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Reference: fast triage of inbound NDAs into GREEN / YELLOW / RED under English law of confidence and common law principles. Built for sales and BD to self-serve before pinging legal. Loaded by /commercial-legal-uk:review when an NDA is detected.
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Trace the current state of a UK Act including in-force amendments AND any pending bills that would amend it. Use whenever the user asks "is <Act> current", "what's the latest version of <Act>", "have any bills amended this", "what's pending for <Act>", or "what changes are proposed to <Act>". Statutes are living documents โ a citation without amendment-status risks citing repealed or superseded text.
Trace the parliamentary journey of a UK bill โ debates, key contributions, and divisions. Use whenever the user asks "how did the <bill> progress", "who spoke against the <bill>", "what was the vote on <bill>", "show me the Lords debates on <bill>", or "trace the <bill> through Parliament". The skill assembles a chronological view from Bills API + Hansard + Votes data.
Find a UK court judgment by party names and verify its neutral citation before citing it to the user. Use whenever the user asks "find <X v Y>", "get me the citation for <case>", "what's the neutral citation for the <case name>", "is there a case called <name>", or pastes a partial case reference. This skill verifies the case exists in TNA Find Case Law BEFORE reporting the citation โ prevents the "plausible-looking but wrong" citation failure that happens when an agent formats from training data.
Construct an OSCOLA citation for a UK case, statute, or Hansard reference AFTER verifying the source exists via uk-legal MCP. Use whenever the user asks to "cite <source> in OSCOLA", "give me the OSCOLA citation for", "format this as OSCOLA", or pastes a partial citation. This skill verifies first and formats second โ preventing the most common citation fabrication route where an agent formats plausible-looking fields without confirming the source actually exists.
Retrieve what a named member of either House said in a specific Hansard debate. Use this skill whenever the user asks "what did <peer/MP> say about <topic>", "find <member>'s contribution to the <bill> debate", "did <name> speak on <date>", or "quote <name>'s speech on <subject>". This skill must be used for any peer-or-MP-specific Hansard query โ text-searching Hansard by member name returns unrelated debates and is the most common failure mode.
Build or review an element chart โ a patent claim chart (infringement, invalidity, or review) or a civil element chart for any cause of action or defence โ with every cell pin-cited and gap detection as the priority output. Use when the user asks for a claim chart, element chart, proof chart, infringement or invalidity contention, element-by-element mapping, or asks "what are we missing to prove [claim]".
| name | nda-review |
| description | Reference: fast triage of inbound NDAs into GREEN / YELLOW / RED under English law of confidence and common law principles. Built for sales and BD to self-serve before pinging legal. Loaded by /commercial-legal-uk:review when an NDA is detected. |
| user-invocable | false |
Matter context. Check ## Matter workspaces in the practice-level CLAUDE.md. If Enabled is โ (the default for in-house users), skip the rest of this paragraph. If enabled and there is no active matter, ask: "Which matter is this for? Run /commercial-legal-uk:matter-workspace switch <slug> or say practice-level." Load the active matter's matter.md. Never read another matter's files unless Cross-matter context is on.
Before producing output, check where it's going. If the user has named a destination outside the privilege circle, flag it and offer alternatives. See the canonical ## Shared guardrails โ Destination check in this plugin's CLAUDE.md.
Most inbound NDAs are fine. A few have landmines. This skill sorts them in under a minute so legal only reads the ones that matter.
The goal: a GREEN NDA should need nothing more than a signature. A YELLOW needs a solicitor's eyes on one or two specific things. A RED stops before anyone wastes time.
English NDAs are governed by the common law of confidence, primarily based on Coco v AN Clark (Engineers) Ltd [1969] RPC 41 (the three-limb test: the information must have a quality of confidence; it must have been imparted in circumstances importing an obligation of confidence; there must be actual or threatened unauthorised use). [model knowledge โ verify]
There is no specific UK statute governing commercial NDAs. Key principles:
[model knowledge โ verify][model knowledge โ verify][model knowledge โ verify][model knowledge โ verify][model knowledge โ verify]Which side? Before applying the playbook, determine which side the company is on. Usually obvious: if the counterparty is a vendor or partner evaluating your product, you're sales-side; if you're evaluating theirs, you're purchasing-side. Mutual NDAs still have a side โ whose paper is it.
Before triaging anything, read ~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md โ ## Playbook โ the matching side โ NDA triage positions. If no NDA triage positions section exists, ask the user for their position on each applicable term and record it before proceeding.
If ~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md doesn't cover a term, ask:
Your playbook doesn't cover [term โ e.g., "residuals clauses," "springboard post-termination obligations," "trade secrets vs. confidential information distinction"]. What's your default position โ when should this be GREEN, when YELLOW, when RED? I'll add it to
~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md.
Then record the answer and proceed.
Before reviewing NDA-specific provisions, check whether the document is doing more than its name suggests. UK commercial NDAs can hide: standstills, licensing grants, exclusivity, non-solicits, non-competes, IP assignments, right of first refusal, most-favoured-nation clauses, and arbitration/jurisdiction clauses that govern far more than confidentiality disputes.
If the NDA contains obligations beyond confidentiality: auto-YELLOW regardless of the NDA-term analysis. Flag the non-NDA provisions:
This document is labelled an NDA but contains [standstill / licence grant / non-solicit / exclusivity / IP assignment / ROFR / MFN / broad arbitration]. It's more than an NDA. Route for solicitor review.
Do not silently push a document labelled "NDA" through NDA triage when the substantive obligations are a services agreement, a term sheet, or a covenant package in NDA clothing.
Classify the NDA into one of three buckets by applying the positions from ~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md. The bucket definitions below are stable; the criteria that fill each bucket come from the playbook.
The NDA satisfies every position in the team's playbook, and no term triggers a RED flag per the playbook.
GREEN requires solicitor-reviewed playbook positions. GREEN is the only path to signature without solicitor review. It cannot be issued against default or absent positions. Before issuing GREEN, check: does the practice profile have a solicitor-reviewed ## NDA triage positions section? If not:
I can't issue GREEN without solicitor-reviewed NDA positions in your practice profile. Run
/commercial-legal-uk:cold-start-interview --fullwith your commercial solicitor to set them, or route this NDA for solicitor review. Issuing GREEN against defaults means a non-lawyer set the positions the next non-lawyer relies on.
Output:
Prepend the work-product header from ~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md ## Outputs.
[WORK-PRODUCT HEADER โ per plugin config ## Outputs]
## NDA Triage: [Counterparty]
GREEN โ route to signature
### Executive Summary
No red flags identified under the playbook. Route for signature per standard process.
| Check | Status | Playbook reference |
|---|---|---|
| [Each playbook check] | [pass/fail] | [`~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md` section] |
**Next step:** [Submit to CLM standard NDA workflow | Send to [approver from `~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md`] for signature]
Before proceeding past GREEN to signature: Read ## Who's using this in ~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md. If the Role is Non-lawyer:
This step has legal consequences (countersigning an NDA binds the company). Have you reviewed this with a solicitor? If yes, proceed. If no, here's a brief to bring to them:
[Generate a 1-page summary: counterparty, NDA direction (mutual / one-way), the playbook checks run, anything the playbook didn't cover, what could go wrong if signed as-is, and the three things to ask the solicitor.]
If you need to find a solicitor or barrister: the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) at sra.org.uk has a Find a Solicitor tool for England & Wales. The Law Society of Scotland (lawscot.org.uk) covers Scottish solicitors. The Bar Council (barcouncil.org.uk) has a Find a Barrister directory.
Do not proceed past this gate without an explicit yes.
One or more terms deviate from the playbook but aren't categorical deal-breakers, OR a term appears that the playbook doesn't address.
Output:
[WORK-PRODUCT HEADER โ per plugin config ## Outputs]
## NDA Triage: [Counterparty]
YELLOW โ flag for [approver name from `~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md`]
### Executive Summary
- [One-line actionable edit, e.g. "Strike non-solicit clause (Section 6)"]
- [One-line actionable edit]
### Flagged items
**1. [Issue]** โ Section [X]
What: [one line]
Why flagged: [one line โ which playbook position this hits, or "playbook is silent on this"]
**Legal risk:** [๐ด/๐ /๐ก/๐ข] | **Business friction:** [๐ด Blocks deals / ๐ Slows deals / ๐ก Confuses customers / ๐ข Invisible]
Likely resolution: [accept / push back on X / depends on deal context]
[repeat for each flag]
### Everything else
| Check | Status | Playbook reference |
|---|---|---|
| [playbook checks that passed] | pass | [`~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md` section] |
**Next step:** Ask [approver] about the flagged items, then route to signature if they're okay with it.
The NDA hits a position on the playbook's "never accept" list, or the structure of the agreement is incompatible with the team's standard posture.
Output:
[WORK-PRODUCT HEADER โ per plugin config ## Outputs]
## NDA Triage: [Counterparty]
RED โ do not submit, talk to legal first
### Executive Summary
- [One-line actionable edit, e.g. "Section 4 โ route to Legal for review"]
### Critical issues
**1. [Issue]** โ Section [X]
> "[exact quote]"
Why this is a problem: [specific risk; cite the playbook position it violates]
**Legal risk:** [๐ด/๐ /๐ก/๐ข] | **Business friction:** [๐ด Blocks deals / ๐ Slows deals / ๐ก Confuses customers / ๐ข Invisible]
Recommended response: [use our paper instead | push back with specific language | walk]
**Next step:** Send this triage to [Head of Legal or named escalation person from `~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md`]. Do not send to CLM or approvals workflow. Do not tell the counterparty we'll sign.
Edit at the smallest possible granularity. Surgical redlines โ strike a word, insert a phrase, restructure a subclause โ signal "we have specific asks." Only replace a whole clause when the counterparty's version is so far from your position that surgical edits would be harder to read than a fresh draft.
This triage applies the governing-law and restrictive-covenant positions recorded in ~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md. Key UK jurisdiction notes:
[model knowledge โ verify][model knowledge โ verify][model knowledge โ verify]If the NDA involves a jurisdiction outside the team's configured posture, flag it and note that the triage may not transfer as written.
For each check below, the bucket (GREEN/YELLOW/RED) is determined by ~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md. This skill lists the categories to check; it does not hardcode thresholds.
Is the NDA mutual or one-way? Apply the team's position from ~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md. If the playbook doesn't address one-way NDAs for this context, run the one-way questionnaire.
Check scope (marked-only vs. everything-disclosed), marking requirements, oral-disclosure confirmation windows. Also check: whether the definition expressly carves out or captures "trade secrets" โ if so, the UK Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018 may provide additional protection but also impose stricter requirements (e.g., reasonable steps to maintain secrecy). [model knowledge โ verify]
The five standard carveouts typically present in a UK NDA:
Additional UK flag: Some UK NDAs include a carveout for disclosures required by FCA, CMA, FRC, ICO, or other UK regulatory bodies โ check whether this aligns with the team's position.
A residuals clause lets the receiving party use information retained in unaided memory. Apply ~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md. If the playbook doesn't address residuals, ask.
Check the initial term length, the post-term survival period for confidentiality obligations, and whether trade secrets are carved out with longer (potentially perpetual) protection. Note: under English law, perpetual confidentiality is valid for trade secrets; for ordinary confidential information, a court may limit it to a reasonable period. [model knowledge โ verify]
Check for non-solicits (employee, customer), non-competes, exclusivity, and any restriction on who else the receiving party can engage with. UK-specific: Restrictive covenants in commercial contracts are enforceable in English law if reasonable โ assessed under restraint of trade doctrine. Courts apply a stricter test than for ancillary restraints in business sale agreements. [model knowledge โ verify]
Check for fee-shifting provisions. Note: English courts default to the "loser pays" rule (CPR 44) in litigation โ a contractual fee-shifting clause may simply duplicate default law or could go further. Check whether any fee-shifting is mutual. [model knowledge โ verify]
Check whether the destruction/return clause includes an exception for standard backup and archival retention systems and any applicable statutory retention obligations under UK law (e.g., Companies Act 2006 records, HMRC record-keeping, Limitation Act 1980 limitation periods for documentary evidence). [model knowledge โ verify]
Per ~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md ## Playbook โ Governing law and venue. Note: "English law" and "UK law" are not the same โ "English law" means England & Wales; "UK law" is not a legal system (Scotland, E&W, and NI are separate). Use precise language.
Large corporate NDAs: Major corporates generally won't negotiate NDAs. Calibrate: is the RED flag truly a deal-breaker, or is it "different from our form"? If the business relationship matters, the call is whether to accept their paper โ escalate that decision, don't make it.
SME NDAs: Will usually take our paper. If their NDA has issues, the fastest path is often "let's use ours."
If connected:
~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md.Read ~/.claude/plugins/config/uk-legal-plugins/commercial-legal-uk/CLAUDE.md โ ## NDA triage preferences โ closing_action.
If configured, append the closing action verbatim at the end of every output.
If closing_action is not configured, append: "Route final NDA through your standard approval process."
End with the next-steps decision tree per CLAUDE.md ## Outputs. The tree is the output; the solicitor picks.