J. Madison PLC
Practice AreasExecutive / Severance
Executive Contracts & Severance Lawyers
A serious exit is more than boilerplate. We negotiate cash timing, benefits continuity, equity treatment, and real mobility — especially when discrimination, retaliation, or whistleblower leverage sits behind the package. Pure contract counseling is a Virginia engagement; federal claim leverage can be evaluated nationwide.
J. Madison PLC is licensed in Virginia. We handle Virginia employment matters and federal employment claims (including EEOC, MSPB, FCA, and Defense Contractor Whistleblower Protection Act matters) nationwide where permitted. Pure other-state law claims may require local counsel, which you may be able to find through our affiliate network.
Tysons and McLean exits — engineered, not rubber-stamped
Northern Virginia HQ and program-office separations often pack OWBPA consideration windows, W-2/1099 tax allocations, overbroad indemnities, and confidentiality clauses that must preserve whistleblower and agency-reporting rights. We draft and redline settlement architecture — conditional releases that clear only after payment, neutral-reference channels, and restrictive-covenant scopes tied to real competitive risk — so the paperwork protects the employee, not only the tower’s employer.
What we negotiate
Executives, directors, and senior specialists need more than a standard release. We pressure-test consideration, restrictive covenants, and deferred compensation — and, for contracting leaders, FAR/OCI constraints.
- Severance restructuring: Turn discretionary “retention” talk into enforceable payment terms and benefits continuity when leverage exists.
- Deferred compensation & equity: Protect deferred pay, options, and vesting narratives from post-termination manipulation.
- Non-competes & covenants: Virginia enforceability analysis and narrowed geographic/temporal scopes. Other-state regimes may need local counsel.
- Claim-backed leverage: When Title VII, ADEA, ADA, or whistleblower facts support it, negotiation and litigation paths stay linked.
Documents before the deadline
Many packages give 14–21 days. Upload early. Cloud Counsel is the secondary workspace that keeps versions, markups, and emails organized for counsel.
Virginia 2026 noncompete context
Virginia’s 2026 restrictive-covenant rules change what “mobility” means in an exit package. We read covenants against current Virginia standards and your facts, including the Commonwealth’s updated noncompete rules when they apply.
Cloud Counsel
Upload your agreement, equity docs, and exit emails into Cloud Counsel so counsel can negotiate from a complete record.
Learn how Cloud Counsel worksFrequently Asked Questions
Is severance negotiation usually hourly or contingent?
Often hourly or flat-fee. If the exit overlaps with discrimination or retaliation claims, contingent-fee evaluation may also be available.
How fast can you review an agreement?
Upload to Cloud Counsel and contact us. Timing depends on the consideration period in the agreement.
Do you negotiate packages outside Virginia?
Virginia-law contract counseling needs a Virginia nexus. Federal employment-claim leverage can be evaluated nationwide; pure out-of-state covenant advice may require local counsel via our affiliate network.
Should I sign before talking to counsel?
Usually no — especially if you suspect discrimination or retaliation. Deadlines matter; silence can too.