What this covers
A settlement agreement is a legally binding contract in which an employee agrees not to bring certain claims against their employer, usually in return for a payment and other terms such as an agreed reference. It is often used to end employment on agreed terms, and sometimes to resolve a dispute while employment continues.
The law protects employees by making the waiver of most statutory claims effective only if the conditions in section 203 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 are met. One of those conditions is that the employee has received independent advice on the terms and effect of the agreement from a qualified, insured adviser who is named in the agreement.
Who I help
- Employees who have been offered a settlement agreement and need independent advice before signing.
- Employers who need practical advice on employee exits and offboarding, including settlement discussions and agreements.
I act for either employers or employees, but never for both sides in the same matter. Every instruction starts with a conflict check.
What is included
For employees
- Reviewing the settlement agreement and relevant documents, such as your contract, recent correspondence and any offer letter.
- An advice meeting, by video or in person, explaining the terms, what you are giving up and how the agreement affects your ability to bring a tribunal claim.
- Explaining the main points to check: payments and timing, notice and holiday pay, references, confidentiality, restrictive covenants and the general tax position as it affects the agreement.
- One round of clarification with you or your employer on the drafting.
- Signing the adviser's certificate, where appropriate, once advice has been given.
For employers
- Advice on managing exits and offboarding fairly and lawfully.
- Preparing for settlement discussions, including the rules on protected conversations.
- Drafting settlement agreements and related documents.
What is not included
- A signature-only certificate service.
- Negotiation, unless separately agreed.
- Complex tax, pensions or share and equity arrangements, and disputes about restrictive covenants. These are scoped separately or may need a specialist.
- Routine employment tribunal representation. Further work on a contested claim is considered individually only after competence, insurance and authorisation checks.
How a matter usually progresses
1. Conflict check and scope
You tell me who your employer is and when you need to respond. I confirm there is no conflict and set out in writing what is included and what it will cost.
2. Review
You send the draft agreement and any relevant documents. I review them before we meet.
3. Advice meeting
We go through the agreement together. I explain what it means for you in plain English and flag anything that looks unusual or unclear.
4. Clarification and signing
If drafting points need to be raised, I deal with one round of clarification. Once the terms are final and you have been advised, I sign the adviser's certificate where appropriate.
A straightforward review often completes within one to two weeks, depending on how quickly the documents arrive and your employer's timetable. This is typical, not guaranteed.
Recent and upcoming changes
Employment law is changing under the Employment Rights Act 2025, which is being brought into force in stages. According to the government's published timeline, retrieved on 26 October 2026, the time limit for bringing most employment tribunal claims increased from three to six months on 1 October 2026, and further changes, including to the qualifying period for unfair dismissal, are scheduled from 1 January 2027. Future dates remain subject to change, so I check the current position when advising.
Costs
My fees for settlement agreement advice and for employer advisory work are set out on the fees page. If your employer is contributing towards your legal costs, I will explain how that works before I start. A contribution is never guaranteed to cover the full fee.
How to start
Send me your employer's name and your deadline by email to info@sadikbugra.com. Please do not send the agreement until I have confirmed there is no conflict.
After the conflict check, I can offer a free initial discussion of up to 15 minutes, subject to availability, by video or in person in St Albans. It is for understanding what you need and confirming scope. It does not include advice on the agreement or document review.
An enquiry does not mean I am acting for you. Until I have accepted your matter in writing, I am not responsible for any deadline, including tribunal time limits or your employer's deadline for signing.
This page is general information about the law in England and Wales as at 26 October 2026. It is not advice on your situation.
Fees
| Standard employee settlement agreement advice | £1,050No VAT charged — I am not currently VAT-registered (VAT added only if applicable in future, with notice). Includes
Not included
|
|---|---|
| Hourly rate | £350 per hourNo VAT charged — I am not currently VAT-registered (VAT added only if applicable in future, with notice). Includes
Not included
|
Questions people often ask
Why do I need a solicitor to sign a settlement agreement?
For a settlement agreement to stop you bringing most statutory employment claims, the law requires you to have received advice from a relevant independent adviser, such as a qualified lawyer, on its terms and effect, including its effect on your ability to bring a tribunal claim. The adviser must be insured and named in the agreement.
Will my employer pay for the advice?
Employers often offer a contribution towards the cost of independent advice, and the amount is usually stated in the agreement. It is not guaranteed to cover the whole fee. I will tell you before I start what my fee is and whether you would need to pay any difference.
Can you just sign the adviser's certificate?
No. I do not offer a signature-only service. The certificate confirms that I have actually advised you on the terms and effect of the agreement, so I need to review the agreement and relevant documents and advise you properly first.
How long do I have to consider the agreement?
The Acas Code of Practice on settlement agreements says that, unless the parties agree otherwise, a minimum of 10 calendar days should usually be allowed to consider the proposed written terms and take advice. Your employer may set its own deadline, so tell me about it when you get in touch.
Can you negotiate a better offer?
Negotiation is not part of a standard review, but it can be agreed as additional work. Whether negotiation is worthwhile depends on the strength of any potential claims and your priorities, and there is no guarantee that an employer will improve its offer.
Do you represent clients at employment tribunals?
Tribunal representation is not a routine service. If a matter cannot be settled, I will consider further work individually, subject to competence, insurance and authorisation checks, or explain where you may find other help.
I am an employer. Can you advise on an employee exit?
Yes. I advise employers on exits and offboarding, including structuring settlement discussions and preparing agreements. I cannot advise both the employer and the employee in the same matter.