Approval cascade definition and tracking for multi-stakeholder document workflows. Internal review sequences, client approval workflows, regulatory review, overdue chasing with escalation logic, version control coordination, and cross-jurisdiction document dependencies.
document-approval-tracker
Plugin: LPM Core Plugin (Skill 14 of 14)
Part of: LPM Skills for Claude
What this skill does
Designs and tracks multi-stakeholder document approval workflows — defining review sequences, monitoring document position in the cascade, chasing overdue reviewers, coordinating version control, and mapping cross-jurisdiction document dependencies.
Document approval is the invisible critical path on most legal matters. Partners and clients know what documents need to exist; nobody tracks where they are in the review chain until a deadline appears. This skill is designed to make the cascade visible before the deadline, not after.
Modes
| Mode | When to use |
|---|---|
| Mode 1 — Cascade design | Defining who reviews a document and in what sequence, at matter setup |
| Mode 2 — Position tracking | A document is in circulation — tracking where it is and how long it's been there |
| Mode 3 — Overdue chasing | A reviewer is overdue — produce the chasing email at the correct escalation stage |
| Mode 4 — Version control | A reviewer is on the wrong version, or version control has broken down |
Key design principles encoded
Define the cascade before the first draft, not when it's ready. The approval sequence must be agreed at matter setup — not improvised when the document is circulated.
Client-side opacity is the hardest problem. Ask for the client's internal cascade and a named turnaround before first circulation. "We'll review and revert" is not a commitment.
Email carries the notification; the matter site carries the document. Every email attachment creates a version risk. Single source of truth in SharePoint; email for notification only.
State the deadline. Don't soften it. "When you get a chance" teaches reviewers that deadlines are flexible. The chasing email states the date, the reason, and stops.
Flag at 80% of SLA — not at expiry. A partner who has had a document for 2.5 days against a 3-day SLA needs a flag now.
Map cross-document dependencies at cascade design. The Netherlands SPA blocked by the German tax opinion is a dependency that should be visible on day one — not discovered when the first document is ready to circulate.
Outputs
| Mode | Primary output |
|---|---|
| Mode 1 | Approval cascade document — review sequence, client-side cascade, dependencies, gaps checklist |
| Mode 2 | Position tracker table — current holder, days at step, SLA flags, next action |
| Mode 3 | Chasing email at correct escalation stage (produced immediately, no identifier gate) |
| Mode 4 | Version status table + recall email draft + prevention protocol |
Usage notes (v1)
Mode 2/3 — forwarded emails: When pasting a forwarded "FYI" email describing an overdue document situation, prefix it with [APPROVAL TRACKER]. Even with the tag, this prompt pattern may produce general advisory output rather than a position tracker and chasing email. For reliable routing, describe the situation directly: "The NDA has been with [Partner] for 4 days against a 3-day SLA. Draft me a chasing email."
Mode 1 — cascade design: Produces a cascade document, not advisory prose on review sequence. If prose appears instead, restate: "Produce the approval cascade document for [Document name] on [Matter]."
- Legal review of documents — the LPM tracks position in the cascade; the attorney decides whether a step is complete
- Document drafting or redlining — this skill coordinates the workflow around documents, not the documents themselves
- Execution logistics — wet ink signatures, notarisation, apostille chains — those are handled by execution-and-signing-manager (LPM for M&A Plugin, Skill 19)
Skills this one works with
| Skill | Relationship |
|---|---|
| matter-plan-builder | Document production tasks → cascade design trigger |
| timeline-generator | Critical path identification → accelerated chasing for on-path documents; approval delays → timeline impact |
| local-counsel-manager | LC-delivered documents enter the cascade on receipt |
| stakeholder-comms-planner | Client-side contacts and approval authority → client cascade inputs |
| status-report-drafter | Overdue documents and cascade blockers → risks and issues section |
| continuous-improvement-engine | Version control failures and cascade gaps → lesson capture triggers |
License
Apache 2.0. See LICENSE.