Employment & Labour Law · European Union
Protect Your Position With a Lawyer Who Knows Executive Contracts
Executive packages are built on clauses ordinary employees never see — change-of-control triggers, guaranteed bonuses, equity vesting and garden-leave terms that can be worth hundreds of thousands of euros. We match you, free of charge, with an employment lawyer who negotiates senior contracts in your European country, so the fine print works for you rather than against you.
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Who this is for
At senior level, the contract is not an afterthought — it is the deal
An executive contract governs the most valuable aspects of a senior role: base salary, short- and long-term incentives, equity or share options, sign-on and guaranteed bonuses, severance, change-of-control protection, and post-termination restrictions that can decide where you may work next. Because these terms are individually negotiated rather than set by a collective agreement, the gap between a fair deal and a costly one is often enormous — and rarely visible to the untrained eye. Executive employment law also sits at the intersection of contract, tax and corporate governance, and it differs meaningfully from one European country to the next. A lawyer who negotiates senior packages in your specific market can help you price the risk, close the gaps and leave with your reputation and your entitlements intact.
Where senior hires lose out
The most expensive mistakes in executive contracts are
made in the clauses nobody negotiates
Recruiters and employers focus on salary and title — while the severance, equity and restrictive-covenant terms quietly set the real value of the deal.
Severance that falls short on exit
What you receive when you leave is set long before you leave. Without a clearly drafted severance and notice clause, a senior departure can turn into months of underpayment and a bitter dispute at exactly the wrong moment.
Equity and bonus terms that underpay
Vesting schedules, good-leaver and bad-leaver definitions, and the treatment of unvested awards on termination all determine what your equity is actually worth. Vague drafting typically favours the company, not the executive.
Restrictive covenants that block your next role
Non-compete and non-solicitation clauses can lock you out of your own industry for a year or more. Their enforceability varies sharply by country, and signing a badly drafted one can sideline your career.
What you get
A negotiator who treats your package like the commercial deal it is
We only match you with employment lawyers who handle senior and executive contracts regularly in your market.
Full package review
Your lawyer reviews salary, incentives, equity, severance and restrictive covenants together, then maps exactly where the risk sits and what each clause is worth to you in practice.
Negotiation strategy
You get a clear, realistic strategy for the terms that matter — what to push for, what to concede and how to sequence your requests to protect the offer while maximising your outcome.
Equity and tax clarity
Options, restricted stock and long-term incentive plans carry tax and vesting consequences that differ by country. Your lawyer flags the pitfalls before they become an expensive surprise.
Exit protection
From change-of-control triggers to garden leave and post-termination rights, your lawyer ensures the agreement treats you fairly on the way out — not just on the way in.
Coverage
Executive contract lawyers across Europe
Executive employment law is governed nationally, so the right adviser is one who negotiates senior packages under your specific country’s rules and market norms. We match cases across the following countries and beyond:
Frequently asked
Executive contracts — common questions
What makes an executive contract different from a standard one?
Executive contracts are individually negotiated and typically include variable pay, equity, enhanced severance, change-of-control protection and stronger restrictive covenants. Because fewer terms are set by law or collective agreement, the drafting — and the negotiation — matters far more.
Should I negotiate my executive package myself?
You can, but the terms at stake are usually large enough that specialist advice pays for itself many times over. A lawyer who knows the market norms in your country can tell you what is genuinely negotiable and how to frame your requests without damaging the relationship.
How is equity treated when an executive leaves?
Treatment depends on the plan rules and your contract’s leaver definitions, which vary by company and country. Whether you are a ‘good leaver’ or ‘bad leaver’ can determine if unvested awards are kept, forfeited or accelerated — a lawyer can clarify this before you sign.
Are restrictive covenants enforceable against executives?
Often yes, but their enforceability varies by country and depends heavily on how narrowly they are drafted. Some jurisdictions limit their duration, scope and the compensation required, so a poorly drafted covenant may be challenged successfully.
What is a change-of-control clause and why does it matter?
It defines what happens to your role, equity and severance if the company is acquired or merges. A well-drafted clause can protect your position and accelerate your awards; without one, a takeover can leave your package at the mercy of the new owner.
Can a lawyer help if my executive contract is being terminated?
Yes. An employment lawyer can review the grounds for termination, assess whether your severance, notice and equity entitlements have been honoured, and negotiate a settlement or represent you in a claim if they have not.
Free case review
The value of your next role is in the clauses, not the headline salary
Tell us about the role and the terms on the table, and we’ll connect you with an employment lawyer who negotiates executive contracts in your country every day — free of charge, with no obligation to hire.