Offered a settlement agreement in Bristol? We give free, same-day advice by phone or video, with your employer paying our fee in almost every case. You get a named employment solicitor who will tell you whether the offer is fair and negotiate for more where your claim allows, wherever you are in England and Wales.
Bristol has a diverse, high-value economy spanning aerospace and engineering, technology and digital, creative industries and financial services. Settlement agreements are a regular part of exits across these sectors. We advise Bristol employees remotely, with the same same-day service we give our London clients.
How our remote service works
Send us your agreement, we book a same-day review with a specialist, advise by phone or video, negotiate where it helps, and complete electronically. See the settlement agreement hub or the calculator.
Bristol's job market and the exits we see
Bristol has one of the most varied economies outside London, and the settlement agreements we see from the city reflect that. Aerospace and engineering remain a major employer around Filton, with Airbus, Rolls-Royce and GKN Aerospace all running large sites in the area. Their restructures tend to come in waves, often tied to programme changes, and they involve long-serving staff with pension and share plan questions.
Financial services are the second big strand, led by Lloyds Banking Group and Hargreaves Lansdown, where exits often involve bonus schemes and restrictive covenants. The University of Bristol and UWE employ thousands of academic and professional staff, and the city's NHS trusts, North Bristol and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston, are among the largest employers in the region. Bristol also has a strong creative and broadcast sector, where fixed-term and project-based contracts are common.
Each of these sectors raises different questions when an offer arrives, and we tailor the review to the documents you actually have.
What this means for your settlement
In engineering and defence restructures, the headline payment is only part of the picture. Notice pay, pension treatment and what happens to any share plan awards on leaving can be worth as much as the compensation itself, so we check the scheme rules before you sign.
In the public sector, continuous service is the number to check. Errors in how service is counted across different NHS or university employers, and in how the weekly pay cap is applied, are common and affect your statutory redundancy figure.
In financial services, look closely at restrictive covenants and any bonus or deferred award terms. Covenants can stop you working for a competitor for months, and we can often narrow them. Whatever your sector, as employment solicitors in Bristol's market we give you a clear view on whether the offer is fair.
Your local employment tribunal
Bristol Employment Tribunal hears claims from the city and the surrounding area. Most settlement agreements never reach a tribunal, and that is usually the point: the agreement settles the dispute. But the value of what you could claim at the tribunal is what you are agreeing to give up, so we use it as the benchmark when we advise you on whether the money is fair.
A worked example (illustrative)
Illustrative example
An engineer with twelve years' service at a large Bristol manufacturer is told her role is at risk and offered a settlement. The offer covers her contractual notice and statutory redundancy pay, plus a modest ex gratia sum, and asks her to sign within a week.
On review, we check her continuous service date, confirm how her notice will be taxed, and find that the agreement is silent on unvested share plan awards and her pension. We ask for the share plan treatment to be confirmed in writing and for an agreed reference. We also ask for more time, in line with the Acas Code.
This example is illustrative only. Every case is different, and the right outcome depends on your own contract and circumstances.
Free advice, employer pays
Usually no cost to you; the employer's contribution is paid directly to the firm.
Why us
A boutique firm led by Taj Ahmed, twenty-plus years in employment law, advising across England and Wales.
What clients say
“Excellent service from T Ahmed. He was quick, efficient and made the whole process really straightforward. Everything was explained clearly and completed within a day, which I really appreciated. Professional, responsive and stress-free fro…”
“Deen & Co did a great job for me. Taj (my Solicitor) was very quick to respond and I got the advice and guidance I needed in a very timely manner. The fees charged were reasonable for the services I received. If you need help with employ…”
“Really helpful was always there when I needed advice”
Our research
What people ask before signing
"Without prejudice" or protected conversations came up in 27.7% of discussions, almost always as a question.
Tax came up in 12.3% of discussions and solicitor fees in 9.7%.
A protected conversation is often the first sign of an offer, and the cost of advice is one of the first worries. Ask for the offer in writing, and check whether it includes a contribution to your legal fees. In almost every case that contribution covers our fee.
How we advise you in Bristol
Deen & Co Solicitors, 18th Floor, 40 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London E14 5ABOpening hours
- Mon–Fri 09:00–17:00
- out-of-hours phone appointments 17:00–21:00
How we advise you in Bristol: advice is by phone and video from our Canary Wharf office.
What it costs you
Your employer will usually include a contribution to your legal fees in the settlement agreement, often a few hundred pounds plus VAT, and more for senior roles. In almost every case, that contribution covers our fee in full, and we invoice your employer directly. You pay nothing, and none of it comes out of your settlement.
Where your offer can be improved, we will tell you, and we will negotiate with your employer for you. We tell you before any extra cost could arise.
FAQ
- Do you have a Bristol office?
- We are a London firm advising nationally by phone and video.
- How quickly can you help?
- Same-day review in most cases.
- What is the cost?
- Usually nothing to you; your employer pays.
Still deciding what to do? Read the questions people ask before signing a settlement agreement.
Send us your agreement, we call back within hours.
Same-day review, employer pays, named solicitor.