What changed after a closer reading
Client accounts from German executive contract, non-compete and exit consultations.
A bonus formula brought back into the contract
“My draft referred to an annual plan that had not been provided. The review showed that the attractive headline percentage said very little without the target-setting and leaver rules. We asked for the current plan, then secured a minimum for the first year.”
— Commercial director, Hamburg
A restriction narrowed before an international move
“I appreciated that the advice was cautious. There was no promise that one sentence made the whole covenant disappear. The territorial wording was narrowed and the compensation clause was corrected before I signed.”
— Regional managing director, consumer goods
The point that stayed unresolved
“The written map made the negotiation manageable and the garden-leave point was fixed. We could not remove the bonus discretion, which was disappointing, but I understood the risk and negotiated a stronger fixed salary instead.”
— Operations executive, Berlin
Exit documents read against the original deal
A client leaving after a business reorganisation received a short settlement draft with a broad release. Reviewing it alongside the original agreement exposed an unaddressed deferred bonus and conflicting non-compete waiver wording. The final document set out the bonus treatment and made the waiver date explicit. The client chose not to pursue a reference wording point after discussing its limited practical value.
Client details are reduced or generalised to protect confidentiality. Outcomes depend on facts, documents and negotiation position; these accounts are not guarantees.