Executive Severance

Workplace Legal advises employers, startup founders, and C-suite executives in severance negotiations.  We bring to each negotiation decades of experience, our business-minded approach, and the finesse that is required to produce a favorable outcome without damaging important business relationships.

We are keenly aware that there’s a lot at stake in severance negotiations. Sometimes, these negotiations are about money alone. They can cover other issues too – like getting accelerated vesting for outstanding options or RSUs, obtaining an early payout on a bonus that would otherwise be forfeited, challenging the employer’s right to claw back a previously paid signing bonus, or exploiting an employment agreement’s “for cause” or “good reason” provisions.

Our clients want these issues navigated expertly. Because our clients exist in tight-knit, relationship-dependent industries like technology, biotech, finance, law, healthcare, real estate, and hospitality, our clients also want their professional reputations, friendships, and relationships preserved. Achieving both of those goals simultaneously is extraordinarily difficult, but Workplace Legal’s attorneys have been doing it for decades, for some of the most well-known, highly visible executives in the country.

It helps that, in most cases, our attorneys are well known to the attorneys on the other side. We’ve been around a long time. We’ve likely had prior negotiations or other interactions with our opposing counsel. They know that Workplace Legal attorneys can be tough and aggressive when necessary. They know we mean what we say, and we say what we mean. They also know that our negotiations are always respectful and fair.

Workplace Legal attorneys are voted as “Super Lawyers” year-in and year-out.  They hold Martindale’s most coveted “AV” rating.  This confirms the respect that our attorneys have within the legal industry — and why high-level executives look to Workplace Legal to handle their high-stakes severance negotiations.

We continually guide clients through every stage of the negotiation, from understanding the offer “on the table”… to evaluating the client’s next best alternative … to advising on when to hold firm, when to compromise, and when to litigate … to drafting the final separation agreement that resolves the matter and allows our client to get back to business.