Getting a settlement agreement is stressful. Tight deadline, unfamiliar legal terms, an employer who suddenly wants you to sign. We have handled thousands. We will make it simple.
Settlement Agreement Lawyers. We review yours today, free.
- Free to you , your employer pays our legal fee
- Reviewed within hours , even if your deadline is tomorrow
- We check every clause , non-competes, tax, references, everything
"Incredibly thorough — she explained each clause clearly and achieved a quick turnaround. I felt in safe hands throughout."
Sarah, Consultant Solicitor
SRA-Regulated · 25+ yrs' employment law
What your settlement agreement lawyer does for you
A settlement agreement lawyer does far more than witness your signature. This is the active role they play in protecting you and your payout.
Reviews every clause
Goes through the agreement line by line to spot unfair terms, hidden traps and entitlements that have been left out.
Values your agreement
Tells you whether the figure is right for your situation, and exactly what is missing if it is not.
Negotiates on your behalf
Where there are grounds, pushes your employer for a better settlement so you do not have to.
Signs off the legal advice certificate
Provides the independent adviser certificate that makes your agreement legally binding.
Why use a lawyer instead of signing it yourself
Signing without advice is not just risky, it is not allowed. This is what a lawyer gets you that you cannot get alone.
The law will not let you sign without one
A settlement agreement only becomes binding once an independent, qualified lawyer has advised you on its terms and signed the adviser certificate. There is no DIY route. Because it is a legal requirement, your employer pays for that advice in nearly every case.
A lawyer catches what costs you later
Restrictive covenants that limit your next job, a notice or bonus payment quietly left out, the wrong tax split on your termination payment, a reference clause that protects only your employer. These are easy to miss and expensive to get wrong. A specialist reads past the headline figure to the clauses that actually bite.
Most offers have more room than they look
The first number is rarely the ceiling. A lawyer can tell you whether you have genuine leverage, such as a flawed process or an underlying claim, and knows how to use it to press for a higher figure where the grounds are there.
Once you sign, it is final
A settlement agreement waives almost every claim you could bring against your employer, permanently. There is no cooling-off period and no second chance to renegotiate. Independent advice before you sign is the only safeguard you have.
Settlement agreement lawyers: your questions answered
Do I need a lawyer to sign a settlement agreement?
Yes. A settlement agreement is not legally binding until you have received advice from an independent, qualified lawyer on its terms and their effect. That is a statutory requirement, not an optional extra, and the lawyer must then sign a certificate confirming the advice was given. Without that signed certificate, the waiver of your employment claims simply does not hold, which is why no employer will release your payment until it is in place. The requirement also works in your favour. Because the law forces the issue, employers almost always agree to contribute to your legal fees, so for a standard review the advice is free to you in nearly every case. So you do not just need a lawyer, you are entitled to one your employer pays for. Send us your agreement and we will handle the review and the certificate, usually the same day.
What's the difference between a settlement agreement lawyer and a solicitor?
For a settlement agreement in the UK there is no practical difference. The two words describe the same thing. Lawyer is a general, everyday term for anyone qualified to give legal advice. Solicitor is the specific, regulated professional title. The law requires that your independent adviser is a qualified, regulated person, most commonly a solicitor, so when you search for a settlement agreement lawyer what you actually need is a regulated solicitor to review the agreement and sign the certificate. At Settlement-Advice.com your adviser is exactly that: a solicitor at RGF Lawyers, a firm authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under SRA number 8004856. So you can use the two terms interchangeably without worrying. What matters is not the label but that whoever advises you is properly qualified, regulated and insured. If you would like us to confirm your agreement is in order, we are ready to help.
How much does a settlement agreement lawyer cost?
In nearly all cases, nothing. Because the law requires you to take independent legal advice before a settlement agreement is binding, employers build a legal-fees contribution into the agreement specifically to cover it, and for a standard review that contribution typically covers our fee in full. So most clients pay nothing out of pocket. The contribution is usually a fixed sum, often a few hundred pounds plus VAT, written into the agreement itself. Costs only arise in two situations: if your agreement contains no fee clause at all, which is rare, or if you ask us to go beyond a review and actively negotiate a significantly better deal, which is extra work. In both cases we explain the position and agree any fee with you upfront, so there are never surprise bills. For the overwhelming majority of people, expert advice costs them nothing at all. Send your agreement over and we will confirm your fee position straight away.
Can my lawyer negotiate a better deal?
Often, yes, and it is one of the main reasons to use a lawyer rather than signing what is put in front of you. The first figure an employer offers is rarely their ceiling, particularly where the process leading to your exit was flawed, where there is a credible underlying claim such as unfair dismissal or discrimination, or where your confidentiality and a clean exit are valuable to them. A specialist can read your situation, tell you honestly whether there is genuine leverage, and handle the negotiation on your behalf so you do not have to face your employer directly. We are equally candid when an offer is already strong and pushing harder risks little, so you always get a straight answer. To get a sense of where your settlement could land before we speak, try our free settlement calculator for an indicative range, then send us the agreement and we will tell you what is realistically achievable.
How quickly can a lawyer review my agreement?
Usually the same day, and often within hours. We focus only on settlement agreements, so your review is not being squeezed between a property completion and a will. It is the work we do all day, which means we move fast without cutting corners. Once you send the agreement over, by upload or email, a specialist reviews every clause and we book a short call to talk you through whether the offer is fair, what each term means, and anything we would want to change. For straightforward agreements we can complete the review, advise you, and sign off the certificate the same working day. If your deadline is tomorrow, tell us when you send it and we will prioritise it. Most urgent deadlines turn out to be very manageable once a specialist is on the case, and where genuinely needed we can ask your employer for a short extension. Send your agreement now and we will come straight back to you.
Can I use my own lawyer or do I have to use the one my employer suggests?
You are completely free to choose your own lawyer. You never have to use whoever your employer suggests. Employers sometimes recommend a particular adviser, often one they have used before, but that is a convenience for them, not an obligation on you. The only legal requirement is that your adviser is independent of your employer and properly qualified. Beyond that the choice is entirely yours, and you can switch advisers at any point right up until you sign. Many people deliberately instruct an independent specialist precisely because they want advice that is unquestionably on their side, not arranged by the other party. Choosing your own lawyer does not usually cost you more either, because the employer fee contribution follows the advice and applies whoever you instruct. If you have only had a preliminary chat with another adviser, moving to us is simple and we can usually pick it up the same day. We would be glad to be your independent voice.
What Our Clients Say
"Sarah supported me through an incredibly difficult and emotional employment dispute with clarity, professionalism, and genuine care. What really stood out was how reassured I felt throughout. Even during moments of uncertainty, I knew I was in safe hands."
Rachel M.
Trustpilot, January 2026
"She was incredibly thorough, taking the time to explain each clause clearly. Despite the level of detail and care, she worked very efficiently and achieved a quick turnaround, getting the documents reviewed and signed off without delay."
James P.
Trustpilot, April 2025
"Clear, calm and quick. Sarah explained every clause in plain English and pushed back on terms that weren't in my favour. The whole process was painless and my employer paid the fees."
Priya K.
Trustpilot, March 2025
No Hidden Costs. No Nasty Surprises.
For Standard Agreements (Free to You)
Your employer pays our fee directly. This is written into most settlement agreements under the 'legal fees' clause. You pay nothing.
£0
to you
For Negotiated Agreements
If we think you can do better, we'll negotiate on your behalf, aiming to increase your payout and remove potentially harmful clauses like non-competes. We'll discuss fees upfront before any work begins. We will always seek a contribution to costs from your employer.
Discussed upfront
no surprises
The Small Print:
It's a statutory requirement that employers contribute to legal fees for advice on settlement terms. If yours doesn't include it, we'll tell you upfront in our initial review (which is free).
No upfront costs. We'll confirm everything before starting
Get Your Free Review
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