Severance Agreement Review

Don’t sign what their lawyers wrote without your own.

A severance agreement is drafted by the company’s attorneys, for the company’s benefit. It lands in your hands at one of the most stressful moments of your working life, with the expectation that you can understand and appreciate the significance of complex legal language on your own, usually on a short clock. That power imbalance is exactly why a review matters.

Ashley reviews what you are being asked to give up, what you are actually receiving in exchange, and whether the offer is fair given what happened during your employment.

What a review covers

• The release: exactly which claims you are waiving, forever, by signing.
• Restrictive terms: non-disparagement, confidentiality, cooperation clauses and what they mean for you in practice.
• Deadlines and revocation windows, so nothing expires while you think it over.
• Whether the circumstances of your departure, such as discrimination, retaliation, or unpaid wages, justify negotiating for more.
• The practical items: final pay, bonuses and commissions, equity, unused PTO, benefits, and references.

Where it can lead

Many reviews end with clear advice and a signed agreement. When the facts justify it, a review turns into pre-litigation negotiation with your employer for a better package. And if negotiation doesn’t resolve it, Ashley litigates. She has spent 20 years on the employee side of exactly these disputes.

Fees

Fees depend on the circumstances of the matter, and they are always explained clearly up front, before anything moves forward. If a review turns into a negotiation or a lawsuit, that can include contingency representation, where the firm is not paid until you are.

Severance offers carry short deadlines, and some terms expire quickly. Reach out as soon as you receive one, ideally before you respond to your employer.