Severance & Separation Agreements

What You Need to Know

When evaluating a severance or separation agreement, you may feel unsure whether you need an attorney to review the document. In most cases - absent a belief that you were discriminated against, wrongfully terminated, or sexually harassed prior to notice - hiring an attorney is not necessary. Instead, a severance agreement advisor can answer your questions, ensure you understand the agreement, and protect you from any potential disadvantages.

Why an Attorney Isn’t needed

Hiring an employment attorney to review your severance or separation agreement can be expensive and time-consuming, causing unnecessary delay and pain in the process of moving on from your former employer. Many employment attorneys charge high fees to review your agreement, ranging from $2,500 to $5,000, just to review what is likely a very standard agreement.

They do this in hopes to work with executives or high net worth folks who have money to spend on legal fees. Their ultimate goal is to use severance or separation agreement reviews to uncover evidence of discrimination, sexual harassment, or wrongful termination so that they can pursue claims on your behalf. If they believe you have a claim, they’ll work on a contingency fee basis, taking 40% or more of any recovered fees if a claim is brought on your behalf. And this process can take months, if not years.

While an attorney might pursue a claim on your behalf to increase their share of your settlement, this can lead to unnecessary delays and added stress during an already challenging time. And the problem is that fighting your former employer isn’t often in your best interests. You want to move on, not get embroiled in a fight that will take months to resolve and benefit your attorney while harming your mental health.