Reconstruct the record
We assemble the timeline, communications, and documents that reveal the real reason for the dismissal — and the pretext offered in its place.
Practice · 02
Wrongful & Constructive Termination
Some dismissals are simply unlawful — and some resignations are dismissals in everything but name. When an employer forces you out, the law provides remedies, and we pursue them.
The Mandate
What we are engaged to do.
We move quickly to preserve evidence and protect your position, then decide — with you — whether the matter is best resolved through a quiet negotiation or a filing. Either way, the objective is a result that restores what you were owed and safeguards how your departure is remembered.
Speak with a partnerThe Problem
What is really at stake.
You were terminated in breach of your agreement, in retaliation for protected conduct, or in violation of public policy — or the conditions became so untenable that leaving was your only option. Employers count on the fact that most people will not push back.
If You Do Nothing
- A damaged reputation and a gap that follows you into your next search.
- Lost compensation, equity, and benefits you were contractually promised.
- A narrative — written by your former employer — that goes unchallenged.
- A short legal window that closes if you wait too long to act.
Our Approach
How we build the position.
Frame the exposure
We identify every viable claim, from contract breach to retaliation, and make the cost of the employer's position clear to them.
Resolve or litigate
We pursue a confidential resolution where it serves you, and we are prepared, credibly, to try the matter where it does not.
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We build the strongest possible position first — so that the great majority of matters resolve favorably, and quietly, without ever reaching a courtroom.
The Mercer & Beekman approach
Representative Outcomes
Results in this practice.
Reinstated
Wrongful termination
Reversal of a retaliatory dismissal for a division president, with back pay and restored board standing.
$5.4M
Constructive discharge
Resolution for a senior executive forced out through a demotion and pay cut engineered to prompt resignation.
Full back pay
Breach of contract
Recovery of guaranteed compensation for a founder terminated ahead of a contractual cliff.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Matters described are illustrative and presented with client permission or in anonymized form.
A termination is wrongful when it breaches your contract, violates a statute (such as anti-discrimination or whistleblower law), or contravenes public policy. Not every unfair firing is unlawful — we assess quickly whether yours is actionable.
It occurs when an employer makes conditions so intolerable — through demotion, harassment, or a punitive change in terms — that a reasonable person would feel compelled to resign. The law can treat that resignation as a firing.
Deadlines vary by claim and jurisdiction, and some are short. It is best to speak with a partner promptly so no remedy is lost to the clock.
Confidential Consultation
A conversation, in complete confidence.
Tell us, in a sentence or two, what you are facing. A partner will respond personally, typically within one business day. Everything you share is privileged.