Document:

<PAGE>   1
EXHIBIT 10.20

                             CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT

between

PAREXEL GmbH
Independent Pharmaceutical Research Organization
Klinikum Westend, Haus 18
Spandauer Damm 130

14050 Berlin

represented by the sole shareholder PAREXEL Unternehmensbeteiligung GmbH,
represented by its managers Joe von Rickenbach and Prof. Dr. med. Werner M.
Herrmann

-  hereinafter referred to as "company" -

and

Dr. Ulf Schneider
Furkastr. 55b

12107 Berlin

-  hereinafter referred to as "manager" -

SS. 1 TASKS AND DUTIES

(1)      By virtue of resolution adopted by the shareholders' meeting on
         04.01.96 Dr. Ulf Schneider is appointed as a further manager of the
         company taking immediate effect. He shall represent the company alone
         and may conclude legal transactions with himself or as representative
         of third parties.

(2)      The manager shall be responsible for the business and administrative
         area of the company. He shall be obliged to co-ordinate his work in
         this area with the other managers.

(3)      The managing director shall conduct the business of the company with
         the diligence of a prudent businessman and in accordance with the law,
         the company agreement, this contract, in accordance with the rules of
         procedure issued for the management and with any instructions issued to
         him by the shareholders' meeting.

(4)      By virtue of his function the manager is at the same time Corporate
         Vice President and Member of the Executive Committee of PAREXEL
         International Corporation. The manager shall place his entire working
         capacity at the services of the company. He shall not be bound to
         specific working hours and shall be at liberty to select his means

<PAGE>   2

         of work. The shareholder's consent shall be required for any side line
         carried on for profit.

SS. 2      SCOPE OF MANAGER'S AUTHORITY

(1)      The manager's authority shall extend to all activities associated with
         the normal running of the company. The manager shall require the
         approval of the shareholder for any of the following acts - even if
         they are part of normal business in individual cases:

         a)       the actual relocation of administrative centres, the sale of
                  main parts (assets) of the company, the establishment or
                  relinquishment of branches, the foundation, acquisition or
                  sale of other companies or participation in such; the
                  inclusion and/or relinquishment of existing areas of activity;

         b)       the acquisition, sale or encumbrance of plots of land or
                  similar rights to plots of land;

         c)       the conclusion, termination or amendment of company contracts;

         d)       the conclusion, termination or amendment of contracts on the
                  acquisition or sale of copyrights, commercial protective
                  rights, licences, know-how or related rights insofar as in
                  each individual case the term of the contract exceeds two
                  years and the total anticipated burden exceeds DM 120,000.00
                  or the monthly payment by the company exceeds DM 10,000.00;

         e)       fixed investments insofar as they exceed DM 50,000.00 in each
                  individual case;

         f)       the conclusion, termination or amendment of rental or lease
                  agreements insofar as in each individual case the term of the
                  contract exceeds two years and the total anticipated burden
                  exceeds DM 120,000.00 or the monthly payment by the company
                  exceeds DM 10,000.00;

         g)       the conclusion, termination or amendment of contracts of
                  employment with employees (salaried and freelance employees)
                  earning a monthly remuneration in excess of DM 10,000.00 or a
                  fixed annual remuneration in excess of DM 120,000.00 unless
                  this is an amendment to existing contracts of no more than 5%
                  of the annual remuneration paid up to this point as well as
                  the appointment of the spouse or such persons with whom the
                  manager is related by blood or marriage as well as the
                  agreement of a company pension scheme or the commitment to
                  pension payments;

         h)       the granting of full commercial powers of attorney (Prokura)
                  and general powers of attorney;

         i)       the entering into of bill commitments, the assumption of
                  guarantee commitments as well as the submission of guarantee
                  bonds insofar as these are not necessary during the usual
                  course of business for a specific business operation;
<PAGE>   3

         j)       the availment or granting of loans or the alteration of credit
                  lines insofar as in excess of an amount of DM 50,000.00 in
                  each individual case or if the loans are to be made to the
                  manager, spouse or persons related to him by blood or
                  marriage.

(2)      The approval required pursuant to the above mentioned paragraph shall
         not be necessary if the respective measure has been earmarked in the
         respective annual budget or its volume is contained in this budget.

(3)      The approval required pursuant to the above mentioned paragraph 1 shall
         be deemed to have been given if the respective legal transaction has
         been co-signed or an approval is available according to the Policies &
         Procedures of the company in the version which was valid and known at
         the time the legal transaction was made.

(4)      If the approval required pursuant to the above mentioned paragraph
         cannot be obtained by the manager in urgent cases, he shall be entitled
         to also act without this approval. However, he must advise the
         shareholders forthwith of the business requiring approval and the
         reason for urgency.

SS. 3      DURATION OF CONTRACT

(1)      This contract shall start on 1.6.1996 and shall be concluded for an
         indefinite period of time.

(2)      It shall be possible for the contractual relationship to be terminated
         by both parties giving a period of notice of 6 months to the end of a
         month.

(3)      Notice shall be required in writing to be effective and must be
         substantiated if given by the company. The revocation of an appointment
         to manager shall constitute neither notice of termination nor shall it
         constitute good reason to terminate.

(4)      The right of exceptional dismissal for good reason shall remain
         unaffected.

(5)      If the contract of employment is terminated by the company the manager
         shall receive a settlement amounting to the average monthly emoluments
         including share in profits (ss. 4 (1) and (2)) of the monthly average
         over the past 24 months (monthly average) per year of service and a
         minimum of 6 times and a maximum of 12 times said average. This shall
         not apply insofar as the contract of employment has been terminated for
         reasons for which the manager is responsible which justify dismissal
         without notice. The company must provide evidence in respect of
         sentence 2.

(6)      In calculating the entire period of service pursuant to paragraph 5
         sentence 1 it must be considered that employment with the company
         started on 13.8.1990 and has continued uninterrupted since this date.

(7)      The contractual relationship shall end, without the necessity to give
         notice, at the end of the year in which the manager has his 65th
         birthday. Any extension of contract beyond this period shall require a
         special written agreement.

<PAGE>   4

SS. 4    EMOLUMENTS

(1)      Basic salary

         (a)      The manager shall receive a fixed annual salary of DM
                  200,000.00, payable in twelve equal instalments, at the end of
                  the month plus the employer's contributions (statutory
                  pension, health and unemployment insurance etc.), starting in
                  June 1996.

         (b)      The manager shall receive an amount of DM 10,000.00, payable
                  in four equal instalments, at the end of the month following
                  the respective quarter insofar as the European result
                  ("operating income") does not fall 50% below the budgeted
                  value.

(2)      In addition the manager shall receive a share in profits in the form
         of a BONUS. The bonus shall amount to 30% of the basic salary:

         (a)      50% (DM 31,500.00) depending on the achievement of the
                  budgeted targets for phase I; more detailed criteria are still
                  to be specified and shall continue to apply until new targets
                  are agreed;

         (b)      50% (DM 31,500.00) depending on the achievement of the
                  budgeted targets for G&A; more detailed criteria are still to
                  be specified and shall continue to apply until new targets are
                  agreed.

         The bonus shall be granted at the latest at the end of the fourth month
         after the end of each financial year of the company. Advance payments
         per quarter shall be made insofar as this is provided for by the
         company's bonus programme.

(3)      If the manager leaves during the current business year he shall be
         entitled to a pro rata temporis bonus. The entitlement to a share in
         profits shall be due at the end of the employment relationship with the
         company. Insofar as a pro rata temporis bonus cannot be determined at
         this time an advance payment is to be paid amounting to the bonus of
         the previous year.

(4)      There shall be no entitlement to payment for overtime, work on Sundays,
         public holidays and other extra time.

(5)      The salary of the manager shall be reviewed by the shareholders once a
         year within the first three months of the respective financial year.

SS. 5    OTHER EMOLUMENTS

(1)      The manager shall be provided with a mid-range company car for
         professional and private use. If the manager does not use a company car
         he shall be given a lump sum of DM 1,500.00 per month for the use of
         his private car starting in June 1996.

(2)      Instead of a company pension commitment the manager shall receive an
         amount of DM 1,500.00 per month for life insurance starting in June
         1996. The amount of DM 1,500.00 shall be adjusted on an annual basis in
         accordance with the development of

<PAGE>   5

         the cost of living index for a 4-person employee household with
         average income (1991 = 100).

SS. 6      EMOLUMENTS IN THE CASE OF ILLNESS, ACCIDENT, DEATH

(1)      In the case of illness or other prevention for which the manager is not
         responsible the right to the payment of salary shall remain in effect
         for a period of 6 months.

(2)      If the manager dies during his contract of employment the widow or the
         descendants, the minors or offspring still in education of the manager,
         insofar as he was liable to pay for their maintenance at the time of
         his death, shall receive the full emoluments for the month in which he
         died and for six months thereafter.

SS. 7      HOLIDAY

(1)      The manager shall be entitled to holiday amounting to 30 working days
         per calendar year based on the 5-day week.

(2)      There shall be a pro rata temporis holiday entitlement for the year he
         leaves the company.

(3)      The same regulations shall otherwise apply to the manager's holiday as
         for the remaining employees of the company.

SS. 8      CONFIDENTIALITY AND BUSINESS DOCUMENTS

(1)      The manager shall undertake to maintain secrecy on all confidential
         matters and procedures, in particular business and operational secrets,
         to which he becomes privy in the company. This obligation shall exist
         for five years following the end of his employment relationship with
         the company. It shall not apply to those facts which are or will
         otherwise become available to third parties.

(2)      By virtue of a separate declaration, the manager has undertaken to
         observe data secrecy with respect to personal data.

(3)      At the end of his employment relationship with the company the manager
         must return without request all documents referring to the affairs of
         the company. The assertion of a right to retain such documents shall be
         precluded.

SS. 9      SERVICE INVENTIONS

The provisions of the German law on employee inventions dated 23.07.1957
(Federal Law Gazette I 1957, p. 756 in the applicable version) as well as the
directives on the remuneration of employee inventions in the private service
issued in this respect shall apply.

SS. 10   COMPETITION BAN

<PAGE>   6

(1)      For the duration of the employment relationship as well as at the end
         of the employment relationship for the period the manager continues to
         receive emoluments pursuant to ss. 3 (5) and (6), the manager shall
         refrain from any activity which competes with the company or with one
         of its associated companies directly or indirectly. The manager shall
         undertake in particular to refrain from working or serving a rival
         company, from concluding a consultant's agreement with them, from
         either establishing or acquiring a rival company or participating in
         such an enterprise directly or indirectly. He shall furthermore be
         forbidden to establish a rival company.

(2)      The above commitment shall not apply to participation in companies
         listed on the stock exchange insofar as this does not contradict
         internal regulations.

(3)      The manager shall be obliged to pay compensation in the event that he
         infringes this ban on competition.

SS. 11   TERM OF PRECLUSION

(1)      All mutual claims arising from the employment relationship and those
         which are connected with the employment relationship shall expire if
         they are not asserted in writing within three months of their
         respective due date vis-a-vis the other contracting party.

(2)      If the other party refuses to satisfy the claim or if it does not make
         the respective statement in writing within one month of being requested
         so to do, the claim shall be forfeited if it is not asserted in court
         within one month of receiving the refusal or within a further month of
         making the demand.

SS. 12   FINAL CLAUSES

(1)      In the event of one provision of this contract being or becoming
         ineffective in whole or in part or losing its legal effect, this shall
         not affect the validity of the remaining provisions. Insofar as
         admissible, another appropriate provision shall replace the ineffective
         provision which comes as close in economic terms to that which the
         contracting parties wanted or would have wanted had they considered the
         ineffectiveness or nullity of the provision in question.

(2)      Amendments and supplements to this contract, including this written
         form clause, shall be required in writing.

(3)      Berlin shall be agreed as place of performance and - insofar as
         admissible - as venue.

(4)      It is hereby confirmed that agreements outside this contract have not
         been made.

Berlin, 30 August 1996

<PAGE>   7

PAREXEL Unternehmensbeteiligung GmbH         Manager

/s/Werner M. Herrmann                        /s/ Ulf Schneider
------------------------------------       -------------------------------------
Prof. Dr. Werner M. Herrmann                 Dr. Ulf Schneider
Manager

Approved for:

PAREXEL International

/s/Barry Philpott
-----------------------------------
Barry Philpott
President European Operations<PAGE>   1
                                                                   Exhibit 10.21

                                 P A R E X E L
                                 INTERNATIONAL

                                                        Mr. Ashley FOX
                                                        To:  Mrs. Paule DAPRES

                                                        PARIS, December 15, 1997

Dear Mrs. DAPRES,

On behalf of PAREXEL International France and our parent company, I am pleased
to confirm in writing the new position you have occupied in the group since
July, 1997.

Your new position is to handle the global management of clinical research
operations.

Your title is "Senior Vice President Research Operations Worldwide".

At the end of this assignment, which is for an unlimited term except in the
event of a serious or heavy fault on your part, your employer, PAREXEL France
International, will assign you a new mission (rank, remuneration) which is
equivalent at least to the duties entrusted to your prior to July, 1997.

For the sake of the due form, I would appreciate your returning the duplicate
of this letter to me, dated and signed.

in hand: good for approval                   (signature)
      (signature)                            Ashley FOX
                                             Manager

<PAGE>   2
                    ADDITIONAL CLAUSE TO EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT

BETWEEN:     Mrs. Paule DAPRES
             96, boulevard des Batignolles
             75017 PARIS

AND:         The PAREXEL France International Company
             124-126, rue de Provence
             75008 PARIS
             represented by its Co-Manager, Mr. Ashley FOX

PREAMBLE:

The PAREXEL International Group has expressed the need that Mrs. Paule DAPRES,
who is employed by PAREXEL France International, take on the responsibility for
the operations of clinical research, for all the group's structures.

This document sets forth the terms & conditions governing this new activity.

THE PARTIES HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

ARTICLE 1 -- OBJECT

In addition to her duties at PAREXEL France International, since June, 1997,
Mrs. Paule DAPRES has had the title of Senior Vice President Research
Operations Worldwide.

ARTICLE 2 -- PLACE, FREQUENCY AND TERM OF HER INTERVENTION

Mrs. Paule DAPRES may intervene in all the countries of the world.

Mrs. Paule DAPRES accepts unconditionally the travel which is necessary for the
performance of her duties.

This position is granted to her for an unlimited period.

ARTICLE 3 -- REMUNERATION

Each time she travels, Mrs. Paule DAPRES will be granted a bonus to compensate
for the constraints inherent in this new activity (time change, distant travel,
duration of travel, family & social life, ...).

Three levels of daily bonuses have been established, based on the territory to
which she travels:

     - Europe                     FRF 1,200
     - America                    FRF 1,900
     - Asia & Australia           FRF 2,400

<PAGE>   3
ARTICLE 4 -- DATE OF EFFECT

This additional clause comes into effect at January 1st, 1998.

Signed in Paris, on December 19, 1997

(signature)  in hand: Ashley N. Fox                        (signature)
PAREXEL France International                               Mrs. Paule DAPRES
Manager

Source: [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00015-of-00352.parquet"}, [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00015-of-00352.parquet"}]]