Settlement Agreements

This page explains more about Settlement Agreements and why you should use me, Steven Mather Solicitor, to sign off your Settlement Agreement. I also have a dedicated website at www.settlement-agreement.co.uk

Settlement Agreement Solicitor

I’m Steven Mather and I’m a genuine expert in Settlement Agreements. I sign off hundreds of Settlement Agreements each year and have done since 2008 and each and every time I strive to provide:

• Plain English Advice
• Time – to understand your situation and all that you’re faced with
• Results – I often get more money for clients or a better deal
• Value – our fees are usually paid for in full by your employer.
• Convenience – meetings by phone, video call or in person at a time to suit you.

What is a Settlement Agreement?

A Settlement Agreement is a legal document which Employers give to Employees documenting the termination of employment. Usually, your employment will terminate on a specific date (called the Termination Date) and you’ll be paid your salary up until that date. You’ll also usually receive a Compensation Payment (sometimes called a Termination Payment, or an Ex-Gratia sum).

Why do you need a Solicitor to sign a Settlement Agreement

The Law requires employees to receive independent legal advice from a Solicitor before the settlement agreement can become a legally binding document. This is so that you fully understand the terms and consequences of signing a settlement agreement.

My task as your solicitor is to advise you whether you have any claim against your employer, claims such as:

• Unfair Dismissal
• Wrongful Dismissal
• Discrimination (age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation).
• Redundancy Rights
• Minimum wage
• Bullying and Harassment
• Stress at work

I will take time to understand the facts and circumstances leading up to you being handed a Settlement Agreement. Often I see clients who are currently off work with work-related stress due to these circumstances. They can be due to a new manager or being put under a performance review/capability procedure, or they can be as a result of disciplinary.

I will then advise you what those potential claims might be worth in an Employment Tribunal and then together we can decide whether you should sign the Settlement Agreement or not. I am often instructed to negotiate the Settlement Agreement by seeking additional compensation or making changes to the wording of the agreement (following our advice).

What are the benefits of signing a Settlement Agreement?

• Settlement Agreements offer a clean break
• They are a quick and relatively simple way to get a pay off when leaving a business
• They can avoid the need for disciplinary / capability / performance review procedures which can be stressful and worrying.
• They give certainty when an Employment Tribunal gives you none
• A tribunal only awards you compensation, it cannot reverse the decision; a settlement agreement is a clean slate.
• You can often get a reference from your employer

How much does it cost to see a Solicitor to sign off a Settlement Agreement?

Nothing, because your employer usually pays.

Most agreements will include contribution to legal costs and your costs with me are usually no more than that figure. It’s usual for the contribution to be at least £350 plus VAT but don’t worry if it’s not, we can probably still assist. For more complex matters or higher value settlements, the fee can be £450-750 plus VAT and for matters that are negotiated or protracted, they can be more. We also charge for urgent matters which require a 24-hour turnaround.

We only work on the basis of fixed fees – so the fee will be agreed with you before you ask us to work on your behalf.

Next Steps

If you’re unsure on the question of fees, or on any aspect of a settlement agreement, speak to me a settlement agreement solicitor Steven Mather.

Just fill in the form on the side of this page, or give us a call to discuss further.