Severance Package Attorney in Los Angeles | Protect Your Rights Before You Sign
A severance package attorney in Los Angeles protects your legal rights, your financial future, and your ability to move forward after termination. If your employer has offered you a severance agreement, it likely includes legal waivers, restrictions, and conditions that could affect your future employment or limit your right to sue.
Signing without legal review increases the chance of giving up compensation or benefits you may rightfully deserve. California labor laws give you strong protections, but only if you fully understand what you’re agreeing to. At Blair & Ramirez LLP, we review, negotiate, and defend severance agreements to secure fair outcomes.
Don’t sign anything until you speak with us. Call now for a free consultation.
Why You Need a Severance Package Attorney in Los Angeles, CA
Every word in a severance agreement matters, especially the ones written to protect your employer, not you. Most employees don’t realize how much they’re giving up until it’s too late. That’s where we come in. At Blair & Ramirez LLP, we step in before you sign, analyze every term, and work to increase your payout while protecting your future
Legal Advantages Attorneys Have in Negotiation
When you hire a severance attorney, you gain three major legal advantages that directly impact your outcome.
- We review every term and flag risks. Vague or unfair clauses, like overly broad waivers or non-compete language, can cost you more than you think.
- We calculate the true value of your claims. This includes missed bonuses, stock options, or even wrongful termination, which gives you leverage.
- We use Los Angeles labor laws to your advantage. From Labor Code Section 201 to protections under Cal-WARN, we know how to apply the law to strengthen your case.
How a Severance Attorney Increases Payout and Legal Protection
A severance attorney negotiates higher compensation and adds legal safeguards that protect your future.
We often help employees increase their lump-sum payout or extend salary continuation beyond what’s initially offered. We’ve secured employer-paid Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) for additional months, saving clients thousands in health coverage.
Legally, we fight to remove no-rehire clauses and limit or strike confidentiality terms that hurt your ability to work or speak freely. California’s labor laws give employees unique rights, and we use every one of them to get you better terms, more money, and real legal protection.
Legal Risks of Signing Without a Severance Review
Signing without legal review increases legal risk and can lock you into an agreement that works against you.
- You may unknowingly waive your right to sue for wrongful termination, unpaid wages, or discrimination.
- Hidden non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) could silence you from discussing your experience, even if it was illegal or harmful.
- No-rehire clauses may block you from working with related employers or your own former team.
- You could lose access to COBRA, stock options, or earned commissions if those items aren't clearly stated.
Hidden Clauses That Reduce Your Benefits
Hidden clauses often reduce severance value or limit future rights, and most employees don’t see them coming.
- Non-compete clauses may stop you from taking a new job in your own field, even if unenforceable in California.
- Clawback provisions let employers take money back under vague terms like “company harm” or “reputation damage.”
- Confidentiality penalties can fine you or revoke benefits if you speak about your exit or settlement, even privately.
Our Legal Process: How We Handle Severance Negotiation
At Blair & Ramirez LLP, we follow a clear three-step process designed to protect your rights, increase your compensation, and remove risks buried in the fine print. Most clients come to us feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, or pressured to sign quickly. We take that weight off your shoulders. From your first call to final signature, we handle everything with clarity, strategy, and direct action. Here’s how we guide you through the severance negotiation process.
Step 1: Legal Review of Your Severance Agreement
We review every clause in your agreement, line by line, to flag any terms that are risky, one-sided, or unenforceable under California law. This includes identifying issues in release language, NDAs, non-compete terms, or vague waivers that could compromise your future rights.
Step 2: Strategy Based on Your Goals and Employment History
Once we've reviewed the agreement, we create a negotiation plan based on your job role, tenure, responsibilities, and industry standards. If you’ve held a leadership position or contributed significantly to the company, that changes your leverage. We look at your goals, financial, legal, and career-related, and design a strategy that maximizes your payout while preserving your ability to work, earn, and grow after your exit.
Step 3: Direct Negotiation by a Los Angeles Severance Attorney
Once the strategy is in place, we take over the communication with your employer or their legal team. You won’t have to send awkward emails or argue legal terms. We do it for you, professionally and aggressively when needed. Our role is straightforward: to secure the best terms possible, so you can move forward with clarity and confidence.
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Can You Negotiate a Severance Package in Los Angeles?
Yes, you can negotiate a severance package in Los Angeles. While severance packages are often presented as final offers, it is entirely possible to negotiate for better terms, and doing so is quite common. With the right legal help, you can often increase compensation, extend benefits, and remove harmful clauses before signing.
Negotiable Terms in a Severance Agreement
Many people assume a severance package is “take it or leave it,” but that’s not true. The following terms are commonly negotiable, especially when backed by legal counsel:
- Payout amount: We evaluate whether the financial offer fairly reflects your role, tenure, and potential claims.
- Payment schedule: In some cases, receiving payments over time can reduce your tax burden.
- Benefits extension: We push for longer health coverage or employer-paid COBRA when appropriate.
- Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs): We limit overly broad NDAs that silence employees beyond what’s reasonable.
- Rehire eligibility: We ensure you’re not unfairly blocked from future job opportunities at related companies.
- Job references: We can help secure a neutral or positive reference commitment that supports your next career move.
Pressure Tactics Employers Use (and How to Resist Them)
Employers often use pressure tactics to speed acceptance and prevent you from getting legal advice. Here are the most common ones we see, and how to respond:
- Fake deadlines: You’re told the offer expires in 48 hours. In reality, most deadlines are self-imposed and flexible. You have every right to ask for more time and speak with an attorney before signing anything.
- Dense legal language: Agreements are often filled with complicated terms that hide critical waivers or long-term restrictions. We break down every clause in plain English so you understand exactly what’s at stake.
- Implied threats: You might hear that negotiating could cost you the offer. This is meant to discourage pushback. In truth, negotiation is common and legal, and when you have an attorney involved, you’re taken more seriously.
- Emotional appeals: Employers may say, “everyone signs this,” or “let’s keep it friendly.” It’s important to remember this isn’t personal, it’s business. Your future, your rights, and your financial stability come first.
You don’t need to rush. You don’t need to guess. You just need the right legal support, and we’re ready to help.
Why Los Angeles Employees Choose Blair & Ramirez LLP
When your severance and your future are on the line, you need a firm that doesn’t treat your case like just another file. At Blair & Ramirez LLP, we don’t dabble in employment law; we live in it. Every day, we help Los Angeles employees navigate the end of their employment with confidence, clarity, and stronger outcomes.
With years of experience handling complex severance negotiations in the Golden State, we are the trusted choice for employees like you seeking to maximize your severance packages and safeguard future rights.
Strong Employment Law Experience with a Focus on Severance
Employment law is one of our core strengths, and severance negotiation is a key part of what we do every day. Our attorneys have handled a wide range of workplace issues across Los Angeles, CA, but we’re especially known for helping employees understand, challenge, and improve the severance agreements they’re offered. This focus gives us the insight to spot unfair terms quickly and the leverage to negotiate stronger results.
Deep knowledge of Los Angeles Labor Regulations
California’s employee protections are stronger than most states, but only if you know how to apply them. We use key sections of the Labor Code in every negotiation. For example:
- Labor Code §201: Ensures final wages are paid promptly.
- Labor Code §2802: Protects employees from unfair out-of-pocket costs.
- Cal-WARN Act: Requires advance notice or severance pay in mass layoffs.
These laws often create leverage that employers don’t expect, and we use that to strengthen your outcome.
Proven History of Maximizing Severance Packages
Our firm has a consistent track record of helping Los Angeles employees secure better severance terms. Whether it's negotiating a higher payout, preserving critical benefits, or removing restrictive clauses, we know how to get results. We have successfully represented professionals across a wide range of industries and job levels, and we understand how to apply leverage where it matters most. When we negotiate, employers listen, because they know we come prepared.
Real Testimonials from Los Angeles Employees
When people face job loss or unexpected termination, they turn to us not just for legal protection, but for peace of mind. Here's what past clients across Los Angeles have shared about their experience working with Blair & Ramirez LLP:
Personalized Legal Help for Every Employee Case
When you hire us, you work directly with a licensed Los Angeles employment attorney, never just a paralegal or intake coordinator. We dedicate our time, provide full attention, and offer clear answers. Your situation is unique, and we treat it that way. From your first consultation to your final signature, we’re with you every step.
What Is a Severance Package in Los Angeles, California?
A severance package is more than just a final paycheck; it's a legal agreement that can impact your income, benefits, and rights moving forward. Before you sign anything, it’s important to understand exactly what’s being offered and what you may be giving up.
Severance Package Meaning – Simple Definition
A severance package is a formal offer made by your employer at the end of your employment. It usually includes three main components: severance pay, a temporary extension of health benefits, and a legal waiver that prevents you from suing the company. Once signed, the agreement becomes binding.
Severance Pay vs. Severance Agreement – Key Differences
| Aspect | Severance Pay | Severance Agreement |
|---|---|---|
| What It Is | Compensation offered at the end of employment | A legal contract outlining the terms of your exit |
| Purpose | Provides financial support during transition | Protects the employer from future legal claims |
| Form of Payment | Lump sum or installment payments | May include severance pay, but focuses on legal terms |
| Legal Requirement | Not required by Los Angeles law unless in a contract or policy | Not mandatory, but often used by employers to secure a legal release |
| Common Triggers | Layoffs, restructuring, and company downsizing | Termination of employment, voluntary or involuntary |
| Negotiable? | Yes, amount, structure, and timeline can often be negotiated | Yes, terms such as waivers, benefits, references, and non-competes can be modified |
| Includes Legal Waiver? | No, severance pay alone does not waive your right to sue | Yes, usually includes a release of legal claims against the employer |
| Binding Once Signed? | Only applies if offered and accepted | Yes, signing makes the terms legally enforceable |
| Attorney Review Recommended? | Helpful to maximize payout | Essential to protect future legal and financial rights |
Common Severance Package Components
Most severance packages in Los Angeles include a mix of financial, legal, and Most severance packages include 5 standard elements that affect your financial and professional future:
- Lump-sum payout or salary continuation: Based on tenure, position, or employer policy.
- COBRA or health benefit extension: Temporary access to continued health coverage.
- Release of legal claims: A waiver that prevents you from suing for things like wrongful termination.
- Non-compete or non-solicitation clauses: May limit where you can work or who you can recruit after leaving.
- Reference or rehire eligibility terms: Determine what your former employer can say and whether they’ll rehire you in the future.
Is Severance Pay Required Under Los Angeles Law?
No, severance pay isn’t required by Los Angeles law unless it’s promised in a contract or policy.
Employers aren’t legally obligated to offer severance unless:
- It’s stated in an employment contract or company policy
- You’re covered under a union agreement
- The WARN Act or Cal-WARN applies due to a mass layoff or plant closure
Even when not required, employers often offer severance to limit legal exposure or maintain goodwill.
Reasons Employers Offer Severance in Los Angeles
Employers don’t offer severance just to be generous; there are strategic reasons behind it:
- Reduce the risk of litigation: Severance usually includes a legal waiver, protecting the company from future claims.
- Protect the company’s brand and reputation: Well-handled exits reduce public backlash and preserve internal morale.
- Show goodwill to departing employees: Offering support during a transition can foster positive relationships and help maintain workplace culture.
FAQs About Severance and Your Rights
Ready to Protect Your Job Exit and Financial Future?
You don’t have to sign away your rights just to move on. Before you agree to anything, let us help you protect your interests, secure better compensation, and avoid long-term contract traps that could hold you back.
At Blair & Ramirez LLP, we’ve helped employees across Los Angeles review, negotiate, and improve their severance agreements with clarity and confidence. We handle the legal pressure, so you don’t have to.
Call now for a free consultation with an experienced severance attorney. We’ll review your agreement, explain your options, and fight to get you the outcome you deserve.
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