At Ignition Law, our employment solicitors help UK start-ups, scale-ups and growing businesses manage their people legally, commercially and with confidence.
Whether you are hiring your first employee, navigating a complex exit or facing an Employment Tribunal claim, we provide practical advice that protects your business and supports your growth.
Employment law moves quickly and the stakes for employers are high. A poorly drafted contract, a mismanaged grievance or a missed consultation step can expose your business to significant risk and cost. Our team understands the pressures that founders, directors and HR decision-makers face every day. We cut through complexity and give you clear, actionable guidance at every stage of the employment relationship.
We advise employers across a wide range of employment matters, including:
If you need employment law advice, our team is ready to help. Complete our online enquiry form and a member of our team will respond promptly.
We combine City-firm expertise with genuine entrepreneurial experience. Many of our lawyers have worked in-house or within scaling businesses, so we understand the commercial and operational pressures you face. Our advice is direct, proportionate and designed to keep your business moving forward rather than bogging you down in unnecessary process.
We work with agility, using technology to deliver efficient, cost-effective support without compromising quality. Our employment team works closely with our corporate, commercial and dispute resolution specialists, meaning you receive joined-up advice across every stage of your business. We are also proud to be one of only a few B Corp law firms in the UK, recognised for ethical and responsible business practice.
Your employment documentation sets the foundation for every working relationship in your business. We draft and review employment contracts, director service agreements, consultancy agreements, staff handbooks and workplace policies, tailoring every document to reflect your commercial priorities and protect your business interests.
Clear, well-drafted contracts reduce ambiguity, manage expectations and give you the legal footing to act decisively if issues arise. We ensure your documentation is compliant with current employment legislation while remaining practical and readable for your team. For directors and senior hires, our documentation work connects closely with our company secretarial services to keep governance clean from the outset.
Settlement agreements provide a clean, legally binding way to end an employment relationship on agreed terms, avoiding the time, cost and uncertainty of an Employment Tribunal claim. We advise employers on negotiating and drafting settlement agreements, managing protected conversations and structuring exit packages that reflect the commercial realities of your situation.
Used at the right moment and with proper legal guidance, a settlement agreement brings closure quickly and with certainty. We guide you through the process with clarity and commercial pragmatism from start to finish.
When a business sale, acquisition or outsourcing arrangement involves the transfer of staff, TUPE imposes specific legal obligations on both the outgoing and incoming employer. Getting it wrong can result in costly claims, so early legal input is essential.
Our employment solicitors advise on all aspects of TUPE, including due diligence, information and consultation obligations, harmonisation of terms and the practical steps needed to manage a compliant transfer. We work closely with our corporate lawyers to ensure employment and transaction workstreams are fully aligned throughout.
Redundancy processes carry significant legal risk if not managed carefully. We advise on every stage of a redundancy exercise, from defining a fair selection pool and applying objective criteria to meeting statutory consultation requirements and calculating redundancy pay.
For larger exercises involving 20 or more redundancies, collective consultation obligations under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 apply, including notification to the Redundancy Payments Service. We help you plan and execute restructures in a way that is compliant, defensible and as straightforward as possible for your business and your people.
Workplace disputes and grievances, handled poorly, can escalate quickly into costly tribunal claims or reputational damage. We support employers in managing disciplinary procedures, grievance investigations and performance management issues in line with the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures.
Our approach is pragmatic and commercially focused. We help you follow a fair and defensible process while resolving issues as efficiently as possible. Where matters are more complex, our team can support or conduct workplace investigations on your behalf. For particularly contentious situations, our wider dispute resolution team is on hand to assist.
Facing an Employment Tribunal claim is stressful and resource-intensive. Our employment tribunal lawyers provide robust, experienced representation for employers defending unfair dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing and other claims. We also advise before matters reach a hearing, supporting early resolution where it serves your interests.
We assess the strength of each claim objectively, advise on litigation strategy and handle all procedural steps so you can focus on running your business. Our aim is always to protect your position and reach the best outcome efficiently.
When employees leave, the risk to your business does not end on their last day. Properly drafted restrictive covenants, including non-compete clauses, non-solicitation provisions and garden leave arrangements, protect your client relationships, your team and your confidential information.
We draft enforceable restrictive covenants tailored to your business and advise on confidentiality obligations that hold up under scrutiny. If a former employee breaches their restrictions, we act quickly to protect your position. Enforceability depends on careful drafting from the outset, which makes early legal input particularly valuable in this area.
Keeping your employment practices compliant is an ongoing responsibility, not a one-off exercise. We support businesses with flexible working requests, family leave policies, right-to-work compliance and regular handbook reviews to ensure your documentation keeps pace with legislative change.
We also advise on employee data handling and privacy obligations, working alongside our data protection solicitors to ensure your HR processes meet the requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). For businesses looking to incentivise and retain key people, our share options and incentives team can advise on the right scheme for your stage of growth.
Every employer should have a written statement of employment particulars (a legal requirement from day one of employment), a full employment contract, a staff handbook and key policies covering disciplinary, grievance and data protection matters. Sector-specific requirements may also apply. Getting these in place early prevents disputes and protects your business as you scale.
Settlement agreements are appropriate when you want to end an employment relationship on agreed terms with legal certainty and without tribunal risk. They are commonly used for performance exits, redundancy situations and senior departures. A settlement agreement is only legally valid where the employee has received independent legal advice, and we guide employers through every step of the process.
TUPE applies when a business or service transfers from one employer to another. As either the outgoing or incoming employer, you must inform and consult affected employees before the transfer takes place. Employees transfer automatically on their existing terms and conditions, and dismissals connected to the transfer are generally treated as automatically unfair. Early advice is strongly recommended.
Robust employment contracts with properly drafted restrictive covenants, garden leave provisions and confidentiality obligations are your primary protection. Enforceability depends on the scope of restrictions being no wider than reasonably necessary to protect a legitimate business interest. We draft and review these provisions to ensure they reflect your current business model and stand up to challenge.
Take it seriously and act promptly. You should follow a fair process in line with the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures, which includes investigating the matter, holding a formal meeting and giving the employee the right to appeal. Failure to follow a fair process can increase any tribunal award by up to 25%. We can advise you at every stage.
Costs depend on the complexity and nature of the work. We offer hourly rates, fixed fees for defined pieces of work and ongoing retainer arrangements for businesses that need regular support. We are transparent about costs from the outset and work to budgets that suit your stage of growth. Contact us for a quote tailored to your specific situation.
If you need employer-side employment law advice, whether for day-to-day HR matters or a complex dispute, our team is here to support you. Complete our online enquiry form and a member of our team will be in touch promptly.
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Why Ignition Law
When it comes to employment law, we can offer a better experience for start-ups and scale-ups because we are:
Throughout every stage of your journey, we’ll offer comprehensive employment law advice. Together, we’ll lay the foundations on which to build your team and grow your business.
meet the Team
Our team are among the best in the legal marketplace: flexible thinkers, tech-assisted problem solvers and a core of commercial partners whose passion and focus add immense value.
News, Insights & Resources
Business transfers rarely happen in ideal conditions. Whether you are acquiring a business, taking on a service contract, or restructuring following a transfer, managing people risk is often one of the most complex and sensitive parts of the process.
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