We have been advising businesses for over 90 years on employment matters. Over the years employment legislation has grown vastly and the cost of failing to comply with the ever-changing obligations can be high.
Many of our commercial clients have said how helpful a solicitor’s retainer package would be to enable them to plan and budget for their legal costs. Whilst there are a many employment consultancy packages on the market these do not generally include advice from qualified employment solicitors.
We have taken on board what our clients have been saying and developed a range of retainer packages designed to suit the varying size and complexity of our client’s businesses. You will be advised by your own dedicated fully qualified employment solicitor for a fixed monthly fee. The packages are very flexible; you can buy as much or as little support as you need.
We provide more than employment law consultancy practices. For example:
- We are an established firm with a long-standing reputation for providing specialist advice to businesses.
- You will only ever be advised by qualified solicitors who are experienced in employment law.
- Our solicitors act predominantly for business and therefore provide a more pragmatic commercial approach to their advice.
- Where appropriate, our solicitor will discuss different options with you and advise on the costs and risks associated with each. We won’t just tell you what the law is.
- You will be assigned a dedicated employment solicitor as your main contact to ensure you receive a personal service from someone who is familiar with your business and any on-going matters you have.
- We take the time to understand your business and your commercial objectives and we tailor our advice accordingly.
- We will draft bespoke documents, not provide you with standard templates.
- Our experience enables us to advise you on riskier courses of action where your objectives require. For example, we won’t say you can’t dismiss someone.
- We are experienced in providing training to business on all aspects of employment law.
- Same day response to queries.
- You aren’t tied in. You can terminate the retainer on 2 months’ notice without penalty.
How Will Our Retainer Benefit Your Business?
In addition to the budgeting advantages, our experience tells us that employers who seek our advice as soon as issues arise are able to deal with the matter more cost effectively and with less risk of a claim against them.
Your managers will know that they can contact us without hesitating about the cost. They can speak to their dedicated solicitor, who is familiar with the business’s policies and any previous issues, and obtain advice on urgent matters. Taking our advice as soon as a potential issue arises will help limit exposure to claims, which is an inherent risk of employing staff.
For a very competitive monthly fee you can receive:
- Direct access to your dedicated employment solicitor who will be familiar with your business.
- Advice from our team of highly skilled employment solicitors.
- Prompt advice (by telephone or email), which takes into account your specific policies and procedures.
- Documents drafted for you.
- Face-to-face meetings with your dedicated solicitor.
- Monthly legal updates on important changes in employment law (easy to read without any legal jargon).
- Training in HR and legal issues which affect your business (tailored to your business).
- Annual review of employment documentation to ensure it is kept up-to-date with current employment law.
Examples of services included within our Retainer Packages:
- Advice on long-term sickness or intermittent absences.
- Advice on redundancy situations and re-structures/re-organisations.
- Handling investigations and disciplinary proceedings and drafting the relevant documentation.
- How to deal with grievances and allegations of bullying or harassment.
- Negotiating and drafting settlement agreements.
- Advice on unlawful discrimination.
- Advice on family rights (maternity and paternity and other family-friendly rights).
- Advice on how to consider flexible working requests.
- Drafting contracts of employment.
- Drafting policies and procedures for staff handbooks.
Retainer Fees
Packages are available from just £100 per month. Once we have discussed your requirements and cost expectations with you we will tailor a package to suit your business needs which we will provide to you as a quote, together with our Retainer Terms of Business. After 6 months we will discuss with you how you are finding the package and we will give you the opportunity to amend your package, including the cost, if you wish.
You can opt to pay the retainer fee monthly or as an annual fee. We offer a 10% discount for clients who pay an annual fee at the start of the retainer.
We believe that Retainer Packages are the way forward for businesses obtaining legal advice.