First hires and contractors set the tone for everything that follows. We draft clear, enforceable documents that capture IP, set expectations, and stand up when tested.
When to use this
- You’re hiring your first employees and want plain-English contracts that match how you actually work.
- You use contractors and need IR35-aware consultancy terms with hard IP assignment.
- A founder is moving from contractor to employee and you want a clean transition, not a paper trail that bites later.
- You need restrictive covenants that are fair, and defensible.
What’s included?
- Employment contracts (founders and early hires): duties, pay/benefits, probation/notice, holidays, remote/hybrid, confidentiality and post-termination restrictions.
- Consultancy agreements (IR35-aware): scope/SOW, deliverables, acceptance, day-rate or fixed-fee, substitution and control wording where appropriate, IP assignment and confidentiality.
- Offer letters + starter pack. A clear offer, the key particulars, and a slim “handbook-lite” that actually gets read—disciplinary and grievance, equal opportunities, data protection, plus remote/BYOD if you use it.
- Contractor → employee transition pack. We close the loop: termination or novation letters, the new contract, IP confirmation, and a simple kit handover checklist so nothing goes missing.
- Data and privacy clauses. GDPR baked in. Processor wording where it applies. Sensible confidentiality carve-outs for investors, advisers and day-to-day operations.
- Implementation set. Final PDFs and editable Word files, a one-page acceptance checklist, and a short admin note so your team knows what to file and where.
How we deliver
Discovery. We start with a quick call. Tell us who you’re hiring (or engaging), where they’ll work, how you’ll pay, and what you need to protect. If status looks borderline, we’ll flag it and map the safest route.
Scope & fixed fee. We confirm the documents, any options/equity references, timing, and a fixed price.
Draft & adjust. First drafts land quickly. We tune language to your workflows (on-site, hybrid, async).
Sign & store. You get final PDFs and editable Word files, plus a short note on what to file and where.
Pricing (fixed fees; bespoke available)
Employment contract (standard early-stage) — from £350 (ex VAT)
Consultancy agreement + IP assignment — from £350 (ex VAT)
Offer letter + employment contract + handbook-lite — from £750 (ex VAT)
Contractor → employee transition pack — from £450 (ex VAT)
Want something shaped around edge cases, equity or complex schedules? We’ll scope a bespoke bundle against our standard rates (£275/hr ) and convert it into a single fixed fee you approve before we start. No meter running.
Timeline
Discovery today. Scope agreed fast. First draft usually within a few working days once inputs land. Signing depends on your internal reviews; we keep momentum and nudge when needed.
Inputs we’ll need
- Names, roles and work location (UK/abroad), start date, probation and notice preferences.
- Pay structure (salary/day-rate), bonus/commission if any, working hours and flexibility.
- For contractors: status facts (substitution/control/financial risk), scope, deliverables, equipment/IT, and who signs off acceptance.
- Any restrictive covenants you want (non-compete/non-solicit) and your risk appetite.
- confirmation on whether equity or options will be referenced (we’ll be sure to align wording with your EMI/growth shares route if applicable).
Consultancy / Employment Contracts FAQs
An employee or consultant contract—how do we decide?
Status turns on facts, not labels. We’ll run a short status sense-check (control, substitution, financial risk, integration) and design the right route. If you genuinely need a consultant, the paper will reflect that reality; if it’s really employment, we’ll say so and avoid an IR35 headache.
How strong can our restrictive covenants be?
They must be reasonable in scope, time and geography to be enforceable. We tailor covenants to the role and the market you’re in—often shorter, targeted, and tied to live client lists or confidential tech rather than blanket bans. Strong where it matters; not a sledgehammer everywhere.
Can we reference equity or options in the contract?
Yes, lightly. We’ll include clean cross-references to your EMI or growth share plan without turning the contract into a scheme document. Grants and vesting sit in their own paperwork; the employment or consultancy terms stay readable.
Employment & Consultancy Contracts done right
Hiring is a big moment. It changes the shape of your week and the risks you carry. Our job, as employment contract lawyers in London, is to put paperwork behind that decision that feels fair when you sign it and still feels fair six months later.
We start with status, because labels don’t decide it. I’ll ask who sets the agenda, whether substitution would actually happen, how and when you pay, whose kit is used, and how tightly the person sits inside your team. If those facts point to employment, we’ll say so and draft for the truth of the role—duties that reflect real work, a working pattern you can live with, probation and notice that suit your market, confidentiality that protects what matters, and post-termination restrictions that are narrow enough to stand up. If the facts point to consultancy, we’ll design scope and acceptance into the agreement, hard-wire IP assignment, and keep IR35 in view from the first clause to the last.
Founders often ask for something “standard”. There isn’t one. A sales hire with live accounts needs a different covenant shape to a research engineer. A day-rate contractor delivering features needs clear acceptance and change control; a fixed-fee build needs milestones and payment triggers that keep everyone honest. We write what fits, in plain English, and we trim anything that’s there out of habit.
A quick story. A client arrived with a “contractor” who was, in practice, on the stand-up every morning and using company devices. We unwound the consultancy cleanly, issued an employment contract that matched reality, confirmed IP ownership, and put a short kit handover in place. Delivery didn’t pause. The investor stopped asking awkward questions.
If you’re comparing consultancy contract lawyers in London, ask how they handle the grey. We’ll map the risks in a couple of lines, tell you where the edge is, and agree a fixed fee before we draft. You’ll leave with documents people will sign, records your board won’t question, and the headspace to get on with the work you hired for.
