Senior Executives

Who we are

Our team, led by Nicholas Hadaway and Tarun Tawakley, is one of a handful ranked Band 1 by both principal legal directories (Legal 500 and Chambers) for our work advising senior individuals in the City and elsewhere. We are recognised, by employers and their lawyers alike, as a powerful, highly experienced advocate for our clients’ rights.

Legal 500 has described us as “the mighty Lewis Silkin” – a recognition of the fact that many of the most senior individuals in their respective fields come to us because they know that our formidable reputation can often prompt an early, fair settlement.

We have for years acted in many of the country’s leading employment cases. We pride ourselves in enabling our clients to reach highly satisfactory out of court settlements, which means that most of our cases do not ever reach the press.

What we do

We advise senior executives (including CEOs, consultants, LLP members, board directors, founders and shareholders) at critical junctures in their career.

Joining

Our clients are often under pressure to agree quickly to a package upon accepting a role. However, legal support at this stage can put you in the best possible position for every future eventuality.

We can help with:

• reviewing and negotiating your new contract – weeding out common pitfalls;
• reviewing your remuneration package, including equity arrangements (e.g. LTIPs, RSUs, carried interest, share options); and
• dealing with any residual issues from your previous role (e.g. post-termination restrictions, buy-out of deferred compensation) and any accompanying regulatory aspects.

As you progress

There is a myriad of issues that can emerge during the course of a working relationship. These can have far-reaching consequences, especially when set against a regulatory backdrop.

We can help with:

• disciplinaries and grievances;
• allegations of poor performance or misconduct;
• bonus and breach of contract disputes;
• loss of responsibilities, sidelining, and undermining (including where unlawful discrimination may be in play);
• breakdown of relationships;
• reduction of variable compensation without good reason;
• partnership and directors’ duties; and
• contract and remuneration renegotiations.

Exit

We will work closely with you to achieve the best possible outcome – whether that is a swift exit, negotiating a settlement deal at the right moment, or pursuing longer-term litigation.

We can help with:

• exit strategy – timing and approach;
• negotiating a settlement package, including remuneration aspects (e.g. deferred compensation, bonus awards and equity entitlements);
• post-termination restrictions and issues around confidential information;
• team moves;
• references, including FCA regulatory references;
• redundancy and reorganisation; and
• litigation and disputes, whether in the Employment Tribunal or the High Court.
  

Litigation

We have for many years acted on some of the most complex, high value and sensitive employment and partnership litigation in the country – from discrimination and whistleblowing claims to high-value contractual disputes. Pursuing litigation against well-resourced employers requires real skill, and a keen eye for the best strategy. Alongside our specialist High Court team, we have an exceptional breadth of expertise and experience.

Who we advise 

We support senior executives across all industries and sectors.

We have particular expertise advising individuals within the financial services sector, who may receive a significant proportion of their compensation through equity (e.g. carry or restricted stock). As only a handful of firms has deep expertise advising senior individuals within this field, many of the leading law firms refer this work to us. We also have regulatory expertise.

We are familiar with advising directors, founders, and shareholders in relation to their director and shareholder rights. That includes advising on shareholder and boardroom disputes, covering issues such as alleged breaches of fiduciary duties and unfair prejudice.

Recent work

Recent examples of our work include:

• acting for an individual in respect of a sensitive whistleblowing claim, regarding allegations of misrepresentation and unlawful inducements, within one of the world’s biggest companies;
• advising the Group CCO of a world-leading international business facing accusations of misconduct, with implications for his high value equity interests;
• acting for a senior individual within financial services in pursuing her sex discrimination and victimisation claim;
• advising a founder director/ employee/ shareholder of a fintech business when relationships had broken down, engaging complex corporate law and unfair prejudice issues;
• acting for a founder and COO of an asset management firm faced with an improper and inaccurate FCA regulatory reference; and
• acting for a senior individual at a large asset management firm, in a high value breach of contract dispute regarding the operation of the group’s management incentive plan.