The situation
A senior consultant who held the firm's key client relationships resigned to move to a competitor. The owner was worried they would take clients, contacts and possibly colleagues with them, and was not sure what could and could not be done.
Why it was difficult
How a senior exit is handled decides what the business keeps. Overreact and you risk a dispute; underreact and you lose clients. The enforceability of any contract terms sits with a solicitor, but the people, process and handover side sits squarely with HR.
What Samantha did
- Reviewed the exit calmly and mapped what actually needed protecting: clients, confidential information and the team
- Handled the notice period, handover and client communications so relationships stayed with the business
- Made sure nothing in how the exit was managed created a fresh claim
- Coordinated with the owner's solicitor on the contractual points, staying firmly in the HR lane
The outcome
The departure was managed cleanly and professionally. The key client relationships stayed with the business, the handover was orderly, and there was no dispute.
Clean senior exit. Clients retained. No dispute.
What this means for you
The weeks around a senior departure decide what you keep. Handled calmly and properly, you protect the clients and the team without creating a fight.
Related support
Settlement and exit support →Anonymised. Sector, names and identifying details have been removed or changed. Outcomes reflect the specific circumstances of each case and are not a guarantee of any particular result.