Employment Solicitors and Contract Law For Employers
If you are an employee looking for advice on a contract, please visit our employee contracts page as this service page is for employers.
Whether you are recruiting a new employee, drafting employment contracts or policies, or need to update your business’s employment documentation, our employment solicitors can assist you.
When can our employment solicitors help you?
Our employment solicitors can advise you before you employ somebody. If it is the first time you are hiring, you will need robust, precise job descriptions, contracts and policies. Your recruitment process should be fair and non-discriminatory to reduce the chance of claims before you even hire.
Having one of our specialist employment contract solicitors involved from the outset to understand your business priorities—particularly IP and confidential information—is a worthwhile investment. Bespoke clauses can then be drafted to protect your business during and after employment.
As an employer, you are required to have a written disciplinary and a written grievance procedure. In addition, if you do not have a staff handbook or other written policies (for example, anti-harassment and anti-bullying, diversity/equality/inclusion, and IT/communications), it is highly advisable to instruct a specialist employment solicitor to draft these. Clear policies set expectations and make clear when disciplinary action may be taken if standards are not met.
If you already have contracts and policy documents but they were drafted some time ago, our employment solicitors can review and update them. New priorities or changes to your business may require additional clauses or amendments; we ensure drafting is specific and relevant to your organisation.
What types of employment documents can we help you with?
We can assist with a wide range of documents, including:
- Employment contracts (permanent, fixed-term, part-time)
- Consultancy agreements and contracts for services
- Directors’ service agreements
- Zero-hour or casual worker agreements
- Staff handbooks, policies, and procedures (drafting and implementation guidance)
If you are unsure which document you need or the employment status of the individual you are taking on, we can advise.
How can I change a contract of employment?
Ways of working have changed in recent years, and you may wish to introduce hybrid working or working from home. Whether you are changing an employee’s location or other terms, seek legal advice from specialist employment solicitors first.
The simplest method is change by agreement. If agreement is not forthcoming, review what the current contract allows. You may not have the contractual right to make the change in the way proposed. If you cannot obtain agreement and are unsure whether you have the contractual right to proceed, our employment solicitors can review the contracts and your proposed changes and advise you on your options and process.
Whether you are about to employ your first employee, consultant, or worker and require documents drafted for the first time, or you are looking to update documents you already have—or want guidance on their implementation or variation—we can ensure your employment documents are robust and legally compliant.
Go back to: Employment Advice for Employers
How to Get in Contact
