Settlement Agreement Solicitors

Settlement Agreement Solicitors: specialist employment advice on settlement agreements

Settlement Agreement Solicitors is a UK employment law firm that presents itself as the country's only firm dedicated exclusively to helping employees with settlement agreements. Its team of specialist employment solicitors provides a nationwide service by telephone and online, so it can advise clients regardless of their location.

The firm is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and is a full member of the Employment Lawyers Association.

Settlement agreement advice and sign-off

The advice and sign-off service includes a same-day telephone appointment and online sign-off. The process has been streamlined so that it can be completed from start to finish in as little as twenty-four hours. It consists of three steps:

• Sending the settlement agreement, the employment contract and any other relevant documents.
• An advice and sign-off call with a specialist employment solicitor, which typically lasts between forty-five minutes and an hour, depending on the complexity of the agreement. During the call, the solicitor reviews the terms and legal effects of the agreement and, if they identify unfair or unreasonable clauses, asks the employer to amend them.
• Signing and billing: once the final version has been received, it is signed. The signed agreement is sent to the employer for counter-signature together with the invoice for legal fees. Once counter-signed, the agreement is fully executed and legally binding.

The firm's involvement usually ends at that point, although if issues arise with the payments provided for in the agreement, the client can contact them again at no extra cost. The firm notes that, although this is a rare scenario, it offers the peace of mind that support continues until the money reaches the bank account.

Fees: capped at the employer's contribution

The employer specifies a legal expenses contribution in the settlement agreement itself, which is usually between £350 and £750 plus VAT. The firm guarantees that its fees will never exceed the employer's contribution, even if the work requires many more hours than expected.

Negotiating better terms

The team presents itself as expert negotiators and can deal directly with the employer to obtain the best possible terms. Its exclusive dedication to settlement agreement law allows it, according to its own description, to quickly recognise the employer's motivations and use them to secure compensation that meets or exceeds the employee's expectations. Even if the employee has already tried to negotiate unsuccessfully, the firm may be able to secure a better offer. The negotiation process is usually completed within the deadline set by the employer.

The firm offers a free case review call to determine whether it is negotiable. Unlike other firms that may keep up to 35% of the negotiated increase, this negotiation support service has no additional cost: there are no fixed fees or hourly rates.

Firm profile and recognition

Settlement Agreement Solicitors describes itself as the UK's only firm dedicated 100% to helping employees with settlement agreements. It offers same-day advice and sign-off, with processes that are often completed in less than twenty-four hours, and caps its fees at the level of the employer's contribution. The firm states that it is the highest-ranked employment law firm in the UK on Trustpilot, with hundreds of independently verified reviews.

Frequently asked questions about settlement agreements

The site includes a frequently asked questions section that explains key aspects of these agreements:

• A settlement agreement is a legally binding contract between employer and employee under which the parties end their relationship and the employee waives the right to bring a claim before the Employment Tribunal in exchange for compensation, which may include money or benefits.
• To be valid, it must be in writing, relate to a specific complaint or proceeding, be signed only after the employee has received independent legal advice from an adviser identified as having the required professional indemnity insurance, and state that the applicable legal conditions are met. The absence of any of these requirements invalidates it.
• Circumstances that may give rise to an agreement include unpaid wages, salary or bonuses, discrimination claims, breaches of the employment contract or statutory rights, and disagreements about poor performance. The case of senior professionals whose position becomes untenable following a merger, acquisition or change in corporate strategy is also mentioned.
• Advantages include avoiding the stressful, expensive and slow process of a legal claim, negotiating a positive reference, guaranteeing financial compensation, and being able to negotiate non-financial benefits in addition to payment.
• The amount received depends on factors such as the role, the sector and negotiating ability. The firm has a settlement calculator that provides general guidance on the compensation to which one might be entitled.

Offices

The firm has an office in London and another in Bournemouth.

Offices and premises

Local London Office: Thomas House, 84 Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1PX

Local Bournemouth Office: 7 Stratfield Saye, 20-22 Wellingt