 4 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add fengyiqicoder/docusign-contract-extractor`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/fengyiqicoder/docusign-contract-extractor/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Docs & Writing
- Author: fengyiqicoder (https://skillmd.com/u/fengyiqicoder)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/fengyiqicoder/docusign-contract-extractor

---


# Contract Extractor & Risk Reviewer

## Overview

Most SMB owners sign contracts without reading them — then discover an auto-renewal clause, a non-compete, or an indemnification cap **after** something goes wrong. This skill extracts the **15 key elements** every business contract has, **flags risk language**, and produces a 1-page review the user can act on.

**Core principle**: A contract review is not legal advice. It's a structured surface-level read that catches the things a non-lawyer would miss. When you find something material, **tell the user to consult a lawyer** — do not interpret.

## The 15 elements to extract from every contract

### Parties & basics
1. **Parties** — full legal names, entity types, jurisdictions
2. **Effective date** — when the contract starts
3. **Term** — initial period (months/years)
4. **Renewal** — auto-renew? notice period? rate change?

### Money
5. **Total consideration** — what's being paid, by whom
6. **Payment terms** — Net 30/60/90, milestones, late fees
7. **Price escalator** — annual increases, CPI clauses

### Scope & deliverables
8. **Scope of work / services / goods** — what's actually being delivered
9. **Performance standards / SLAs** — measurable commitments
10. **Acceptance criteria** — when is delivery "done"

### Risk
11. **Termination** — for cause, for convenience, notice required
12. **Liability cap** — max damages either party can claim
13. **Indemnification** — who covers whose lawsuits
14. **Confidentiality** — what's protected, for how long
15. **Governing law & dispute resolution** — which state's law, arbitration vs. court

## Workflow

### Step 1: Get the document into context

Ask the user to either:
- Paste the contract text directly
- Upload the PDF/DOCX
- Share a DocuSign link (note: link only — Claude cannot access logged-in DocuSign)

If PDF/DOCX, use the `pdf` or `docx` skill to extract text first.

### Step 2: First-pass extraction

Pull the 15 elements into a structured table. **Quote exact language** when possible — don't paraphrase legal text.

### Step 3: Risk flag scan

Look for the **17 high-risk clauses** in [references/red-flag-clauses.md](references/red-flag-clauses.md). For each found, surface it with the exact language.

### Step 4: Generate the review

See [references/review-template.md](references/review-template.md) for the deliverable format.

### Step 5: Lawyer escalation

If the contract has any of these, **strongly recommend a lawyer review before signing**:
- Annual value > $25K
- Multi-year term with no termination-for-convenience
- Personal guarantee
- Equity / convertible note involvement
- Non-compete or non-solicit
- Liability caps below contract value
- Indemnification with no carve-outs
- Anything in a foreign jurisdiction
- IP assignment language

## What you do NOT do

- ❌ Do not say "this contract is good/bad/fair"
- ❌ Do not say "this clause is enforceable"
- ❌ Do not predict what a court would rule
- ❌ Do not say "ignore this clause, it never matters"
- ❌ Do not draft replacement language without a lawyer's input
- ❌ Do not pretend to be a lawyer or give legal advice

**Always remind the user**: "I'm not a lawyer. This is a structured summary, not legal advice."

## Contract type quick reference

| Document type | Key thing to find | Common landmine |
|---------------|------------------|-----------------|
| **SaaS Subscription** | Auto-renewal + notice period | 30-day cancel notice into a 1-year renewal |
| **MSA + SOW** | Master vs. SOW terms hierarchy | Liability cap may live in MSA, not SOW |
| **NDA** | Duration + jurisdiction | Perpetual confidentiality is unusual |
| **Vendor agreement** | Payment terms + late fees | Net 60+ with personal guarantee |
| **Employment offer** | Non-compete + IP assignment | Overbroad inventions assignment |
| **Lease (commercial)** | Personal guarantee + CAM | Triple-net hidden in fine print |
| **Lease (equipment)** | Buyout vs. return | Buyout > FMV at end |
| **Independent contractor** | IP ownership + termination | Work-for-hire vs. assignment |
| **Distribution / reseller** | Exclusivity + territory | Perpetual exclusivity with low minimums |
| **Loan / credit agreement** | Personal guarantee + covenants | Cross-default with other obligations |

## Auto-renewal: the #1 SMB landmine

**Auto-renewals are the most common gotcha.** Every SMB has been bitten.

When you find auto-renewal language, surface it like this:

> ⚠️ **Auto-renewal detected**
> - **Current term ends:** [date]
> - **Renews for:** [period]
> - **Notice required to cancel:** [X days before end date]
> - **Action by:** [today + (term end - X days)]
> - **Price on renewal:** [same / increases by Y%]
>
> **Add a calendar reminder for [action date] now.**

## Critical risk indicators (high-bar items)

If you see any of these, flag with 🚨 and full stop the review:

- **"Joint and several liability"** with another party
- **"Liquidated damages"** > 25% of contract value
- **"Specific performance"** as a remedy in non-real-estate contracts
- **"Perpetual" license assignment** of your IP
- **Foreign arbitration** (e.g., ICC in Paris) when you're a US SMB
- **Personal guarantee** of corporate obligations
- **No liability cap** on your side
- **One-way indemnification** with no carve-outs

## Common mistakes when reviewing

| User asks | Your trap | Right answer |
|-----------|-----------|--------------|
| "Is this normal?" | Saying "yes/no" without context | "Here's what's standard; here's what differs in your contract" |
| "Should I sign?" | Recommending | "Here are the risks; decision is yours; lawyer for >$25K" |
| "This clause is fine, right?" | Validating | Restate the clause and its implications, don't validate |
| "Just give me the gist" | Skipping details | One-paragraph summary + full review available |