Andy Burnham signals reform of non-compete clauses — what could change?
We explain the reforms that could be on the horizon and what employers should be doing now to prepare.
Contracts, Policies & Procedures
We support businesses in developing bespoke, robust and effective employment contracts, HR policies and procedures.
Our specialist employment contract lawyers are experienced in developing contracts of employment, service agreements and the full suite of HR policies.
Contracts and policies form the foundations of an employment relationship. We ensure that they’re effective, practical and help to safeguard and support your strategic objectives.
Well-written HR documentation should reflect your culture and values while providing clarity for all parties to reduce disputes and protect business interests.
Our award-winning team of employment law solicitors is one of the largest in the North. Recognised by The Legal 500 — including as a ‘Top Tier Firm’ and with several ‘Recommended Lawyers’ and ‘Next Generation Partners’ — we can provide strategic, pragmatic and bespoke guidance on every element of your contracts, policies and procedures.
We also provide sensitive, tailored contractual advice to directors, executives and senior professionals to enhance their career opportunities and protect their long-term interests.
Talk to our team by giving us a call on 0333 004 4488, by emailing hello@brabners.com or by completing our contact form.
Webinar: Are you ready for unfair dismissal reforms?
From 1 January 2027, the statutory cap on the compensatory award for unfair dismissal cases will be removed and the qualifying period for claims will reduce from two years to six months. Watch our webinar replay now to get practical guidance on the changes and what they mean.
Protecting your business from future risk
Having effective contracts, policies and procedures in place shields your business and provides clarity to colleagues on expectations and entitlements.
Off-the-shelf solutions can lack specific protection for employers and may increase the risk of costly, time-consuming legal claims and disputes. We work with businesses to establish tailored provisions that will not only protect but promote their strategic interests.
We can advise you on such specialist clauses and provisions. These can cover all obligations, from commencement to termination of employment, and may relate to:
- Probationary periods — define performance expectations and termination rights.
- Confidentiality — protecting sensitive business information during and after employment.
- Restrictive covenants/post-termination restrictions — block employees from joining rivals or poaching/soliciting clients or employees for a defined time.
- Intellectual property (IP) — ensure that inventions created during employment belong to the company.
- Employee monitoring — gives flexibility to employers to access work emails or other communications.
- Termination — sets clear notice periods, pay in lieu and any obligations and entitlements on dismissal.
- Garden leave — safeguards operations from departing employees during notice periods.
Tailored employment contracts that reflect your business
We can help you to correctly define and document all your people relationships and provide you with documents that balance business protection with flexibility.
Our employment law experts create bespoke and accessible contracts tailored to your unique culture. Your employment contracts, policies and procedures are an expression of your business identity — they should look and sound like you too.
From tone of voice to formatting and structure, the documentation we produce is legally robust and reflects your brand guidelines and company personality.
Taking care of complex benefit arrangements
We specialise in handling complex benefit arrangements including long-term incentive plans (LTIPs) and short-term incentive plans (STIPs). We work in partnership with our corporate team to provide recommendations on how these benefits are included in contractual agreements.
When senior employees and executives are appointed or promoted, we’ll help you find the best way to record strategic objectives and employee loans and advise on any clawbacks should the parties part ways.
If you’re contemplating selling your business, we partner with our corporate law colleagues to ensure that employment contracts and other policies and procedures are legally compliant to facilitate a smooth sale and minimal renegotiation of the sale price due to non-compliant documentation discovered during the due diligence process.
We draft and audit your business’ employment-related documentation
We routinely advise on all manner of employment-related documentation, including:
- Consultancy agreements.
- Director service agreements.
- Employment and worker contracts.
- Executive incentive arrangements.
- HR policies to promote your strategic objectives and transform your business, including:
- Anti-bribery and corruption.
- Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
- Employee wellbeing.
- Modern slavery.
- Prevention of sexual harassment.
- Remote, hybrid and agile working.
- Reproductive health (including IVF and assisted conception, pregnancy loss, stillbirth and neonatal loss, maternity, paternity, adoption and menopause).
- Whistleblowing.
- Non-executive director agreements.
Contracts and service agreements outline the terms and conditions of the employee’s relationship with the employer. Legally, they must contain certain minimum information — yet it’s important for them to go beyond this and be tailored to the individual’s role and the business. This may include confidentiality, IP, restrictive covenants and more.
Policies outline expected standards and are usually contained in an employee handbook. They cover everything from health and safety, disciplinary and grievance to hybrid working, holidays and anti-bribery. We can help you to create a strategic, flexible mixture of policies that reflect your business.
Expert contractual advice for senior executives
At the start of any new employment relationship, it’s important to fully understand the terms and obligations of a proposed contract. This is particularly true for directors, executives and senior professionals.
We can help you to know where you stand and plan for the future. From negotiating proposed terms of employment to managing post-termination restrictions, we're experts in explaining the potential impact of contractual terms.
Our team advises on the terms, obligations and enforceability of employment contracts and service agreements so that you know what you’re signing up to and understand your options. We can review contracts before you sign to spot potential issues and protect your interests.
We specialise in negotiating executive contracts of employment and director service agreements, with a particular focus on complex benefit arrangements and restrictive covenants to minimise any future issues or restrictions.
Where necessary, in conjunction with our litigation colleagues we can defend alleged claims of breached post-termination restrictive covenants threatened and pursued by ex-employers.
Contractual review services that our employment team offers include:
- Negotiating new employment contracts or director services agreements.
- Providing advice in relation to restrictive covenants.
- Business immigration and Visa advice.
Find out more about our Brabners Personal suite of services.
“Brabners is my go-to firm when I need any help from a legal perspective. The employment team is always brilliant to deal with — helpful, speaking in plain English (not legal jargon) and commercial in outlook and approach.”
Client feedback, Legal 500, 2027
“Brabners' employment team, led by Nick Campbell, is very much an extension of our in-house HR team. We rely on them for their depth of knowledge of employment law and their ability to translate that into commercial solutions.”
Client feedback, Legal 500, 2027
“Nick Campbell [is a] true leader — commercial, with the ability to assimilate a vast amount of information to advise on practical ways forward.”
Client feedback, Legal 500, 2027
“Brendan McAleese [is] extremely thorough, often thinks of unique legal arguments and gives you 100% confidence that he understands the presented situation.”
Client feedback, Legal 500, 2027
“Kate Venables is top drawer. She is fantastic with clients and gives clear advice.”
Client feedback, Legal 500, 2027
“Joe Shelston is outstanding. He has a great legal brain.”
Client feedback, Legal 500, 2027
“Andy Graham stands out as an employment lawyer through a combination of deep technical expertise, real-world commercial insight and a pragmatic, client-focused style.”
Client feedback, Legal 500, 2027
Insights about employment contracts, policies & more
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MCC’s female membership consultation — what sports organisations need to know
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‘Fire & rehire’ practices to be outlawed under the Employment Rights Act
We outline what employers need to know about the changes to fire and rehire, including four key steps to take in preparation.
Holiday law changes from 2026 — what employers need to know & do
We explore what the new record-keeping requirements mean for employers, the risks of non-compliance and steps that organisations should take now.
Collective consultation overhaul — 3 key steps for employers
We explore the collective consultation overhaul and detail what’s changing, the associated risks and how employers should prepare.
DSARs in the age of AI — why you should resist the siren call of simplicity
Our data protection team examines the risks of relying on oversimplified legal arguments in DSAR disputes and highlights key lessons for data controllers.
Trade union reform under the Employment Rights Act — trends, priorities & planning implications
We break down the latest and upcoming trade union reforms — from ballot changes and electronic voting to wider union access and new employer duties.
Beyond zero & low hours contracts — how can hospitality work remain flexible?
The Government's 'ending one-sided flexibility' consultation signals significant change for hospitality employers. We explore what employers need to know.
Day one paternity & parental leave — what the reforms mean for employers
From 6 April 2026, paternity leave and unpaid parental leave have become day one rights. Here's what's changed and what it means in practice for employers.
FIFA’s new landmark women coaches rule — what clubs & governing bodies need to know
Competing in certain women’s tournaments must now include women in coaching roles on the bench. We explore the implications for clubs and NGBs.
Brabners adds six to partnership in record year for partner promotions
We've announced our largest-ever round of Partner promotions, with six lawyers joining the partnership following another year of sustained growth.
FTT rules that football referees aren’t employees — key takeaways from PGMOL
We explores how the FTT reached its decision and outline the key takeaways for businesses navigating employment status issues.
New research shows rising workplace conflict in retail & hospitality — 5 key findings for employers
We explore what the Acas research reveals and outline how retail and hospitality employers can respond early and effectively.
Selling a healthcare business? 5 practical tips to consider
We share five practical tips for those preparing to sell their healthcare business, focusing on preparation, timing and working with the right advisers.
Whistleblowing & sexual harassment — a new era of protection from April 2026
We explain exactly what’s changing, how the new protections will work and what employers need to know.
Statutory Sick Pay reforms — what’s changed?
We explore the changes to Statutory Sick Pay that are due to come into effect from 6 April 2026 and outline what they’ll mean for employers.
Hugh’s Law — statutory paid leave for parents of critically & seriously ill children
We explore Brentford FC’s landmark adoption of Hugh’s Law and its wider implications for supporting parents of critically ill children.
April 2026 changes to NMW, statutory payments & employment tribunal awards
We discuss the increases to statutory payments, national minimum wage rates and unfair dismissal compensation from April 2026.
Cross-border executive appointments — key UK tax & corporate considerations
We outline the key payroll, tax and governance issues that overseas companies typically face when appointing a UK‑based executive.
Managing tax risks for internationally mobile employees — 6 practical steps for employers
We outline the key UK tax issues for employers sending staff to the UK and highlight steps to stay compliant while maximising reliefs.
Autumn Budget 2025 — what international businesses need to know about UK tax changes
We break down what the Budget means for international employers, investors and multinational groups.
The evolution of LGBTQ+ rights at work — landmark cases that transformed UK employment law
We explore how attitudes, rights and workplace protections for LGBTQ+ people have shifted over the past four decades.
Brabners is a purpose-led independent law firm.
Our independence allows us to be objective, principled and provide a service with heart and character.
We’re on a mission to make the difference for our clients, people and communities. Proudly anchored in the North since 1815, we serve all of England and Wales.
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