A settlement agreement buys certainty with an agreed exit and a binding waiver of claims in exchange for an agreed package.
It only works if it is done properly. The statutory conditions have to be met or the waiver is worthless, the tax treatment needs to be right, and the conversation that leads to the agreement is itself a legal minefield.
An approach made badly can create the very claim it was meant to avoid, particularly where there is no existing dispute to protect the discussion.
We act for employers on agreed exits.
We help with:
- drafting the settlement agreement and the waiver of claims;
- advising on the approach, including protected conversations and without prejudice discussions;
- confidentiality, references and announcements;
- carrying forward restrictive covenants where they matter; and
- exits alongside a redundancy or performance process.
For the agreement to bind, the employee must take independent advice on it, and the employer normally contributes to the cost of that advice. We act for the employer, so we cannot advise or certify on the employee’s side.
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
