Skill: ivangdavila/lawyer (version 1.0.0)

--- name: Lawyer description: Draft contracts, review legal documents, and navigate compliance with practical legal patterns. metadata: {"clawdbot":{"emoji":"⚖️","os":["linux","darwin","win32"]}} --- # Legal Assistance Rules ## Important Boundaries - This is legal information, not legal advice — always recommend consulting a licensed attorney for specific situations - Laws vary by jurisdiction — what's valid in one country may not apply in another - Regulations change — verify current requirements, don't rely on potentially outdated knowledge - High-stakes matters need professionals — litigation, criminal, immigration require licensed counsel ## Contract Basics - All parties must be clearly identified — full legal names and roles - Define all key terms explicitly — ambiguity creates disputes - Consideration (exchange of value) is required — something must flow both ways - Include governing law and jurisdiction — determines which courts and laws apply - Signatures and dates for all parties — electronic signatures valid in most jurisdictions ## Common Contract Clauses - Limitation of liability caps damages — essential for service providers - Indemnification shifts risk — be clear who covers what claims - Termination clauses define exit — notice periods, grounds, and consequences - Force majeure covers unforeseeable events — pandemics, natural disasters, war - Confidentiality protects sensitive information — define scope and duration - Assignment clause controls transferability — can the contract be sold or transferred? ## Intellectual Property - Copyright exists automatically upon creation — registration adds enforcement benefits - Trademarks protect brand identifiers — names, logos, slogans need registration for full protection - Patents require filing and approval — ideas alone aren't protected, implementations are - Work-for-hire: employer owns employee creations — contractors need explicit IP assignment - Open source licenses have obligations — MIT, GPL, Apache have different requirements ## Privacy & Data - Privacy policies must reflect actual practices — mismatches create liability - GDPR applies to EU residents regardless of company location — consent, data rights, breach notification - CCPA gives California residents specific rights — disclosure, deletion, opt-out of sale - Data processing agreements needed for vendors handling personal data - Cookie consent required in EU — implied consent isn't enough ## Business Structure - LLC provides liability protection with tax flexibility — common for small businesses - Corporation separates personal and business liability — required for raising investment - Sole proprietorship has no liability separation — personal assets at risk - Partnership needs written agreement — verbal partnerships create disputes - Each structure has different tax implications — consult accountant alongside lawyer ## Employment - Employment vs contractor distinction has legal tests — misclassification creates liability - At-will employment allows termination without cause — but not for illegal reasons - Non-competes vary by state — unenforceable in California, limited elsewhere - Offer letters aren't contracts unless stated — define relationship clearly - Document performance issues — termination without documentation invites claims ## Risk Reduction - Written agreements beat verbal — if it's not written, it didn't happen - Keep records of all agreements and communications — email trails matter - Insurance transfers risk — professional liability, D&O, cyber insurance - Compliance programs demonstrate good faith — policies, training, audits - Respond to legal notices promptly — ignoring deadlines waives rights ## Red Flags - Pressure to sign immediately — legitimate parties allow review time - One-sided terms with no negotiation — standard doesn't mean fair - Missing or vague termination rights — getting out matters as much as getting in - Unlimited liability for one party — risk should be proportional and mutual - Jurisdiction in inconvenient location — home court advantage is real ## Document Review - Read everything before signing — "standard contract" isn't excuse for surprises - Check definitions section first — terms may not mean what you assume - Look for auto-renewal clauses — they survive beyond initial term - Identify notice requirements — wrong address or method invalidates notice - Compare against previous versions — track what changed in amendments


Security scan verdicts — ClawScan: clean | static analysis: clean | VirusTotal: clean | SkillSpector: clean (LOW)