Complex TUPE process moving people from multiple legal entities into a single company.
The Situation
This global professional services firm had grown rapidly through acquisition and was operating through multiple legal entities. As part of a strategic integration programme, the business made the decision to consolidate key parts of the operation into a single UK entity — including client contracts and the employees supporting them.
Because client work was moving between legal entities, TUPE regulations applied — requiring the business to formally transfer affected employees to the central organisation.
At the same time, the client chose to use this transition as an opportunity to roll out a new, standardised set of employment terms and conditions across the company — a bold and complex undertaking under TUPE rules.
- Client
Global Legal Services & eDiscovery Firm - Industry
- Professional Services / Legal Tech.
- Services Provided
- TUPE planning, contract transition, end-to-end consultation delivery.
- Duration
- 4 months
- Team Deployed
- 3 Consultants, 2 Administrators, 1 Director.
The Challenge
The project was made significantly more complex by three key factors:
TUPE legal boundaries: While the new terms were largely improvements, TUPE prohibits changes to terms that are linked to the transfer itself. The process needed to be tightly planned and carefully executed to remain compliant.
Contractual variation: Each legacy entity had different contract types and terms. There was no single “standard contract” to use as a baseline.
Highly detail-oriented employees: Many of the affected staff were lawyers — experts in contractual nuance — which led to unusually high levels of scrutiny, engagement and negotiation.
Our Solution
The client fully outsourced the delivery of this transition to us — from strategic planning through to employee transfer.
Our support included:
- End-to-end process design and timeline planning
- Leading collective consultation, acting as the delivery arm for stakeholder engagement and resolution tracking
- Drafting new employment contracts, tailored and approved by the client’s legal team
- One-to-one contract comparisons across legacy and new terms (not templated), due to variation across entities
- Individual consultation meetings, scheduled, led, and documented by our team
- Contract issuance, signature tracking, and follow-up
- Support with payroll transitions, data migration and admin wrap-up
Our delivery team acted as a seamless extension of the client — guiding them through the complex web of TUPE, cultural sensitivity, and legal scrutiny.
The Outcome
All employees successfully transferred to the new UK entity on schedule, with new contracts in place and full compliance with TUPE regulations. Despite the complexity of the project, there were no process delays, and all employee engagement was managed professionally and respectfully.
Why It Worked
Deep TUPE expertise combined with contract fluency
Structured, controlled documentation across all stages
Confidence in delivery, allowing the client to stay focused on broader transformation efforts
A delivery team trusted to represent the client with care, professionalism, and rigour — even with an audience of legal professionals.
What You Get With Us
Practical Planning
Real-world planning for TUPE, redundancy, or integration. Detailed plans so you know exactly what needs to happen and by when.
Experienced Team
Qualified HR professionals who don’t just know the theory, they know the real life challenges that change presents.
Honest, Clear Advice
You know your business and your team. We’re here to provide honest, clear advice on how to deliver the change in the most efficient way.
Clarity first. Then execution.
Sometimes the hardest part is figuring out where to start. We’ll help you build a plan that’s credible, deliverable, and right for your business – then, if you want, we’ll help you make it happen.
