Jonathan Golden

Expertise

Jonathan is an employment lawyer with over 30 years’ experience as a solicitor advising individuals and organisations on confidential employment, discrimination and HR matters.

His clients include professional firms, senior professionals and figures in financial services, banking, telecoms, software, recruitment agencies and a broad cross-section of businesses.

Jonathan specialises in negotiating joining and termination packages for senior executives.  He is often brought in by professional practices and private equity houses to resolve partnership, boardroom and shareholder issues, particularly in the SME sector. Jonathan is asked to give strategic advice by organisations that are planning for change, such as large-scale redundancies and company restructures.

He is ranked ‘Outstanding in the Field’ and is 1 of only 15 employment lawyers recommended and ranked in the legal directory Spears 500.

Experience Highlights

Individual

• Dealing with internal investigations for senior individuals in banking and other professions, in connection with employment, SMCR and other regulatory issues.
• Advised executives on the terms of their settlement agreements, ranging in value from several £000s to multi-million deals involving options, RSUs and bonuses.
• Advising senior executives on individual and team moves, including past restrictions and new contracts and onboarding requirements including recognition of deferred compensation and guaranteed bonuses in the banking and other regulated sectors.
• Advised a group of International Management Consultants, individually and collectively, in terms of a merger with a top three international firm, and later negotiated terms for individual departures.
• Advising executives facing bullying and harassment at work to navigate internal politics and procedures, bring discrimination claims and limit the damage to their reputations.
• Advising professional in multi-million-pound claim against a professional firm.
• Advising Managing Partner of a large regional law firm in terms of retirement.

Corporate

• Representing City Law firm on an age and disability discrimination claim, and dealing with various sensitive departures of senior staff and partners.
• Advising AIM-listed company on various acquisitions and mergers including implementing TUPE and collective redundancy consultations, and subsequent harmonisation of employment terms.
• Advising VC partners in connection with the departure of a high profile partner.
• Advising Swiss investment firm in connection with the departure of its UK team.
• Advising recruitment firm on a restructure and new terms for directors and staff.
• Advising specialist wine trader in connection with the enforcement of post-termination restrictions.
• Advising care home in connection with performance issues, risk assessment and implementation of a restructure.
• Advising accountancy firm on partnership issues.
• Advising the founding director and shareholder of a boutique recruitment business in a dispute with fellow directors.

Career History

Previous Law Firms

• Cubism Law, Consultant (2015 to 2019)
• Golden Leaver LLP, Founder and Member (2009 to 2019)
• Solnick & Co., Solicitor and later Managing Partner (1987 to 2009),
• Manches & Co., Articled Clerk (1985 to 1987)

Memberships

• Employment Lawyers Association

Education

• College of Law (1983 to 1985)
• University of York (Philosophy) (1980 to 1983)
• Berkeley, University of California (Philosophy) (1981 to 1982)
• Commissioned into the Queen’s Regiment (Sussex) (1980)