A director wears two hats. The office holder under company law and, usually, employee under a contract.
A standard employment contract only deals with the second. It says nothing about resignation from office when employment ends, conflicts of interest, board expectations, or how the role interacts with any shares the director holds.
For the people with the most access, the most influence and the most capacity to damage the business on departure, that is the wrong place to be using a template.
A director service agreement is the employment contract for a board-level appointment.
We help with:
- service agreements for executive and managing directors;
- duties, time commitment and outside interests;
- remuneration, bonus and benefits;
- confidentiality, IP and covenants set at board level;
- garden leave, notice and automatic resignation of office; and
- the interaction with shareholder agreements and leaver provisions.
We keep the agreement consistent with your articles and any shareholder agreement, since a conflict between them is a common and expensive problem, and we deal with the company law mechanics, including where a long-guaranteed term needs shareholder approval.
Where the director is also a shareholder, the service agreement and the leaver provisions need to be read together, and we draft them that way.
Our Approach
Legal advice that makes running and growing your business easier.
We start with your business, not the law.
Before we open a document, we want to understand what you are trying to do commercially. The legal answer is only useful if it serves that.
We get to the point.
You get a clear view of what matters and what does not, in plain English, with the real risks separated from the noise.
We give you an answer.
Not a menu of options and a shrug. We tell you what we would do, why, and where there is a genuine judgment call for you to make.
We stay available.
Whether you work with us on a single project or on a subscription, we are here for the follow-up question. We would always rather you asked.
Ways of working together
Fixed-fee projects
A single, defined piece of work for an agreed fixed fee, communicated before we engage. Reviewing a contract, drafting your terms, handling a negotiation.
No surprises and no hidden fees
Flagship Subscription
Ares Access
Ongoing support on a fixed monthly subscription, for businesses that need commercial legal input regularly rather than as the occasional one-off.
- Dedicated lawyer
- Fixed monthly fees
- Commercial advice on demand
From £500 plus VAT per month
Legal Health Check
Fixed fee of £2,000 plus VAT
Any questions?
Phone: 02382 420035
