Team Moves In The Financial Sector: A Practical Timeline

Team moves rarely announce themselves in advance. In many cases, by the time the business realises what is happening, momentum is already building. The purpose of this guide is not to explore the law, but to set out practical steps organisations can take, in sequence, to reduce risk, protect clients and avoid costly missteps.

1. Before: setting the foundations

Get restrictive covenants (and other provisions) into a defensible state

While detailed legal drafting is outside the scope of this guide, businesses should periodically check whether their covenants still make commercial sense. Overly aggressive restrictions may feel reassuring, but they are harder to defend later. What matters in practice is being able to explain why the restrictions exist, who they apply to, and why their length and scope differ between roles. Documenting this thinking at the time is invaluable if decisions are scrutinised down the line.