Review before signing
Send us the complete agreement and tell us when your employer needs it returned. An employment law solicitors will review the document alongside your circumstances, explain its legal effect, answer your questions and advise if it is ready to sign or if any terms require further attention.
Call 0330 900 0377
Confidential enquiry
Leave your details and a member of our team will contact you.
Before advice can be provided
A settlement agreement contains a number of terms that work together. These can cover the end of your employment, the payments you will receive, the employment claims you are agreeing not to bring and any obligations that may continue after you leave. Reviewing only the compensation figure or selected pages could mean that important terms are missed.
Your employment solicitor will therefore need the complete agreement, including any schedules and proposed reference. The review will consider how the different terms work together and check for unclear wording, missing payments or obligations that could affect you after the agreement has been signed.
The advice will also be based on your individual circumstances. This may include your role, salary, length of service, proposed termination date, the reason for the offer and any workplace dispute or possible employment claim. Your solicitor can then explain the rights you are being asked to give up and advise if the agreement reflects what you expected.
If you are still deciding how to respond to an offer, our guide to settlement agreements for employees explains some of the options available before you sign.
If any term needs clarifying or changing, we will explain the issue and your options. If you want us to raise proposed changes with your employer, we can also advise on negotiating a settlement agreement .
During your appointment
The review focuses on the agreement your employer has given you and what its terms mean for your individual circumstances. Your employment solicitor will check the complete document, explain the important points and answer your questions before you decide what to do.
For a wider explanation of what happens from receiving an agreement through to completion, see our settlement agreement process .
We will ask about your role, salary, length of service, proposed leaving date and the reason the agreement has been offered. You can also tell us about any concerns you already have.
Your solicitor will read the full agreement, including any schedules, proposed reference and other documents that form part of the offer.
We will explain the payments you should receive, the employment rights and claims covered by the agreement, and any restrictions or obligations that may continue after you leave.
You can ask about anything that is unclear. Once the review is complete, we will explain if the agreement appears ready to sign or if any term should be clarified or changed.
Detailed document review
The review covers the financial package, the employment claims being settled and the obligations that may continue after you leave. Your solicitor will check for missing payments, unclear wording and terms that may require clarification before the agreement is signed.
We will check the compensation being offered, how it is described, when it should be paid and if any conditions apply to the payment.
We will review the arrangements for your notice period, including any payment in lieu of notice, and check how accrued but unused holiday will be paid.
We will check that outstanding salary, commission, bonuses, pension contributions and other contractual benefits have been properly addressed.
We will explain how the agreement describes the tax treatment of each payment and identify any tax indemnity or wording that requires further clarification.
We will identify the employment claims and legal rights covered by the agreement and explain what you will agree not to pursue after signing.
We will check any agreed reference, how and when it will be provided and if its wording reflects what has been discussed with your employer.
We will explain what must remain confidential and check the exceptions that allow disclosures to family members, professional advisers or relevant authorities.
We will review restrictions relating to future work, clients, colleagues or competitors and explain how they may affect your next role.
Preparing for your review
Please send the complete settlement agreement and tell us the deadline set by your employer. This gives your solicitor the information needed to prepare for your appointment.
Other documents may help us check your contractual payments and understand the circumstances surrounding the offer. If you do not have everything listed, send the agreement first and we will tell you if anything else is required.
Send the complete agreement, including its schedules, annexes and any proposed reference attached to the document.
Include the message sent with the offer and any later correspondence concerning its terms, payment figures or deadline.
Your contract may be needed to check your notice entitlement, benefits, bonus provisions and existing post-employment restrictions.
A recent payslip can help confirm your salary, regular deductions and the figures used to calculate outstanding payments.
Tell us the date and time by which your employer expects to receive the completed agreement.
Let us know about any payment, clause or restriction you particularly want your solicitor to discuss during the appointment.
Do not delay sending the agreement if another document is unavailable. Send the agreement and your employer’s deadline first. We can then confirm if any additional information is needed.
Completing your review
Once we have received your agreement and employer’s deadline, we will arrange the appointment, provide independent advice and explain how the completed documents should be returned.
Our team will contact you after receiving the agreement to arrange a suitable appointment. Please tell us about your employer’s deadline so that we can consider the available timescale.
Appointments can take place by telephone, by video call or at our Cheltenham office at Calderwood House on Montpellier Parade.
Your solicitor will explain the agreement, the payments being made and the employment claims you will give up after signing. You will also have time to ask questions about any wording or condition that concerns you.
We will then advise if the agreement is ready to sign or if a term should be clarified or changed first. Any separate negotiation work will be discussed with you before it begins.
If you decide to proceed, the agreement can be signed in the format requested by your employer or its solicitor. This may involve an electronic signature or a signed copy being returned by email.
Your solicitor will complete the independent adviser certificate confirming that the required advice has been provided. The signed agreement and certificate can then be returned in accordance with the instructions supplied with the offer.
Clear information about costs
We will explain the cost of reviewing your settlement agreement before work begins. The fee will depend on the work required and if the review can be completed within the contribution proposed by your employer.
We will confirm the review fee after receiving the agreement and checking its length, complexity and deadline. You will know the cost before your appointment is arranged.
Many employers agree to contribute towards the cost of independent legal advice. The proposed amount should normally be recorded in the settlement agreement.
The standard service normally covers reading the agreement, discussing your circumstances, explaining the legal effect, answering your questions and completing the independent adviser certificate.
Additional fees may apply if the agreement requires substantial amendments, further correspondence or negotiation with your employer or its solicitor.
We will discuss any additional charges with you before carrying out further work. Your employer’s contribution may cover the standard review but may not cover separate negotiation or extensive amendments.
Review-specific FAQs
Many straightforward review appointments take around 30 to 60 minutes. More time may be required if the agreement is lengthy, your circumstances are complex or several clauses need to be discussed. We can give you a better indication after receiving the complete document and details of your employer’s deadline.
We may be able to assist with an urgent agreement, depending on solicitor availability and the time needed to review the document properly. Send us the complete agreement and confirm the exact deadline as soon as possible. We will then tell you if an appointment can be arranged within the available time.
Most settlement agreement reviews can be conducted by telephone or video call. Documents can be sent securely in advance, and the signing process may also be completed electronically once the requirements have been confirmed. Appointments are also available at our Cheltenham office if you would prefer to meet in person.
Your employment contract is not required for every review, but it may be helpful if the agreement deals with notice, bonuses, commission, benefits or post-employment restrictions. Send it if it is readily available. Do not delay sending the settlement agreement if you cannot immediately locate your contract.
You may be able to sign once you have received independent advice, understand the agreement and are satisfied with its terms. If your solicitor identifies wording or payments that require amendment, the revised terms should normally be agreed before you sign. We will explain the signing instructions and complete any independent adviser certificate included with the agreement.
Start your agreement review
Complete the form and, if available, upload your settlement agreement. A member of our employment law team will contact you to discuss the document, your employer’s deadline and the next steps.
Your information will be handled confidentially. Sending this form does not create a solicitor-client relationship.