Exit Negotiations for Senior Professionals and Executives
Leaving a senior role on the right terms can make a significant difference to your financial position, reputation and future career. Whether you have been offered a settlement agreement, are in exit discussions with your employer, or are considering a managed departure, specialist legal advice ensures you negotiate the best possible package and protect your interests.
NA Law Solicitors advises executives, directors and senior managers on complex exit negotiations, including bonus and equity entitlements, restrictive covenants, reputation management and strategic settlement terms.
Senior professionals and executives face unique issues when negotiating an exit: complex bonus and LTIP schemes, share options, restrictive covenants, director duties, reputational risk and future career plans. A standard “template” settlement agreement rarely protects all of those interests.
NA Law’s specialist employment solicitors advise senior employees, managers and directors on negotiating robust exit packages. The focus is on maximising value, protecting your reputation and ensuring you can move on quickly and safely to your next role.
Book Your Initial Consultation – Call 0203 524 5439
When is a “Complex” Negotiated Exit Needed?
A complex exit negotiation is usually appropriate where you are senior enough that the deal involves more than basic notice and a small ex‑gratia payment. Typical scenarios include:
- Board‑level or senior management exits following a re‑organisation, merger or change of control.
- Situations involving potential discrimination, whistleblowing or regulatory issues.
- Disputes over bonus, commission, LTIPs, share options or carried interest.
- Concerns about the scope or enforceability of non‑compete and other restrictive covenants.
- High‑profile, public‑facing or regulated roles where reputation and announcements matter.
In these cases, your leverage – and what you can achieve – will often go well beyond the employer’s first offer, provided the negotiation is handled strategically.
What We Look at Before Negotiating Your Exit
Before any negotiation, a detailed assessment of your legal and commercial position is essential. This typically includes:
Potential Claims and Leverage
- Unfair dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing, equal pay and breach of contract claims.
- Regulatory obligations and reputational risk for the employer.
- The cost, delay and publicity of litigation compared with a negotiated deal.
Your Full Reward Package
- Salary, car allowance and pension contributions.
- Annual and deferred bonuses, commission schemes and LTIPs.
- Share options, RSUs, carried interest and other equity‑linked incentives, including what happens on “good leaver” vs “bad leaver” terms.
Post‑Termination Restrictions
- Non‑compete, non‑solicitation, non‑dealing and non‑poaching clauses.
- Confidentiality and intellectual property provisions.
- Whether restrictions should be reduced, removed or clarified as part of the deal to allow you to work for competitors or set up on your own.
This analysis informs both the financial target and the non‑financial terms to be negotiated.
Key Elements of a Strong Exit Package
A well‑negotiated senior exit package should deal with far more than just the headline figure. Common elements we focus on include:
Financial Terms
- Enhanced ex‑gratia compensation beyond your contractual entitlement.
- Full payment of notice (worked, garden leave or PILON) and accrued holiday.
- Treatment of bonuses, commission and LTIPs, including awards that may otherwise lapse on termination.
- Employer contributions to your legal fees that reflect the complexity of the matter.
Restrictions and Future Employability
- Narrowing the scope or duration of non‑compete and other restrictive covenants.
- Carving out particular clients, sectors or roles where appropriate.
- Ensuring confidentiality and non‑disparagement clauses work both ways.
Reputation and Communications
- Agreed references and wording for internal and external announcements.
- Control over LinkedIn updates and external communications, where realistic.
- Protection around regulatory notifications and public filings where applicable.
Practical Matters
- Handover, garden leave, return of property and continued access to certain benefits for a defined period.
- Clarifying any ongoing duties as a director, trustee or signatory.
How NA Law Solicitors Approach Complex Senior Exits
For senior professionals, exit negotiations need to be both firm and proportionate. The aim is to secure the best package without unnecessary damage to relationships or reputation.
Typical Steps Include:
Initial Strategy Discussion
- Understanding your objectives, risk appetite and timelines.
- Reviewing your contract, bonus/commission plans, share scheme rules and any existing settlement proposal.
Risk and Value Assessment
- Identifying potential claims and their likely value.
- Mapping your leverage and the employer’s incentives to settle.
Tactical Negotiation
- Preparing a clear, commercially focused response to the employer’s offer.
- Negotiating improved financial and non‑financial terms, often on a “without prejudice” and/or protected conversation basis.
Final Settlement Agreement
- Ensuring the written settlement agreement accurately reflects what has been agreed.
- Checking tax treatment, clawback provisions, warranties, indemnities and restrictive covenants before you sign.
- Providing the independent legal advice needed to make the agreement binding.
Many senior exits are resolved through correspondence and without issuing Tribunal proceedings, but where necessary NA Law can support you in taking formal steps to protect your position.
Who We Act For
NA Law acts for:
- C‑suite executives, directors and senior managers.
- Professionals in regulated sectors (financial services, legal, healthcare and others).
- Senior employees with complex bonus, commission or equity arrangements.
- Senior specialists and high‑earners in growing businesses and start‑ups.
If you are managing a team, sitting on a board or subject to significant post‑termination restraints, you should obtain specialist advice before agreeing your exit terms.
Next Steps: Get Independent Advice Today
If you have been offered a settlement agreement, are in exit negotiations with your employer, or are considering a planned exit and want to understand your options, the best first step is a confidential discussion with a specialist employment solicitor.
Book Your Initial Consultation
Call us on 0203 524 5439 or email admin@nalawsolicitors.co.uk to discuss your situation.
During an initial confidential conversation, we will:
- Understand the context of your exit and your key objectives.
- Review any offer or settlement agreement you have received.
- Advise on potential claims you may have and their value.
- Explain what you should be negotiating on.
About NA Law Solicitors
NA Law Solicitors is a specialist law firm based in London, regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. We advise senior professionals, executives, founders and businesses on employment law, settlement agreements, exit negotiations, corporate immigration, mediation and litigation matters.
Our approach is straightforward: we combine legal expertise with commercial sense to help clients understand their position, negotiate confidently and achieve outcomes that protect their interests and future prospects.
Why Choose NA Law Solicitors for Your Exit?
✓ Specialist Senior Employment Law Experience
We advise senior executives, founders and board members on exits as a core part of our practice. We understand the complex bonus structures, equity arrangements, restrictive covenants and reputational issues that arise in senior roles. We have negotiated exits for C-suite executives, directors, senior partners and high-earning specialists.
✓ Strategic, Not Just Legal
We combine legal knowledge with commercial sense. We help you understand what claims you have, what leverage you can use, and what a realistic, fair outcome looks like for your level and circumstances. We then negotiate on your behalf to achieve that outcome.
✓ SRA-Regulated Solicitors
We are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. We provide independent legal advice that is binding, professional and accountable. The settlement agreement we advise on carries weight and is enforceable.
✓ Truly Independent
Your employer may recommend a solicitor. You should not feel obliged to accept that recommendation. We provide genuinely independent advice on whether the offer is fair, what you should ask for, and how to negotiate without damaging your interests. Many clients contact us precisely because they want advice that is not influenced by the employer.
✓ Discreet and Confidential
Senior exits are sensitive matters. We handle your exit with discretion and respect, maintaining strict confidentiality throughout negotiations and keeping your reputation and future interests paramount.
✓ Results-Focused
We have a strong track record of negotiating improved exit terms for clients: higher severance, better restrictive covenant terms, agreed references and protective non-disparagement clauses. We focus on outcomes that matter to you.
Next Steps: Get Independent Advice Today
If you have been offered a settlement agreement, are in exit negotiations with your employer, or are considering a planned exit and want to understand your options, the best first step is a confidential discussion with a specialist employment solicitor.
NA Law Solicitors is a specialist law firm based in London, regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. We advise senior professionals, executives, founders and businesses on employment law, settlement agreements, exit negotiations, corporate immigration, mediation and regulatory matters.
Contact NA Law Solicitors today
Our expert employment team is ready to assist.
For confidential advice on a complex exit or senior settlement agreement, Call us on 07926 172422 or email admin@nalawsolicitors.co.uk or send us your contract and any draft settlement agreement for a focused initial review.