# Contract Review > Framework for reviewing, drafting, and negotiating contracts. Use when reviewing vendor agreements, customer contracts, NDAs, employment agreements, or any legal document requiring review. - Skill: `saolalab/contract-review` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add saolalab/contract-review` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/saolalab/contract-review/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: saolalab (https://skillmd.com/u/saolalab) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/saolalab/contract-review --- # Contract Review This skill provides frameworks and templates for contract review, drafting, and negotiation. ## Contract Review Checklist When reviewing any contract, check these key areas: ### 1. Parties - [ ] Correct legal entity names and addresses - [ ] Authorized signatories identified - [ ] Capacity to enter into contract verified ### 2. Terms and Conditions - [ ] Scope of services/products clearly defined - [ ] Payment terms (amount, timing, method) specified - [ ] Term and termination provisions reasonable - [ ] Renewal/auto-renewal clauses identified - [ ] Performance standards and SLAs defined ### 3. Liability and Indemnification - [ ] Limitation of liability caps acceptable - [ ] Indemnification clauses balanced (not one-sided) - [ ] Insurance requirements specified - [ ] Exclusions from liability reasonable ### 4. Intellectual Property - [ ] IP ownership clearly allocated - [ ] License grants appropriate for use case - [ ] Background IP protected - [ ] Foreground IP ownership addressed - [ ] Open source compliance addressed ### 5. Confidentiality - [ ] Confidential information defined - [ ] Exceptions to confidentiality reasonable - [ ] Duration of confidentiality obligations - [ ] Return/destruction provisions included ### 6. Data Protection - [ ] Data processing agreement if applicable - [ ] GDPR/CCPA compliance addressed - [ ] Data security requirements specified - [ ] Data breach notification procedures ### 7. Dispute Resolution - [ ] Governing law specified - [ ] Jurisdiction/venue reasonable - [ ] Dispute resolution mechanism (arbitration, litigation) - [ ] Class action waiver if applicable ### 8. Termination - [ ] Termination rights balanced - [ ] Notice periods reasonable - [ ] Survival clauses identified - [ ] Exit obligations clear ## NDA Template ```markdown # Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement **Parties**: [Company A] and [Company B] **Effective Date**: [Date] **Purpose**: [Brief description of purpose] ## 1. Definition of Confidential Information "Confidential Information" means all non-public, proprietary, or confidential information disclosed by one party to the other, including but not limited to: - Business plans, strategies, and financial information - Technical data, know-how, and trade secrets - Customer lists and marketing information - Any information marked as confidential **Exclusions**: - Information publicly available - Information independently developed - Information rightfully received from third parties - Information required to be disclosed by law ## 2. Obligations Each party agrees to: - Hold Confidential Information in strict confidence - Use Confidential Information solely for the stated purpose - Not disclose Confidential Information to third parties without prior written consent - Take reasonable precautions to protect Confidential Information ## 3. Term This Agreement shall remain in effect for [X] years from the Effective Date, or until terminated by mutual written consent. ## 4. Return of Materials Upon termination, each party shall return or destroy all Confidential Information and certify destruction in writing. ## 5. Governing Law This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of [Jurisdiction]. ``` ## SaaS Agreement Key Terms Checklist For Software-as-a-Service agreements, ensure these terms are addressed: - [ ] **Service Description**: Clear description of SaaS offering and features - [ ] **Access Rights**: Number of users, seats, or usage limits - [ ] **Service Levels**: Uptime guarantees, response times, support levels - [ ] **Data Ownership**: Customer owns their data, provider has limited use rights - [ ] **Data Security**: Security standards, encryption, access controls - [ ] **Data Portability**: Export capabilities, data format standards - [ ] **Pricing**: Subscription fees, payment terms, price changes - [ ] **Term**: Initial term, renewal terms, auto-renewal provisions - [ ] **Termination**: Termination rights, notice periods, data return - [ ] **IP Rights**: Provider owns platform IP, customer owns their data/content - [ ] **Limitation of Liability**: Reasonable caps, exclusions - [ ] **Warranties**: Service warranties, disclaimers - [ ] **Support**: Support levels, response times, maintenance windows ## Vendor Contract Evaluation Template ```markdown # Vendor Contract Evaluation: [Vendor Name] **Contract Type**: [Service Agreement / Software License / Purchase Agreement] **Date**: [Date] **Reviewer**: [Name] ## Business Context - **Purpose**: [Why are we entering this contract?] - **Value**: [Expected business value] - **Risk Level**: [Low / Medium / High] ## Key Terms Summary - **Term**: [Duration] - **Pricing**: [Cost structure] - [ ] Pricing acceptable - [ ] Payment terms reasonable ## Risk Assessment - **Liability Cap**: [Amount or unlimited] - [ ] Liability cap acceptable - **Indemnification**: [One-way / Mutual / None] - [ ] Indemnification balanced - **Termination Rights**: [Termination for convenience / cause only] - [ ] Termination rights acceptable ## Compliance - [ ] Data protection requirements met - [ ] IP ownership clear - [ ] Confidentiality provisions adequate - [ ] Regulatory compliance addressed ## Recommendations - [ ] **Accept** — Contract is acceptable as-is - [ ] **Negotiate** — Request changes to [specific terms] - [ ] **Reject** — Contract terms unacceptable ## Action Items - [ ] Redline contract with proposed changes - [ ] Coordinate with Finance on pricing - [ ] Coordinate with CTO on technical terms - [ ] Send to vendor for negotiation ``` ## Contract Summary Template (Non-Legal Stakeholders) ```markdown # Contract Summary: [Contract Name] **Parties**: [Company] and [Counterparty] **Type**: [Vendor Agreement / Customer Agreement / Partnership] **Status**: [Draft / Under Negotiation / Executed] ## What This Contract Does [Plain language description of the contract's purpose and key obligations] ## Key Terms (Plain English) - **Duration**: [How long the contract lasts] - **Cost**: [Pricing structure in simple terms] - **What We Get**: [Benefits/obligations for our company] - **What We Give**: [Our obligations/deliverables] - **Termination**: [How either party can end the contract] ## Risks & Protections - **Main Risks**: [Key risks identified] - **How We're Protected**: [Protections in place] ## Next Steps - [ ] [Action item 1] - [ ] [Action item 2] - [ ] [Action item 3] ## Questions? Contact Legal Counsel for detailed review or questions. ``` ## Redlining Best Practices When redlining contracts: 1. **Use Track Changes**: Enable change tracking in Word or similar tools 2. **Add Comments**: Explain the reason for each change 3. **Prioritize Changes**: Mark changes as "Must Have" vs. "Nice to Have" 4. **Group Related Changes**: Organize changes by section 5. **Provide Alternatives**: When rejecting a clause, propose alternative language 6. **Coordinate with Stakeholders**: Get input from Finance, CTO, HR as needed ## Contract Repository Organization Organize executed contracts in a structured repository: ``` contracts/ ├── vendor/ │ ├── [Vendor Name]/ │ │ ├── [Contract Name] - [Date].pdf │ │ └── metadata.yaml ├── customer/ │ ├── [Customer Name]/ │ │ ├── [Contract Name] - [Date].pdf │ │ └── metadata.yaml ├── employment/ │ ├── [Employee Name]/ │ │ ├── [Contract Type] - [Date].pdf │ │ └── metadata.yaml └── templates/ ├── nda-template.md ├── saas-agreement-template.md └── vendor-agreement-template.md ``` Metadata should include: parties, type, execution date, expiration date, key terms summary, renewal dates.