How does Counteroffer review contracts?

Counteroffer · Answers · severance Source: https://trycounteroffer.com/answers/how-does-counteroffer-review-contracts

Short answer: Counteroffer uses AI trained on attorney-drafted contracts plus a curated rubric of negotiables and market benchmarks to generate a structured contract review. A human reviewer audits the AI output before delivery. The process: upload your document and context, our model runs through the rubric, human review catches errors, and you receive a PDF report in 24 hours with flagged issues, market benchmarks, cited authority, and counter language ready to send back.

The process, step by step

Step 1: Intake. You complete a form with your specific situation: role, tenure, state, company stage, age (for ADEA), priorities, deadlines, and any context that matters. You upload your severance agreement and any attached documents.

Step 2: Document processing. The system stores your document securely and extracts the text content. PDFs are processed directly; DOCX files have their text extracted via standard libraries.

Step 3: AI analysis. The AI runs your document against our severance rubric, which covers:

Cash severance multiplier and benchmark
Pro-rated bonus and commission treatment
Healthcare bridge (COBRA continuation)
Equity acceleration and treatment
Stock option exercise window
Release language and required carve-outs (SEC whistleblower, ADEA, NLRA, etc.)
Restrictive covenants (non-compete, non-solicit, confidentiality)
Non-disparagement and reference language
Indemnification (for officers)
Procedural compliance (OWBPA for employees 40+)

For each negotiable item, the AI identifies the verbatim clause, plain-English explanation, market benchmark, severity (red/yellow/green), and recommended counter.

Step 4: Human review. A reviewer audits the AI output before delivery:

Verifies clause excerpts match the document
Confirms benchmarks are appropriate for your situation
Catches any AI errors or omissions
Adjusts severity ratings based on case-specific judgment
Flags items that need escalation to attorney consultation

Step 5: PDF delivery. The reviewed report is delivered to your email as a PDF. The format is consistent: cover page, summary box, issue cards in priority order, action plan, sources cited.

What the rubric covers

The Counteroffer rubric is a structured set of categories the AI walks through for every review. For severance, it includes:

40+ specific clauses commonly found in severance agreements
Market benchmark data by role, tenure, company stage, and state
Required federal and state carve-outs
Industry-specific considerations (tech vs finance vs healthcare)
OWBPA compliance check for employees 40+
Specific recommendations for each clause type

The rubric is updated regularly based on case law developments, statutory changes (like the 2024 California amendments to non-compete law), and patterns we see in reviews.

What we don't do

We don't represent you in negotiation. We provide analysis and recommendations; you execute the negotiation.
We don't communicate with your employer. Your employer doesn't know you used a review service.
We don't provide legal advice. Counteroffer is a contract analysis service, not a law firm.
We don't store your document past 30 days. Documents are deleted from active systems within 30 days of delivery.
We don't share, sell, or use your document for anything outside of your review.

Quality control

Two layers of quality control:

AI accuracy. The AI model is trained on attorney-drafted contracts and our specific rubric. It's tested against benchmark reviews for accuracy on specific categories.

Human audit. Every review is reviewed by a human before delivery. The human verifies clause excerpts, benchmark applicability, and recommendation specificity.

Refund policy. If we miss a material issue that your attorney catches, we refund in full. No questions, no friction.

Confidentiality

Your document is:

Processed in an encrypted environment
Accessed only by reviewers under confidentiality obligations
Stored on our infrastructure separate from any third party
Deleted from active systems within 30 days
Never shared, sold, or used for purposes other than your review

The confidentiality of your situation is fundamental to the service. If you have specific concerns about confidentiality (e.g., handling a high-profile situation), email hello@trycounteroffer.com to discuss arrangements.

What to do next

If you want a delivered review of your specific severance agreement, see Severance Review. The same process applies to Offer Review and Non-Compete Review with appropriate rubrics for each.

Get your contract reviewed

If you want a delivered review of your specific document with cited authority and counter language, see https://trycounteroffer.com/severance.

Last updated: Sun May 31 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Counteroffer is a contract analysis service, not a law firm. This page is informational, not legal advice.