Employment Contract Lawyer & Engagement Structure Advisory

A poorly drafted employment contract creates risk from day one. Whether you are an employer taking on new staff or an individual reviewing terms before signing, getting the contract right matters. Our employment contract lawyers advise employers and individuals across Manchester and the UK on drafting, reviewing, and negotiating employment contracts and engagement structures that are clear, legally sound, and built around the realities of how the working relationship will actually operate.

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Employment contracts are the foundation of every working relationship. Without the right terms in place, businesses face disputes over pay, notice, intellectual property, and post-termination restrictions. For individuals, signing without proper review can mean accepting terms that are difficult to challenge later. Our employment contract solicitors advise on the full range of engagement structures, from permanent employees to freelancers, contractors, and directors. Whether you need an employment contract lawyer to draft new terms, review a contract before signing, or update existing agreements in light of the Employment Rights Act 2025 and the phased changes being introduced through 2026 and 2027. Our solicitors will provide clear, commercially focused advice. As a contract review solicitor acting for both sides, we identify what needs to change and why before anything is signed.

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What This Means for You

  • Contracts that protect your business from day one
  • Clear advice before you sign anything you cannot easily change
  • Properly structured agreements for employees, contractors, and directors
  • Restrictive covenants that are enforceable and proportionate
  • Confidence that your contracts reflect current employment law


How Our Employment Contract Solicitors Help Employers and Individuals

From straightforward employee contracts to complex director service agreements, our employment contract lawyers cover every type of engagement structure.

Employment Contract Drafting

We draft employment contracts for businesses of all sizes, from early-stage startups to established employers, covering all employment types including part-time, fixed-term, zero hours, and senior hires.

Contract Review & Negotiation

As a contract review solicitor acting for both employers and individuals, we identify unfavourable terms, flag legal risk, and advise on what can and cannot be negotiated before you sign.

Contractor & Freelancer Agreements

We draft and review consultancy agreements, independent contractor agreements, and freelancer contracts helping businesses structure engagements correctly and avoid employment status disputes and manage IR35/off-payroll working risk where applicable.

Director Service Agreements

We advise on director service agreements covering duties, remuneration, termination, and post-termination restrictions, giving directors and businesses the clarity that a standard employment contract does not provide.

Restrictive Covenants & Non-Competes

As a non-compete lawyer advising both businesses and individuals, we draft and review non-compete clauses, non-solicitation provisions, and garden leave arrangements, advising on what is enforceable and proportionate.

Contract Updates & Compliance

We review and update existing contracts to reflect changes in employment law, including the Employment Rights Act 2025, ensuring businesses are not operating on outdated terms that carry legal risk.

When to seek advice

  • You are taking on a new employee and need a legally sound employment contract in place
  • You have been offered a new role and want an employment contract lawyer to review your terms before signing
  • Your business engages freelancers or contractors, and you want the arrangements correctly structured
  • You need to update existing contracts to reflect the Employment Rights Act 2025 changes
  • A restrictive covenant or non-compete clause is being challenged, or you need one enforced
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Why Businesses Choose MAR Legal for Employment Contracts & Engagement Structures

Solicitor-Led Support

Every contract is reviewed or drafted by qualified solicitors with direct employment law experience.

Commercial Focus

Advice that reflects how businesses actually operate

Fixed-Fee Options

Transparent pricing so you know the cost before committing to any piece of work.

Full Engagement Coverage

We advise on every type of working arrangement, from employees to directors to contractors.

Trusted by businesses across the UK for clear, accessible advice on Employment Contracts & Engagement Structures

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How Our Employment Contract Process Works

01

Initial consultation

We take a brief on the role, the working relationship and the protections required. An employment contract lawyer will identify the key issues before drafting begins.

02

Review or Drafting

We review the existing contract or draft new terms, identifying risk, flagging issues, and building in the right protections

03

Advice & Amendments

An employment contract lawyer will advise on what terms are negotiable, what should be changed, and what the implications are of accepting or rejecting specific clauses.

04

Final Documentation

We produce or finalise the contract ready to be signed, with any supporting documentation required for the engagement structure.

Employment Contract Advice for Employers and Individuals

For employers, we help ensure contracts are clear, compliant and commercially protective from the outset. This includes notice periods, probationary clauses, confidentiality, intellectual property, restrictive covenants, working arrangements and termination provisions.

For individuals, we review employment contracts before signing, explain the practical effect of key clauses and identify terms that may need to be negotiated, clarified or challenged

Employment Contracts & Engagement Structures FAQs

Employees and workers are entitled to a written statement of employment particulars from the start of employment. This is not the same as a full employment contract, although the two are often provided together. This must include the employer and employee details, job title and description, start date, pay and pay frequency, working hours, holiday entitlement, notice periods, and details of any probationary period. Additional terms such as confidentiality obligations, intellectual property assignment, and restrictive covenants are not legally required but are strongly advisable for most roles. The employment contract can be contained in a single document or across multiple documents provided together.

Employment status in the UK sits on a spectrum. Employees have the fullest set of rights, including unfair dismissal protection, statutory sick pay, and holiday pay. Workers have fewer rights but are entitled to the national minimum wage, holiday pay, and protection from discrimination. Genuine self-employed contractors usually sit outside the employment relationship, but labels are not decisive. The reality of the working arrangement will determine status. The distinction matters both for tax purposes and for the rights and obligations that flow from the relationship. Misclassifying someone's status carries significant legal and financial risk.

Restrictive covenants are enforceable only if they go no further than is reasonably necessary to protect a legitimate business interest. Courts look at the scope of the restriction, its duration, the geographic area covered, and the seniority of the employee. Overly broad restrictions are routinely struck down. The covenant must also be reasonable at the time it was entered, not just at the time the employer seeks to enforce it. Well-drafted restrictions that are proportionate and clearly linked to a genuine business interest stand a much better chance of being upheld.

Garden leave is a period during which an employee remains employed and continues to receive their salary but is required to stay away from the workplace and not work for anyone else. It is typically used after an employee has handed in their notice, particularly where there is a risk of taking clients, confidential information, or key contacts to a competitor. Garden leave is only enforceable if there is a specific contractual provision in the employment contract. Without a garden leave clause, Garden leave is much easier to rely on where there is a clear contractual provision. Without one, excluding an employee from work can create legal risk.

IR35 is anti-avoidance tax legislation designed to prevent contractors from receiving payments as if they were self-employed when, in practice, the working relationship resembles employment. Since 2021, where the off payroll working rules apply, medium and large private sector clients are generally responsible for assessing contractor status and issuing a status determination. Contracts that do not accurately reflect the real working relationship create tax exposure for the business. The contractual terms alone are not determinative, HMRC looks at the substance of the arrangement, not just what the contract says.

An employer cannot unilaterally change contractual terms without the employee's consent. Where changes are proposed, the employer must consult with the employee, explain the reasons, and obtain agreement. If an employee does not agree, the options are limited. The employer may attempt to impose the change and risk a breach of contract claim, or terminate and re-engage on new terms, which carries its own legal risks. Changes to contractual terms should always be documented in writing and signed by both parties.

A director's service agreement is separate from a standard employment contract and covers the additional obligations and rights that arise from the director role. It should address duties under the Companies Act 2006, remuneration including any bonus or equity arrangements, termination provisions, and post-termination restrictions. Without a director's service agreement, there is often uncertainty about what the director is entitled to on exit and what obligations continue after leaving. For any director with a significant role in the business, a properly drafted service agreement is advisable.

MAR Legal provides advisory and documentation support in relation to employment contracts and engagement structures. This service covers drafting, reviewing, and advising on non-reserved legal activities only. Where a matter involves reserved legal activities, we work alongside appropriately regulated professionals.