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Business Legal Services
Senior Employee Exits
Manage the departure of senior staff amicably and efficiently
Managing the exit of senior staff can challenge your business considerably. Cut down on costs, time and hassle by dealing with senior exits side-by-side our employment law experts. We can help you investigate and execute exit options, communicate effectively, navigate contractual terms, negotiate settlements and draft appropriate and legally binding agreements to give effect to settlement terms.
Experts in employment law
In addition to assisting with senior employee exits, our team can assist you across all areas of employment law, including:
How we can help: Advising on the exit of senior members of staff
Our team of employment law solicitors can support you with:
Negotiating and drafting settlement agreements
We can help you to negotiate a settlement deal that’s right for you, whilst having regard to all relevant circumstances and contractual provisions. The terms of settlement would be documented in a comprehensive and bespoke settlement agreement.
Director resignations, share transfers and exits of directors and shareholders
We can deal with all the important contractual paperwork relating to senior staff leaving your business. We have commercial law specialists who can assist with filings with Companies House, review your shareholders’ agreements and draft separate sale and purchase agreements for the sale of shares.
Disciplinary, capability, sickness absence and redundancy procedures and dismissals
At a senior level, we understand the need to take care of employee exits sensitively and professionally. In some cases, senior staff may have to go through procedures relating to their performance or conduct, rather than simply entering into settlement discussions at the outset. Whatever the circumstances, you have access to our employment expertise in all these areas.
Managing the exit of a senior executive can be a challenge for any business but our experienced employment legal team will guide you through each step of the process to ensure a smooth transition.
Guiding you through the exit of a senior employee
Save time and money
Reduce the time you spend on research and the worry of whether you’re following the legal exit process correctly. Involve one of our employment experts early in your decision-making about senior employee exits and benefit from legal peace of mind.
Reduce your risk of future employment claims
Seeking our advice on your potential employee exits and following that advice puts you in a strong position when it comes to avoiding employment claims. No one wants the financial liability of having to pay a senior employee a sizeable settlement, or the burden of the time and resources required to defend employment claims. Such claims can be a distraction from running your core business and can be lengthy, so get the process right in the first instance.
Pay the exiting employee the right amount
You don’t want to pay an exiting senior employee more than the circumstances might justify. Our specialist employment solicitors are experienced negotiators. We will always seek the best deal for our clients when settling any actual or potential employment claims with senior employees and deal with tricky financial negotiations, so you don’t have to.
Retain the enforceability of employee restrictive covenants
It’s important that you get advice to make sure that you don’t breach an employee’s contract. If you do something which causes an employee to resign and successfully claim constructive unfair dismissal, or you wrongfully dismiss an employee, this could jeopardise the enforceability of the restrictive covenants contained in the breached contract of employment. An employee may argue that the restrictions no longer apply due to the breach. This could be extremely damaging to your business, as a senior person may be able to do more damage to your business once they leave than more junior employees who will generally have access to fewer key contacts and probably less sensitive business information. A well-drafted settlement agreement will also restate or add new restrictions in order to help ensure that your legitimate business interests are protected.
Who we help: Employers of all sizes and from a variety of sectors all over the UK
Harper James Solicitors supports a wide range of UK-based employer clients. Our employment specialists advise HR directors, managers and founders across all sectors whether they are start-ups, SMEs or large multinationals. We can support your business with the full range of employment and HR legal services: from policies to contracts, grievances and disputes.
Testimonials
What our clients say
We rely on Harper James to provide us with support across a full range of service areas, from commercial contracts and employment issues to fundraisings and investments. The team at Harper James are always available to provide us with cost effective, pragmatic and commercially focused advice.
Nick Holzherr
CEO,
Whisk.com
As with any business, we need access to good quality legal advice without the fear of facing huge legal fees. The service provided by Harper James is ideal because they are always available to assist and we know that the advice provided is of outstanding quality, with pricing that is cost effective and completely transparent.
Laura Bowen
Director,
Admedo
Experience of your team and how they make it simple to understand the options and what is required.
Value for money.
Paul Smith
COO,
Incuto
Harper James have become a vital part of our business. We get quality advice from experienced solicitors at prices that other firms do not appear to be able to match.
Veejay Lingiah
CEO,
Flash Sticks
We rely on Harper James to provide us with support across a full range of service areas, from commercial contracts and employment issues to fundraisings and investments. The team at Harper James are always available to provide us with cost effective, pragmatic and commercially focused advice.
Nick Holzherr
CEO,
Whisk.com
As with any business, we need access to good quality legal advice without the fear of facing huge legal fees. The service provided by Harper James is ideal because they are always available to assist and we know that the advice provided is of outstanding quality, with pricing that is cost effective and completely transparent.
Laura Bowen
Director,
Admedo
Experience of your team and how they make it simple to understand the options and what is required.
Value for money.
Paul Smith
COO,
Incuto
Harper James have become a vital part of our business. We get quality advice from experienced solicitors at prices that other firms do not appear to be able to match.
Veejay Lingiah
CEO,
Flash Sticks
Why choose Harper James Solicitors?
As the law firm for entrepreneurs, we understand the common and complex issues you face as owners and operators. We look to form genuine partnerships with our clients. Our team of remote-based and always accessible senior employment lawyers are the people to call when you need a second opinion, or specialist advice fast.
Our solicitors are all recruited from top 100 UK law firms or from large international businesses, and all have more than 10 years’ post-qualified experience. Find out more about the team here:
Pricing and service plans
Legal support designed
to fit your business needs
Our three transparent service plans are designed to give you the widest possible access to high-quality legal advice, whatever the size and nature of your business:
Engage
Flexible access to senior solicitors at highly competitive rates
An alternative to our subscription plans, offering access to full service legal expertise on a project-by-project basis.
Enable
Purpose built legal support for start-ups and smaller businesses
Monthly subscription plan for £215 per month, with £145 monthly credit and access to all legal services at 50% discount on our Standard Rates.
Extend
Comprehensive legal partnership for established businesses
Fully account managed and scalable annual subscription plan with support from a curated team of partners and senior solicitors, with up to 34% discount on our Standard Rates.