---

name: precedent-finder description: Find precedent clauses from past deals. Use when user asks to find similar clauses, search for precedent, or look up how a provision was worded in previous deals. allowed-tools: Read, Bash, Grep, Glob

Precedent Finder

Search the clause database for similar provisions from past deals. Returns matching clauses with source attribution.

When to Use

• User asks "find precedent for this indemnification clause"
• User wants to see how a provision was worded in previous deals
• User needs comparable language from similar transactions

Available Scripts

scripts/search_precedent.py

Search for similar clauses by text or type.

Copypython scripts/search_precedent.py "limitation of liability" --top-k 5
python scripts/search_precedent.py --clause-type indemnification --top-k 10
python scripts/search_precedent.py --file clause.txt --top-k 5

scripts/show_context.py

Get full context for a matched clause (surrounding sections).

Copypython scripts/show_context.py --clause-id "deal123_section5.2" --context-lines 20

Workflow

1. Extract clause text: If user provides a document, extract the relevant clause
2. Search: Run search_precedent.py with the clause text or type
3. Present results: Show matches with deal name, date, and similarity score
4. Offer context: Ask if user wants to see full context for any match
5. Import option: Offer to import selected clause into current document

Example Session

CopyUser: Find precedent for this limitation of liability clause:
"The total liability of either party shall not exceed the fees paid in the 12 months..."

Claude:
1. Searching clause database...
   [Runs: python scripts/search_precedent.py "The total liability..." --top-k 5]

2. Found 5 similar clauses:
   | Deal | Date | Similarity | Preview |
   |------|------|------------|---------|
   | Acme Corp Acquisition | 2024-01 | 94% | "Total liability shall not exceed..." |
   | Beta Inc License | 2023-11 | 87% | "Aggregate liability limited to..." |
   ...

3. Would you like to see the full context for any of these?

CLI Dependencies

• aech-cli-legal clauses search - Semantic clause search
• aech-cli-legal documents convert - Extract clauses from DOCX