Employment Law advice
There are many situations in the workplace where you may wish to seek advice. Making the decision to access legal services is always a big step. We will ensure that you are fully informed about the likely fees involved, and part of this will be assessing cost/benefit. It is always worth investigating whether you have an alternative means of funding your case through an insurer or trade union.
Seeking advice doesn’t mean that you are entering a dispute with your employer.
More often than not, timely advice and a sensible strategy will be an effective way of managing a difficult situation and ensuring a favourable outcome. You might use our services because of a developing situation and you need a sounding board. We can help you devise the best, and protective, position to safeguard your role or a game plan if the situation deteriorates.
We advise in the following situations:
Case Assessment
You may already be engaged in the litigation process. It is hard to navigate your way through the tribunal process without expert advice. It will often be prudent to take advice on the prospects of succeeding in your case and its potential value. This will ensure that you are using your resources in the most effective way and also be certain that your case is presented with the right legal arguments. For example, where there is an ongoing employment relationship and proceedings have been issued, further complaints may arise and you may need to submit a new application or amend the existing claim.
Contract review
We will review the new contract and advise you on any red flags and, where appropriate, make proposals to ensure that the terms and conditions are reasonable and hopefully avoid any difficulties arising later in employment.
Drafting
Presenting any correspondence to your employer needs to be carefully drafted. Our drafting service will mean that an expert lawyer presents your salient points in a measured and organised manner. This will ensure that your letter achieves its purpose. It is essential to strike a careful balance in correspondence to show the reader that you understand the law but not make it look like a legal submission.
Enforceability of restrictive covenants
Before planning your next career move for you (and your team), it is worth giving thought to any post-termination restrictions that might prevent you from working for a competitor business for a defined period or working with particular clients and suppliers. Taking early action and strategically approaching matters may avoid future difficulties. We can handle negotiations for you or equip you to make your move on the best possible terms and avoid entering a dispute.
Strategic Advice
We offer strategic advice in many situations. We will generally advise you behind the scenes and give you the support to present matters yourself. We find that this is a good way of keeping the dialogue open with your employer. Strategic advice may relate to any of the following: dispute resolution, disciplinary hearings, grievance process, redundancy and reorganisation, performance and capability process, TUPE transfers, consultation to vary terms and conditions of employment