How to review an employment contract under the law of England & Wales — what to check before you sign, and the clauses that quietly cost you later.
Since April 2020 most workers are entitled to a written statement of particulars on or before day one. A review should confirm the basics are present and correct: job title and duties, start date and continuous-service date, pay and pay intervals, hours, holiday, place of work, notice periods, probation, and any benefits.
The real risk lives in the restrictive covenants (non-compete, non-solicit, non-deal), confidentiality and IP assignment, bonus discretion, pay-in-lieu-of-notice (PILON), garden leave, and mobility clauses. Over-broad post-termination restrictions are common — and frequently unenforceable if they go further than is reasonably necessary to protect a legitimate business interest.
Upload the contract and the employment review reads every clause, flags the high-risk terms with a 🔴/🟡/🟢 indicator, explains them in plain English, cites the relevant England & Wales statute, and suggests fairer replacement wording you can take to the other side or to a solicitor.
Yes — The Counsel reads the document, flags risky or unusual clauses, and explains them against England & Wales law. It is an information and drafting tool, not a substitute for advice from a regulated solicitor on a high-value or contested matter.
Only so far as they are reasonable. A court will not enforce a restraint that is wider than necessary to protect a legitimate business interest in scope, duration, or geography. Long or blanket non-competes are routinely cut down or struck out.
Confirm the written particulars are complete and accurate, then scrutinise notice, probation, pay and bonus discretion, PILON and garden leave, confidentiality and IP, and any post-termination restrictions. Flag anything that limits future work.
The Counsel is an AI tool for England & Wales. It provides legal information, not legal advice, and does not replace a regulated solicitor. For anything high-value or contested, take advice before you act.
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