Dr. Felix Brandt · Dr. Brandt Employment LawReceived notice of dismissal? You have three weeks. Let's use them.

• 01Unfair dismissal claims

  Review of the dismissal for form, notice period, social selection and works council consultation. Filing at the labour court within the three-week deadline under § 4 KSchG and representation at the conciliation and main hearings.

• 02Severance and termination agreements

  Negotiating severance, garden leave, remaining holiday and the reference. Before you sign a termination agreement we also check the effects on your unemployment benefit.

• 03Employment contracts and changes

  Review before you sign: pay, working time, non-compete clauses, repayment clauses and transfer provisions, explained in plain language.

• 04Warnings and job references

  We check whether a warning is justified and whether a written reply makes sense. With references we look out for wording that says more between the lines.

• 05Advice for works councils

  Co-determination on working time, monitoring technology and staff planning, consultation on dismissals and ongoing support for the council. The employer bears the necessary costs (§ 40 BetrVG); advice as an expert requires a prior agreement with the employer (§ 80 Abs. 3 BetrVG).

• 06Works agreements and conciliation board

  Drafting and negotiating works agreements, reconciliation of interests and social plans in restructurings, and representation before the conciliation board.

• Received a dismissal

  Note the deadline, sign nothing, book an appointment.

• Offered a termination agreement

  Clarify benefit suspension, severance and reference first.

• Formal warning

  Check whether it is justified before it becomes the basis for a dismissal.

• Overtime and pay

  Watch for forfeiture clauses in the contract and keep records.

• Parental leave and return

  Special dismissal protection, right to part-time and returning to your job.

• Restructuring at work

  Rights of the works council and staff when operations change.

1. 1Step 1

   First consultation

   We review the dismissal or contract, calculate the deadline and discuss your goals. Bring your employment contract, recent payslips and the dismissal letter.

2. 2Step 2

   Coverage and strategy

   We send the coverage request to your legal expenses insurer and decide whether to sue, negotiate or do both in parallel.

3. 3Step 3

   Conciliation hearing

   The labour court first schedules a conciliation hearing. Many cases end here with a settlement that we work through with you beforehand.

4. 4Step 4

   Conclusion

   After a settlement or judgment we take care of payment, the reference and employment documents and settle accounts with the insurer.

• „I had an appointment the day after my dismissal. Dr. Brandt calmly explained my options and contacted my legal expenses insurer right away.“

• „Clear words instead of promises. Before every step I knew what it would cost and what was realistic.“

• „For our council the firm is a reliable point of contact. The training is practical, and questions are answered quickly and clearly.“

• „Ms Lorenz reviewed my new employment contract before I signed. Two clauses were changed afterwards, and it was worth it.“

• „Very well prepared for the conciliation hearing. It was sometimes hard to get through by phone at lunchtime, but call-backs came reliably.“

About these reviews: the quotes come from public reviews on the platforms named and are shown with their authors’ consent. We do not check whether every review was written by someone who actually used our services.

I have been dismissed. What do I need to do now?

Note the date you received the dismissal. An unfair dismissal claim must reach the labour court within three weeks of receipt (§ 4 KSchG); otherwise the dismissal is usually deemed valid. Also register as a jobseeker with the Agentur für Arbeit straight away.

Am I entitled to severance pay?

There is no general statutory entitlement. Exceptions include a severance offer under § 1a KSchG or a social plan. In practice, severance is usually negotiated in a settlement; the amount depends on length of service, salary and the prospects of the claim.

Should I sign the termination agreement?

Not without a review. If you take part in ending the employment yourself, you risk a suspension of unemployment benefit of up to twelve weeks (§ 159 SGB III). You also lose dismissal protection. Ask for time and have the agreement reviewed first.

Who pays my lawyer at the labour court?

In the first instance each side pays its own, regardless of the outcome (§ 12a ArbGG). Legal expenses insurance with employment cover usually pays if the policy existed before the dispute and any waiting period has expired. On a low income, legal aid (Prozesskostenhilfe) may be available.

How do labour court proceedings work?

After the claim is filed there is first a conciliation hearing before the presiding judge. If no settlement is reached, a main hearing follows later before a chamber that includes lay judges from the employee and employer side.

Do you also advise employers?

No. We exclusively represent employees and works councils. We are happy to name colleagues who advise employers.