A severance offer usually arrives at the worst possible moment, often with a signing deadline attached. Before you sign, it helps to have an employment lawyer read the agreement and tell you what is negotiable. This list covers five firms that handle severance and employment matters for workers in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, starting with Mundaca Law, a firm that represents private-sector employees, business clients, and federal employees across the DMV.
Here are the five firms covered below:
- Mundaca Law
- LawrenceQueen
- Bernabei & Kabat, PLLC
- Zuckerman Law
- James H. Shoemaker / Patten, Wornom, Hatten & Diamonstein, L.C.
What does a severance negotiation attorney actually do?
A severance negotiation attorney reviews the separation agreement your employer offers, identifies the rights you would be giving up, and pushes back on terms that are unfavorable or unclear. A severance agreement is a contract in which an employer pays money or provides benefits in exchange for your release of legal claims against the company.
Federal law generally does not require private employers to pay severance, so most packages are discretionary. That is exactly why they can often be negotiated. An attorney looks at the payment amount, the scope of the release, confidentiality and non-disparagement clauses, noncompete terms, health coverage continuation, and how the agreement handles unvested equity or bonuses.
How long do you have to review a severance agreement?
If you are 40 or older, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act gives you at least 21 days to consider an agreement that waives age discrimination claims, or 45 days if the offer is part of a group layoff. You also get 7 days after signing to revoke. Workers under 40 have no set federal review period, so the deadline is whatever the employer writes into the document, and it is often short.
1. Mundaca Law
Francisco E. Mundaca, Esq., Founding Partner
Mundaca Law is a DMV firm focused on employment law, business law, and federal employee matters, which gives it a useful vantage point on severance from both sides of the table. Having worked with businesses, the firm understands how employers structure separation packages and where they tend to have room to move.
For employees, that can mean help with:
- Reviewing a severance or separation agreement before the signing deadline
- Evaluating whether the release waives claims you may want to preserve, such as discrimination, retaliation, or unpaid wage claims
- Negotiating the scope of confidentiality, non-disparagement, and noncompete provisions
- Addressing federal employee separations, including questions about federal severance pay and settlement agreements with agencies
Federal employees face a different system than private-sector workers. Under 5 U.S.C. § 5595, eligible federal employees separated involuntarily may receive severance pay calculated at one week of basic pay for each of the first 10 years of service, two weeks for each year after that, plus an age adjustment for employees over 40, capped at 52 weeks over a career. Mundaca Law’s federal employee practice can help workers understand how these rules apply to their own separation.
2. LawrenceQueen
LawrenceQueen is a law firm that handles employment matters for clients in Virginia and the surrounding region. Workers weighing a severance offer may want to contact the firm directly to ask whether their situation fits its practice.
3. Bernabei & Kabat, PLLC
Bernabei & Kabat is a Washington, D.C. law firm whose practice includes employment law. Anyone considering the firm should reach out to confirm that it takes on severance review and negotiation for their type of case.
4. Zuckerman Law
Zuckerman Law is an employment law firm serving clients in the Washington, D.C. area. Prospective clients can contact the firm to learn more about how it approaches separation agreements.
5. James H. Shoemaker / Patten, Wornom, Hatten & Diamonstein, L.C.
Patten, Wornom, Hatten & Diamonstein is a Virginia law firm, and James H. Shoemaker is an attorney associated with its employment work. Employees in Virginia may want to ask the firm whether it can assist with their severance questions.
Can you negotiate a better severance package?
Often, yes. Employers expect some back-and-forth, particularly when an employee has potential legal claims, long tenure, or knowledge the company wants protected. A common starting point many employers use is one to two weeks of pay per year of service, though there is no legal standard and packages vary widely by industry and seniority.
Terms other than the dollar amount are frequently easier to change. Employees commonly negotiate extended health insurance subsidies, a neutral reference, a later separation date that allows benefits to vest, or narrower restrictions on future employment.
Do DMV noncompete laws affect severance agreements?
They can. Each jurisdiction in the DMV restricts noncompetes differently. The District of Columbia bans noncompete agreements for employees earning below a salary threshold set above $150,000 and adjusted annually. Maryland prohibits them for workers earning 150 percent of the state minimum wage or less, and Virginia bars them for employees classified as low-wage under state law. If your severance agreement adds or extends a noncompete, it is worth checking whether that clause is even enforceable where you work.
What to Keep in Mind Before You Sign
A severance agreement is usually the last document you sign with an employer, and it can permanently close off claims you did not know you had. Read the release closely, note every deadline, and ask questions about anything that seems vague. Having an attorney review the terms before the deadline passes gives you the clearest picture of what you are accepting and what you might still ask for. If you have received a separation offer in D.C., Maryland, or Virginia, contact Mundaca Law to schedule a review before you sign.
Attorney advertising. The order of firms on this list does not reflect a ranking of quality, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This content is general information, not legal advice.
