LLPs - Expulsions, Retirements & Forced Exits. Presented by Jeremy Callman

LLPs: Expulsions, Retirements and Forced Exits

A Live Online Course presented by Jeremy Callman  (2 hours)

LLP exits are some of the most sensitive and combustible issues professional firms ever face. This intensive 2‑hour live online course explores, in practical detail, how LLPs and their members should handle voluntary retirements, expulsions and forced exits — and what happens when things go wrong. Using recent case law and real‑world scenarios, we will examine why exits become contentious, how expulsion and compulsory retirement powers are meant to work, and how they are often misused.

Across the session we will look at the full lifecycle of an exit: from voluntary retirement and “waiting room” clauses, through the drafting and operation of expulsion provisions, to the growing reliance on compulsory retirement as the weapon of choice for many firms. We will consider cultural flashpoints such as underperformance, team moves, bullying and harassment, and loss of trust, and how these play out in LLP disputes. The course will also cover remedies and strategy — injunctions, damages, negotiated exits, and managing regulatory and reputational risk — with practical guidance for those advising both the firm and the exiting member.

By the end of the course, you will be better equipped to stress‑test proposed exits, design and document defensible processes, and redraft key provisions so that they are robust in law without paralysing management in practice.

Prices: £199 + VAT for the first delegate. This is a per organisation price, so you and up to 10 of your colleagues from the same organisation can participate at absolutely no extra charge, even if they are viewing it from a different location or at a different time. So, for example, if there are 11 of you, the cost per delegate would be just £18.09 each.

For smaller firms with 4 or less partners, the price is £99, which is for a single place with no additional free places

The course will cover the following topics: 

Voluntary retirement

• What is it?
• Is there an inherent right to retire?
• Waiting room clauses and accounting year end provisions
• Once given can a notice of retirement be withdrawn?
• What happens if the outgoing partner ignores a required retirement notice period?

Why LLP Exits are contentious and what leads to exits?

• Team moves and individual commercial offers
• Restructuring, underperformance and capital pressure
• Cultural and interpersonal breakdowns and loss of trust in professional firms
• The role of sexual harassment and bullying issues
• How do exits typically end up and how do they get there?

Expulsion Clauses: Power, Process and Judicial Control

• Typical expulsion provisions in LLP agreements
• Making out the grounds
• Recent case law on grave, serious and persistent breach and on serious adverse effect on the business
• Procedural requirements: notice, hearings and votes
• The role of natural justice
• Collateral purpose and bad faith
• Fiduciary obligations between members?
• The role of rationality and Braganza duties
• “Absolute” discretion clauses — how courts approach them
• When compliance on paper is not enough
• Recent judicial trends on construction and abuse of power

Compulsory Retirements: The weapon of choice for many firms?

• Compulsory retirement vs expulsion
• Do you need to have reasons? Do you give reasons?
• How should the firm use these powers?
• How can individuals challenge their (mis)use?
• Age-related retirements and discrimination risk
• Red flags advisers should spot

Challenging and Defending Exits: Remedies and Strategy

• Injunctions and interim relief — when they work
• What is the remedy? Invalidity and reinstatement or damages? A mixture of both?
• How would one approach a damages claim?
• Tactical choices: litigation vs negotiated exit
• Managing reputational and regulatory exposure

Advising in Practice: Getting It Right Before It Explodes

• Stress-testing an exit before it happens
• Designing defensible processes
• Documenting fairness (and being fair) without paralysing management
• Redrafting expulsion and retirement provisions
• Acting for:
  • the LLP
  • the exiting member
• Key tips and traps for the LLP and for the exiting member

Key Takeaways and Live Q&A

The course will be presented by Jeremy Callman. Jeremy is a member of Ten Old Square and is ranked as a “Star Individual” by Chambers UK Bar 2026 in Partnership, who describe him as: “simply the master of partnership law.”

Jeremy is top-ranked by Legal 500 2026 who say of him “Jeremy is the doyen of LLP and partnership law at the London Junior Bar. He has unrivalled knowledge of the law and is a master of strategy in contentious matters. A powerful and persuasive advocate who commands the respect and attention of the court, and a careful and concise draftsman.”

He regularly advises management on internal issues within partnerships/LLPs (including partner exits, team moves and restructuring). He represents both firms and individual partners and additionally regularly advises on non-contentious partnership matters.

He is Co-author of “LLP and Partnership Law: A Legal and Practical Guide” published by LexisNexis in 2024.

Important Notes about Booking

1. If you don't have the complete list of who will be attending you can book for those that you know will be attending and add the others at a later date.

2. Please ensure that, when booking, you get colleagues' email addresses entirely correct as failure to do so will probably mean that they will not receive joining instructions and will not be able to attend the event. We are not responsible for the failure of the receipt of joining instructions, nor for the resulting non-attendance, where this is down to incorrect email addresses being inputted by the person booking the places.

3. Payment can be made by credit or debit card or alternatively by invoice. The option to pay by invoice is below the pay by card option in the booking form.


The Legal Training Consultancy

The Legal Training Consultancy is a full-service training consultancy with a large portfolio of in-house courses and trainers. You can find out more here: www.legaltrainingconsultancy.co.uk. We have been responsible for putting together a vast number of law and tax related conferences, webinars, seminars, videos and e-learning modules. Altogether more than 2200.