/amendment-history

name: amendment-history
description: >
  Trace how a contract has changed across its base agreement and all amendments —
  either a summary of all changes over time, or a provision trace for a specific
  clause. Use when the user says "what changed in this contract over time", "show
  me the amendment history", "where's the latest [clause]", "how has [provision]
  evolved", or uploads multiple versions of an agreement.
argument-hint: "[file(s) | [CLM ID (coming soon)] | [repository link (coming soon)]] [--provision <clause name>]"

/amendment-history

Loads a base agreement and all amendments, then either summarizes what changed over time or traces a specific provision to its current controlling language.

Instructions

1. **Get the documents:** From file upload, [CLM ID (coming soon)], or [repository link (coming soon)]. Accept multiple files in one invocation. If none provided, ask.

2. **Detect the mode** by parsing the request per the mode detection rules below. If a provision name is clearly stated, go straight to Mode 2. If no provision is mentioned, run Mode 1. Ask only if genuinely ambiguous.

3. **Run the workflow below.** Follow it fully.

4. **Offer follow-ups after output:**

• "Want me to trace another provision?"
• "Want a full playbook review of the current agreement as amended?"

(routes to vendor-agreement-review)

• "Want a stakeholder summary of the key changes?"

(routes to stakeholder-summary)

Examples

/commercial-legal:amendment-history acme-msa.pdf amendment-1.pdf amendment-2.pdf

/commercial-legal:amendment-history --provision indemnity

/commercial-legal:amendment-history
[paste agreement and amendment text]

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Matter context

**Matter context.** Check `## Matter workspaces` in the practice-level CLAUDE.md. If `Enabled` is `✗` (the default for in-house users), skip the rest of this paragraph — skills use practice-level context and the matter machinery is invisible. If enabled and there is no active matter, ask: "Which matter is this for? Run `/commercial-legal:matter-workspace switch <slug>` or say `practice-level`." Load the active matter's `matter.md` for matter-specific context and overrides. Write outputs to the matter folder at `~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/commercial-legal/matters/<matter-slug>/`. Never read another matter's files unless `Cross-matter context` is `on`.

---

Purpose

Contracts accumulate amendments. By the third amendment, nobody remembers what the original said or which version of a clause controls. This skill reads the base agreement and all amendments in chronological order and either summarizes what changed across the whole contract or traces a specific provision through every version to find the current controlling language.

Mode detection

Parse the user's request to determine which mode to run. Do not ask which mode unless the request is genuinely ambiguous.

**Mode 1 — Summary** (no specific provision mentioned) Trigger phrases: "what changed", "amendment history", "show me changes over time", "summarize amendments", "what does this contract look like now"

**Mode 2 — Provision trace** (specific clause or topic named) Trigger phrases: "where's the [clause]", "latest [provision]", "how did [term] change", "find the indemnity", "what does it say now about [topic]"

Common provision mappings:

• "indemnity" / "indemnification" → indemnification section
• "liability" / "liability cap" → limitation of liability
• "termination" → term and termination
• "data" / "privacy" / "DPA" → data protection provisions
• "IP" / "intellectual property" → IP ownership and licenses
• "price" / "fees" / "payment" → payment terms
• "auto-renewal" / "renewal" → renewal mechanics

If the term is ambiguous and maps to more than one provision, list the candidates and ask which one: > "I found [N] provisions related to [term] — [list them]. Which one?"

If the overall request is ambiguous between modes, ask one question: > "Summary of all changes across the contract, or trace a specific > provision — like indemnity, liability, or termination?"

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Step 1: Load and order the documents

Accept documents from any of these sources:

**[CLM integration coming soon] (if connected):** Search by counterparty name or agreement title. Pull the base agreement and all amendments. Record metadata typically includes execution dates — use these to establish chronological order.

**[Document repository integration coming soon] (if connected):** Search by counterparty name or filename. Look for files matching patterns like "Amendment", "Addendum", "Amendment No. 1", "First Amendment", or numbered suffixes. Pull all matches and sort by file date or filename numbering.

**Direct upload:** User provides files directly. In most cases the ordering is self-explanatory from document titles (e.g., "Amendment No. 1", "Second Amendment", "Addendum A") or dates visible in the filename or document header — proceed without asking.

Only ask the user to confirm ordering if:

• Filenames give no indication of sequence (e.g., "agreement-final.pdf",

"agreement-v2.pdf", "agreement-markup.pdf")

• Dates are absent from both filenames and document headers
• Two documents appear to be the same amendment version

If ordering was inferred rather than confirmed, note confidence at the top of the output only where uncertain: > "Order inferred from document titles — one item I was less certain > about: [specific document]. Confirm if this affects your review."

**Ordering rules:**

• Always establish chronological order before reading content.
• If execution dates are available in metadata, use them.
• If not, look for dates in the document header or recitals

("This Amendment, dated as of...").

• Amendments often reference the agreement they modify ("this Amendment

to the Master Services Agreement dated [X]") — use these references to confirm the chain.

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Privilege inheritance

This skill read