October 27, 2025
California Severance Negotiation After Layoffs: What to Know Before You Sign
If you were just laid off, you may still be trying to process what happened. One day you were part of a corporate team, and the next you were told…
Severance Agreements
Provides guidance for California employees reviewing or negotiating severance agreements, including key legal terms, employee rights, and risks of signing without legal advice.
October 23, 2025
Executive Severance Negotiation Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Executives often underestimate how costly executive severance negotiation mistakes can be when exiting a California company. Understanding where these mistakes occur, and how to avoid them, is critical to protecting…
October 22, 2025
Non-Negotiable Severance in California: 5 Myths Dispelled by a Lawyer
If you’ve just been handed a severance agreement, there’s a good chance HR made it sound like you need to sign quickly or risk losing everything. Maybe they called it…
October 17, 2025
How to Maximize Your Severance Offer in California: Tips from a Lawyer
The moment you are handed a severance package can stop you in your tracks. One minute you are processing the shock of losing your job, the next you are staring…
September 29, 2025
Negotiated Exits for Executives in California: How to Secure a Smart Departure
I’m Matt Ruggles. I’ve been practicing employment law in California for over 30 years, and I’ve helped executives negotiate every kind of severance you can imagine. One of the smartest…
September 26, 2025
How to Negotiate an Executive Severance Package: Real Case Study of Success
You might be wondering how to negotiate an executive severance package from the perspective an an experienced California employment lawyer. The truth is, success comes down to strategy, timing, and…
August 29, 2025
California Severance Agreement: Why You Must Act Fast and Hire a Lawyer
The number one mistake California employees make with a severance agreement offer happens before the negotiation even starts: unsure how to proceed, the terminated employee waits too long, and then…
August 8, 2025
How to Negotiate Severance in California’s Tech Industry
How to Negotiate a Severance Agreement in California’s Technology Industry Severance agreements are nothing new in California’s technology industry, but they’re more common than ever, especially in the wake of…
July 21, 2025
How to Negotiate Executive Severance Agreement Terms
One of the most common situations I encounter is the often abrupt departure of a senior executive, someone who’s spent years driving growth, leading teams, and delivering results. When that…
July 13, 2025
How to Negotiate Severance Like an Employment Lawyer
Most employees have no idea how to negotiate an increase in their severance offer. Like everything else in life, experience makes a big difference. And when you’re negotiating a severance…