• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to footer

Yorkshire's Employment Law & Data Protection Specialists

  • Home
  • About
    • About us
    • Brian Harrington
    • Nathan Combes
  • Services
    • Employment Law & HR Advice
    • Settlement Agreements
    • Data Protection
    • Training
    • Price transparency
  • Legal updates, news & events
  • Contact us
  • Search
  • Home
  • About
    • About us
    • Brian Harrington
    • Nathan Combes
  • Services
    • Employment Law & HR Advice
    • Settlement Agreements
    • Data Protection
    • Training
    • Price transparency
  • Legal updates, news & events
  • Contact us
  • Search
figures on way to work signifying employment

Settlement Agreements

You are here: Home / Settlement Agreements

About us

Welcome to Harrington Law. We’re specialist employment law solicitors.

We have a lengthy and proven track record of acting for employees and senior executives in relation to their settlement agreements.

Our offices are located in York and West Yorkshire, but the strength of our reputation means that we frequently represent individuals based in London, Leeds, Bradford, Manchester, Birmingham and throughout the UK.

If you’ve been offered a settlement agreement by your employer and/or are planning to leave your existing employment, then we can help.

We can advise you wherever you are in the UK. We do not need to see you in person.

Why use Harrington Law?

Our specialist employment law solicitors have in excess of 40 years combined legal experience. We’re skilled and effective negotiators and we’ll do our level best to turn around your settlement agreement within the expected deadline and required timeframe.

We work hard to understand your objectives in order to ensure that we obtain the best possible outcome and settlement for you.

What is a settlement agreement?

A settlement agreement (formally known as a compromise agreement) is a legally binding contract made between an employee and employee.

Settlement agreements are usually entered into when an individual’s employment has ended or where it is proposed that it should end.

In its simplest form, a settlement agreement will provide that the employee will receive certain payments and/or non-financial benefits in return for them agreeing to give up their right to bring various employment related claims (e.g. unfair dismissal, discrimination or breach of contract).

Should I enter into a Settlement Agreement with my employer?

There can be no one size fits all approach to settlement agreements. Our own experience of representing employees and senior executives tells us that entering into a settlement agreement can often lead to an outcome that is preferable to the alternative of having to issue proceedings in the employment tribunal. This is because settlement agreements can be concluded quickly, without the stress, cost and delay that is sometimes associated with employment tribunal litigation.

It’s important however to understand that employers may sometimes propose financial settlements that are too low and/or seek to insert onerous and commercially unrealistic clauses and restrictions into draft settlement agreements. It’s vital for this reason that you instruct a specialist employment law solicitor who is alert to these issues and whose expertise and experience can be relied upon to ensure that the terms of your own settlement agreement are fair and reasonable.

When are settlement agreements offered?

Settlement agreements may be offered or proposed in a number of situations. Employers sometimes propose them in connection with performance or disciplinary related issues or where an individual’s job or role is being made redundant.

Settlement agreements are often proposed against the background of an employment related dispute, but this is not always the case. Employers sometimes propose settlement agreements in the context of them wishing to make an enhanced termination payment to an individual employee in circumstances where the relationship between the parties remains on good terms.

Why do I have to take independent legal advice?

Settlement agreements are only legally enforceable and binding if the individual being asked to sign up to it has taken independent legal advice on the terms and effect of the proposed agreement and also on its effect on their ability to pursue claims in an employment tribunal.

Legal fees

Most settlement agreements contain a clause stating that the employer will agree to pay a capped contribution towards the cost of you taking legal advice in relation to a review of your settlement agreement. Typically, this capped fee will be between £250 and £500 plus VAT, but it can be more or less than this.

We’ll be able to confirm at an early stage whether the capped contribution towards legal fees will cover your legal costs or whether your costs are likely to be higher than that amount. Where legal fees are likely to exceed the level of your employer’s proposed contribution, we will often seek to persuade them to pay an increased amount. We are also sometimes able to enter into no-win no-fee agreements with clients in relation to their settlement agreements.

No-win no-fee

Our settlement agreement no-win no-fee arrangements operate via us taking a percentage-based fee based on the financial payment that we recover from your employer, either by way of negotiation or otherwise.

If a financial settlement has already been proposed at the time of you instructing us, then the percentage-based fee due to us will only attach to the additional sum that we are successful in obtaining for you. It will not attach to the amount that your employer initially proposed.

Please note that some cases will not be suitable for this form of fee arrangement. This might be because we have assessed that the offer you already have from your employer as being a good one, or alternatively because we believe that the risks are too high.

Please be assured however that if we’re unable to offer you a no-win no-fee, we will discuss alternative methods of funding.

Next steps

We appreciate that negotiations surrounding the termination of your employment can be stressful. Our employment lawyers can help to relieve that pressure. They’ll also work closely with you in order to understand your situation and ensure that you obtain the best possible deal.

We are a specialist and niche firm of employment law solicitors. We’ve acted successfully for hundreds of employees and senior executives in York, Leeds, Bradford and throughout the UK. For more information about your own settlement agreement and a free initial telephone consultation, please contact Brian Harrington on 01484 240633 or Nathan Combes on 01904 238896 or alternatively contact us here.


What our clients say | Testimonials

“commercial and pragmatic approach”


"Invaluable in negotiating the complex processes around senior executive departures and settlement agreements.

Their commercial and pragmatic approach combined with their knowledge of this complex area of law ensured a successful resolution."

Robin A Frew MBA

MD Crayke Hall Consultancy Services Ltd.

Harrington Law
5
2020-03-31T14:32:09+01:00

Robin A Frew MBA

MD Crayke Hall Consultancy Services Ltd.

"Invaluable in negotiating the complex processes around senior executive departures and settlement agreements. Their commercial and pragmatic approach combined with their knowledge of this complex area of law ensured a successful resolution."
https://harringtonlaw.co.uk/testimonials/review-short/

“they put themselves in my shoes”


"Excellent and practical advice. I was impressed by how they understood the issues and were able to put themselves in my shoes.

Highly recommended."

 

Private client

Harrington Law
5
2020-03-31T16:43:34+01:00

Private client

"Excellent and practical advice. I was impressed by how they understood the issues and were able to put themselves in my shoes. Highly recommended."  
https://harringtonlaw.co.uk/testimonials/put-themselves-in-my-shoes/

supportive and compassionate


"I found Nathan to be efficient, thorough, professional and creative.

He was also supportive and compassionate during what was a very difficult time for me."

Private Client

Harrington Law
5
2020-04-02T17:04:22+01:00

Private Client

"I found Nathan to be efficient, thorough, professional and creative. He was also supportive and compassionate during what was a very difficult time for me."
https://harringtonlaw.co.uk/testimonials/supportive-and-compassionate/

“a very positive outcome”


"Nathan provided representation for me during my most challenging time in 25 years of employment. His sound and timely advice was both professionally and personally invaluable and resulted in a very positive outcome at the end of the process. I would recommend him to others without reservation."

Private client - Settlement Agreement

Harrington Law
5
2020-04-23T18:28:46+01:00

Private client - Settlement Agreement

"Nathan provided representation for me during my most challenging time in 25 years of employment. His sound and timely advice was both professionally and personally invaluable and resulted in a very positive outcome at the end of the process. I would recommend him to others without reservation."
https://harringtonlaw.co.uk/testimonials/sound-and-timely-advice/
5
4
Harrington Law

Need help with your settlement agreement?

Contact us

Footer

Our Lawyers

  • Brian Harrington
  • Nathan Combes

Our Offices

BRIGHOUSE
19 Bradford Road
Brighouse
HD6 1RW
Tel: 01484 240633

 

YORK
The Studio
30 Acomb Road
York YO24 4EW
Tel: 01904 238896

 

CLECKHEATON
27 Northgate
Cleckheaton
BD19 3HH
Tel: 01484 240633

Contact Us

Contact us today – find out how we can help you.

  • Privacy Notice
  • Website Terms & Conditions

Site Footer

Harrington Law is a trading name of Harrington Law Limited which is a limited company registered in England and Wales  with registered number 11651440 whose list of directors is available for inspection at its registered office which is 19 Bradford Road Brighouse West Yorkshire.  Harrington Law Limited are solicitors of England and Wales authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under SRA number 666091.  Details of the Solicitors Code of Conduct can be found at www.sra.org.uk.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.