Negotiating exit from work

[Lostwifehelp]

Can anyone share their experience of going through this? DH is about to go through this as a project winds down and he has nothing else in the pipeline. He has a long notice period (6 months) but I’m guessing they will try to negotiate it down so he will probably get paid for a few months? Any insights appreciated/

Please disregard. It'll teach me not to RTFT

if he's looking for something less stressful, maybe he should look at Head of Governance/Director of Governance roles with a medium or large charity?
Have worked with a few ex-lawyers doing that kind of role that have been excellent.

I take back what I said as I didn’t realise he was a partner.

My husband is a partner of a law firm and not an employee. I know he has all sorts of clauses in his partnership agreement that have nothing to do with employment law as he’s not an employee. Much of the advice on here may not be relevant to your husband’s situation if he is not an employee.

All that said, he does need to seek legal advice. He must have some friends who can help him? One great thing about being married to a lawyer is he has friends in almost every area of law!

If he won’t consider mental health input would he consider life/career coaching.
Has he looked at judicial appointments or training as mediator etc.
Needing to maintain a high salary is a huge pressure on him.

@Cordeliathecat Not an equity party, he’s a salaried partner so still an employee. He has a good network and has agreed to speak to someone after I told him told him some of the stuff that’s been shared on here. Like I’ve said on here before I don’t think his mind is working as it used to, otherwise I’m sure he would be the first person to fight hard for what he’s owed contractually.

What's your DH's annual salary? The problem that people can come up against in well paid careers like this is that, whilst they are being unfairly dismissed, employment law doesn't really help them as the cap on a claim is around £85k (I can't remember the exact sum) unless there is a discrimination or whistleblowing element. For someone in your DH's role, that £85k might only be the equivalent of 3 - 6 months' salary so, whilst you would expect the firm to offer an ex gratia amount over & above the six months' notice, it won't be equivalent to a significant number of months' salary.
I don't know how many friends you have at law firms but managing non-equity partners out who aren't bringing in work is fairly standard. It's a horrible process as everyone can read the writing on the wall and will be speculating as to what is going on. This is particularly the case if they were brought in on a "promise" and lauded to the existing team. Was he? If so, what were the terms of that?
What surprises me here is that they have waited until he has been there for 2 years. Normally, they move just before that so that the employee doesn't gain the additional rights which kick in after two years.

@Dixiechickonhols Agree. Completely self imposed pressure. Have tried to get him to agree to foregoing private schooling but he refuses.

@fullofeasterchocolate I think it was the current case that saved him. Now that’s over they don’t see any value in retaining him any more. It is really horrible to see the fall from when he started and there was so much hope and promise and confidence and seeing where he is now. It’s heartbreaking. His salary is around 160.

OP has your DH considered a Legal Operations type role? I only have experience of an in house legal OPs team but some firms are starting to invest in them too

As per its title it’s more of an operations type role so his management skills will come into play, crossed with consultancy/strategic/process improvement type work. Many members of the team I worked with were ex-lawyers or at least had a law background (I didn’t, I supported from a consultancy perspective)

There are also some external firms that specialise in legal operations type work both in a consultancy and out sourcing capacity

@Lostwifehelp how old is your husband?

The unfair dismissal cap is around £115k now.

I have seen inhouse roles that require litigation experience but they are rarer than practice roles so good to start putting his name out there. Recruiters don't love you until they have a role that fits and then they will be all over you. That is probably why the recruiters did not come back. They may not have been the right ones with jobs for him (but they don't tell you that).

I would also try the other way by looking on Linkedin and Indeed for suitable legal inhouse roles that are being advertised that fit his skillset or sector and then contacting the recruiters or the company directly. The recruiters will automatically be more interested because they have a role to fill. He may still only get a lukewarm response if he is not an obvious choice because he is switching careers but you never know.

I am afraid he needs a slightly thick skin for this and be prepared for the search for a senior role to take longer than 6 months or maybe he could be lucky and a perfect role could come up soon. That said, companies are also more tolerant of a long gap in the CV for senior roles as they have a lot more invested in getting the right person for the role than just getting someone in asap.

@Lostwifehelp Where are you in the UK? Does your husband have a sector focus?

Law firms can be cut-throat and terrible at following employment law (ironically!) - if things are heading that way, make sure your husband gets decent employment law advice, particularly if he is not able to properly advocate for himself at the moment.

Sorry if I have missed it, but has his firm definitely initiated some type of performance plan / settlement or is this what he thinks will happen if this continues?

In my experience, firms will often try and offer some internal projects / secondments / BD-type work to make up the shortfall for a period of time, I don't know if those types of options have been considered or if the situation is beyond that.

I've read your updates and PM'd you @Lostwifehelp