Should I see a lawyer or use a service for severance review?

Counteroffer · Answers · severance Source: https://trycounteroffer.com/answers/severance-lawyer-vs-review-service

Short answer: Use a contract review service for ordinary severance situations and an employment lawyer for high-stakes situations involving potential discrimination claims, large equity packages over $1M, active litigation, or M&A-related separations. A review service costs $200-500 and delivers analysis in 24 hours. A lawyer costs $400-1500 per hour with multi-day turnaround. For most layoffs, the review service captures 80-90% of the negotiable value at a fraction of the cost; reserve a lawyer for situations where the marginal benefit justifies the marginal cost.

What a lawyer does that a service can't

An employment lawyer can:

Provide legal advice (a service can only provide contract analysis)
Represent you in dispute or litigation
Negotiate on your behalf with the company
File EEOC charges or court actions
Conduct privileged communications protected by attorney-client privilege
Evaluate complex situations involving multiple legal theories (discrimination, retaliation, whistleblower, breach of contract)
Provide opinion letters useful in subsequent litigation or negotiation
Address jurisdiction-specific issues that require licensed practice in your state

These capabilities matter when your situation is complex, when potential litigation is on the table, or when the dollar stakes are high enough that the lawyer's hourly cost is justified by the marginal value they provide.

What a service does well

A contract review service can:

Provide detailed analysis of every clause in your severance agreement
Benchmark your offer against peer practice
Identify required carve-outs (whistleblower, ADEA, NLRA)
Recommend specific counter language ready to send to HR
Cite legal authority for state-specific issues (non-compete enforceability, PTO payout, etc.)
Provide negotiation strategy and email templates
Deliver in 24 hours for a fixed fee

Services work well for:

Standard layoff situations
Negotiable contract items within the standard severance framework
Situations where the dollar stakes don't justify $5K-$30K of attorney fees
People who want a thorough analysis without a multi-week engagement
Self-directed negotiators who will execute the strategy themselves

The trade-off: a service doesn't provide legal advice, doesn't represent you, and doesn't have attorney-client privilege.

Cost comparison

Service type	Cost	Turnaround	Best for
Contract review service	$200-500	24-48 hours	Standard situations
Single attorney consult	$400-1500/hour	1-2 weeks	Quick second opinion
Full attorney engagement	$3K-$30K typical	2-4 weeks	Complex or contested situations
Attorney with contingency	% of recovery	Months	Strong discrimination/retaliation cases

For a typical Director-level severance with $200K-$500K of total package value, the math:

$199 review service might identify $20K-$50K of negotiable value (10-25x ROI)
$3K-$10K of attorney engagement might identify additional $5K-$15K of value but at much higher cost
For most situations, the marginal attorney value isn't worth the marginal cost

For an executive-level severance with $1M+ of total package value, the math reverses:

$5K-$15K of attorney work might identify $50K-$500K of additional value
The complexity (280G, D&O insurance, deferred comp, equity acceleration mechanics) often requires specialized legal expertise
The high stakes justify the higher cost

When to use each

Use a review service when:

Your severance is in the standard framework (cash multiplier, healthcare bridge, equity vesting)
Total package value is under $500K
The company appears to be acting in good faith (no discrimination concerns)
You'll execute negotiation yourself via email/calls with HR
You want fast turnaround for a defined fee

Use a lawyer when:

You suspect age, gender, race, disability, or other discrimination
You have an active whistleblower complaint or claim
You're being terminated in connection with a merger, acquisition, or significant corporate event
Your equity package exceeds $1M in expected value
You're a Section 16 officer of a public company
You've received a cease-and-desist letter related to your non-compete
The company has lawyered up and is treating the separation adversarially
You're considering litigation as a potential outcome

Use both when:

You want fast analysis to start (service) and then identify whether further attorney engagement is warranted
You want a written analysis you can bring to an attorney consultation to make the consultation more efficient
You're handling negotiation yourself but want attorney advice on specific clauses

The hybrid approach

A common cost-effective approach:

Use a contract review service immediately. Get the analysis in 24 hours.
Review the analysis. Identify any items the service flags as requiring legal advice or attorney consultation.
Schedule a 1-hour consultation with an employment attorney to address those specific items.
Use the service's analysis and negotiation strategy for the rest.

This approach captures the speed and cost benefits of the review service while bringing in attorney expertise on items where it genuinely adds value. The 1-hour attorney consultation can address 80% of the marginal legal complexity at a small fraction of the cost of full attorney engagement.

What to do next

If you want to start with a fast, structured analysis of your severance agreement before deciding whether further attorney consultation is needed, we deliver one in 24 hours for $199. For situations involving discrimination concerns, large equity packages, or active litigation, we'll refer you to vetted employment attorneys in your state instead. See Severance Review.

Get your contract reviewed

If you want a delivered review of your specific document with cited authority and counter language, see https://trycounteroffer.com/severance.

Last updated: Sun May 31 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Counteroffer is a contract analysis service, not a law firm. This page is informational, not legal advice.