HR Support Services

At Butcher and Barlow, our Employment Solicitors can provide a range of services to support your in-house human resources team, or you can outsource all or part of your HR requirements to us if you do not have one.

Our HR Support Services Team can assist with a wide range of HR matters, including handling disputes, drafting documentation and training HR personnel.

We will ensure that your HR department has the correct policies and procedures in place to support the growth of your business.

Whether you are starting a new company or hiring as a well-established business, our HR Support Services Team will provide valuable advice.

Have a question? Please see our HR support FAQs or get in touch.

How Butcher & Barlow can help support businesses with HR

At Butcher and Barlow, we provide the following HR services to support businesses with all of their HR legal needs:

Drafting contracts of employment
Drafting staff handbooks
Disciplinary procedures
Director Disputes
Drafting documentation (such as welcome letters, offer letters, and chair rental agreements)
Training HR personnel
Onboarding and off-boarding staff
Settlement agreements

Contact our HR support services team

To discuss our HR support services and access specialist legal support, please contact us at Butcher & Barlow.

You can call us on +44 (0)161 764 4062 or email enquiries@butcher-barlow.co.uk.

Our HR support services

Drafting contracts of employment

Drafting comprehensive contracts of employment is a crucial part of running a successful business. Your employment contracts protect both your business and your employee’s rights.

It is advisable to have an expert Solicitor review them to ensure they comply with employment laws. This can save you the time, effort and expense of disputes arising further down the line.

Drafting staff handbooks

Staff handbooks can be a valuable resource for both employees and the HR department to refer to. The content of your staff handbook will depend on the nature of your business.

Some key areas you may cover in your handbook include:

Equal opportunities and diversity policies
Anti-harassment and bullying policies
Health and safety policies
Whistleblowing policies
Disciplinary and grievance policies and procedures
Data protection policies
Flexible/remote working policies
Absence and time off policies
Training and development

Our Solicitors can help you draft a comprehensive staff handbook that covers all of the areas that are relevant to your business and ensure that all of your employees understand the company’s policies.

Disciplinary procedures

Our HR solicitors can assist with disciplinary procedures by ensuring legal compliance and fairness, reducing the risk of tribunal claims.

We offer a range of services, including drafting policies, ensuring the correct disciplinary procedures are in place in your business, and preparing communication such as warning letters.

We can help interpret employment law to avoid wrongful dismissal claims and advise on suitable disciplinary actions.

Director disputes

Director disputes can quickly escalate and have a significant impact on the time and resources of your business. Our Solicitors will work hard to get disputes resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible to minimise the impact.

We are specialists in Alternative Dispute Resolution methods such as mediation and negotiation, and we aim to resolve matters amicably and preserve working relationships where possible.

Welcome letters

A welcome letter is the first piece of communication you may choose to send a new employee when they accept a job offer.

While not a legal requirement, sending a welcome letter sets a positive tone and is an opportunity to clarify key details such as start date, work location, and initial tasks.

It may also confirm important documents like contracts or policies to be reviewed. The welcome letter provides an informal introduction alongside the formal contract of employment.

Our Employment Solicitors can assist with drafting welcome letters for your new employees as part of the HR process and supporting new staff.

Offer letters

An offer letter is a formal document sent to a potential employee outlining the terms of their job offer.

It typically includes key details such as job title, salary, start date, working hours, and any conditions of employment, such as references or background checks.

While not legally binding on its own, an offer letter is an important step in the recruitment process as it may lead to a formal contract of employment once the offer is accepted.

Our HR Solicitors can assist with drafting an offer letter that clarifies key information and sets expectations before the employment contract is finalised, ensuring both parties are happy with the terms.

Agreements for consultants

Our HR Solicitors can help draft clear, legally compliant agreements for self-employed consultants, ensuring that you are legally protected in your working relationship.

These agreements outline your status as a contractor, detailing work scope, payment, confidentiality, intellectual property rights, and termination terms.

We will ensure your role is classified correctly to prevent unexpected tax or employment rights liabilities.

A well-drafted agreement will help create a professional, mutually beneficial working relationship and prevent misinterpretation or disputes.

Training HR personnel

Our specialist Solicitors offer training for HR personnel within your company. This will cover relevant employment law information the legal responsibilities of HR staff and help to ensure your business is compliant with the law.

We will tailor this training to the personal needs of your HR team and wider business.

Onboarding and off-boarding staff

Onboarding and off-boarding staff can be challenging. It is important to ensure this is done correctly and in line with the law.

Our Employment Solicitors can assist with reviewing or setting up an onboarding process for your business, including the relevant training for your new employees. A successful onboarding process will ensure your staff are set up for work and all of your employees are on the same page.

Similarly, we can assist with off-boarding, which can involve more complex or delicate matters. Seeking legal advice at this stage is advisable as correctly off-boarding your employees can prevent disputes further down the line and save you significant time and money.

Settlement agreements

If a dispute has arisen over the termination of an employee’s contract, we understand that this can be a significant concern for your business.

Our Employment Solicitors can draft a comprehensive settlement agreement to ensure both parties part ways on mutually agreeable terms.

If negotiation is needed to reach an agreement, we can assist with this process, ensuring the interests of your business are protected.

We aim to avoid litigation as it can be costly and time-consuming. However, we have the skills and expertise to resolve employment disputes in court where needed.

Frequently asked questions about HR support services

What are HR Support services?

HR management services from a Solicitor are designed to provide support for in-house HR teams in a business or take on outsourced HR work where a business does not have a human resources team.

Our Employment Solicitors provide a comprehensive HR support service, including the following:

Advising on the structure of employment policies and the relevant laws that affect them.
Overseeing the recruitment process to ensure it is legally compliant and supports new employees.
Drafting employment contracts and documenting company procedures to ensure your business and employees are legally protected.

What are the advantages of using external HR support?

Using an external expert for HR support can have many benefits, including:

Accessing expertise that is not available internally – Our HR Solicitors have a specialist knowledge of employment law that can provide valuable legal protection for your business and employees.
Efficiency – Outsourcing can be an efficient way to manage the extra workload of HR services, allowing you to focus on the running of the business.
Reduced costs – Using an external HR service can be more cost-efficient than hiring employees specifically for this role.
Time-saving – Issues within the workplace that require HR intervention can often be time-consuming to resolve. Outsourcing this work can free up time for management that can be used to further the growth of your business.

What is included in Butcher & Barlow’s HR support service?

Butcher & Barlow provide a comprehensive and well rounded HR service, including drafting a range of employment documentation such as welcome letters, employment contracts, HR handbooks and settlement agreements.

We also provide training and support to in-house HR teams to ensure they are fully equipped to support your employees and prevent disputes from arising in the workplace.

If you do not have an in-house HR team or would like to outsource your HR work, Butcher & Barlow can also assist you with this.

HR services are often unique to the needs of your business, please get in touch to find out how we can support you.

How can Butcher & Barlow’s HR support services help businesses stay compliant with employment laws and regulations?

Our HR Support Solicitors have a specialist knowledge of employment law, which helps us ensure your business is thoroughly protected from any legal issues and helps to prevent disputes.

We can conduct a thorough audit of your HR processes, including reviewing all internal documents and HR procedures, overseeing your onboarding and hiring processes, drafting legally compliant contracts and policies, assisting with disciplinary and grievance matters, and advising on employment termination.

We can also conduct regular reviews of your documents, policies and procedures to ensure they remain legally compliant and up to date with the latest employment laws.