In this article:
Overview
US Sample Clauses gives you access to thousands of real-world legal documents sourced from the EDGAR database, maintained by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
It uses the same powerful search technology as Clause Hunt, enabling you to quickly find specific clauses and contract language across a large collection of publicly filed agreements.
US Sample Clauses combines Clause Hunt’s clause-search technology with the public EDGAR database. It gives you practical, real-world drafting examples from public companies - ready to explore and adapt inside LawVu Draft.
Unlike Clause Hunt, you cannot upload your own documents. Instead, you search within a curated set of contracts filed by publicly traded companies as part of their legal reporting obligations.
What kind of documents are included?
The database primarily includes contracts in areas such as:
Commercial agreements
Financial and credit agreements
Employment contracts
Real estate transactions
Distribution agreements
IT and intellectual property
These are contract types commonly used for drafting inspiration.
To keep search results relevant and manageable, the dataset is curated and updated regularly. Currently, it focuses on filings from recent years (for example 2015–2023), with newer years added over time and older years potentially phased out.
Why use it?
US Sample Clauses help you quickly find inspiration from real-world contracts used by public companies — without having to manually search the EDGAR website.
✅ Use US Sample Clauses when:
You want drafting inspiration - See how companies approach complex clauses and compare different drafting styles.
You need examples across many contract types- Explore a wide range of commercial agreements in one place.
You want faster research - Search directly by keywords or clause content instead of browsing entire filings on EDGAR.
You want to insert content easily- Clauses can be inserted into your document with automatic styling through LawVu Draft.
You prefer curated content - Instead of navigating millions of SEC filings, you search within a focused and relevant selection.
❌ US Sample Clauses may not be ideal when:
You need jurisdiction-specific drafting- The documents are U.S.-focused. Civil law or non-Anglo-Saxon jurisdictions may require significant adjustments.
You need exhaustive research - This feature is curated for inspiration. For comprehensive or academic research, the full EDGAR database may be more appropriate.
How does it work?
US Sample Clauses works exactly like Clause Hunt. The interface, search logic, and tools are the same.
The only difference is that:
You cannot upload new documents.
The searchable content comes from EDGAR instead of your own files.
About EDGAR
EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval) is the SEC’s system for collecting and publishing filings from publicly traded companies.
Companies are legally required to submit various documents to the SEC, including:
Annual and quarterly reports
Transaction disclosures
Merger and acquisition documents
Material contracts
These filings are publicly available and designed to promote transparency for shareholders and the market.
The documents in US Sample Clauses are sourced directly from EDGAR.
Licensing and usage
Documents in EDGAR are in the public domain, which means you are free to reuse individual clauses.
However:
The formatting of EDGAR documents is often poor, as they are not original Word files.
The drafting is typically U.S.-centric and may require adaptation.
Contracts are often lengthy and highly specific.
US Sample Clauses is therefore best used as a source of inspiration, not as a set of ready-to-use templates.
Who authors these documents?
EDGAR filings are authored by the companies themselves. They are typically prepared by:
In-house legal teams
Executives
Financial officers
This means the drafting reflects real commercial practice.