Employment Claims

The provision of advice and representation to employers or employees in relation to the bringing of or defending claims before the Employment Tribunal for unfair or wrongful dismissal.

  • We may charge anything between £4,000 and £10,000 on average for this work.
  • It is important to understand that this estimate is just an average price based on recent instructions;  the actual cost to you will depend on a number of factors which we will discuss with you if you decide to instruct us as each case is different..
  • The charge is based on our average hourly charging-rate of £210.00 plus VAT per hour, which will vary depending on the issues and experience of the fee earner involved.
  • There may be payments to others (sometimes called disbursements) in addition to our charges..   These are fees and charges we will need to pay on your behalf as part of the process, such as counsel’s fees, expert witness fees. .Other payments are likely to vary to a significant degree depending on the nature and complexity of each individual case.
  • Depending on the outcome of the hearing, in normal cases the expectation is that the losing party will pay the majority of the other party’s costs.   However, this may not be possible and if not, you will remain liable for any outstanding costs and charges incurred on your behalf.
  • Our fees are given on the assumption that there are no other claims (eg discrimination) involved in your case, which may have the affect of increasing the time involved, and thus, the cost.
  • In some circumstances you may have other sources from which you could claim back a;ll or part of the costs, you incur eg an insurance policy, a trade organisation  or from a trade union.   We will check this with you if you decide to instruct us.

What are the stages involved in a claim?

We understand the stress and urgency involved in dealing with employment matters.   The work we will carry out will involve:-

  • Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on merits and likely compensation (this is likely to be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change)
  • Entering into pre-claim conciliation where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached;
  • Preparing claim or response
  • Reviewing and advising on claim or response from other party
  • Exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process
  • Preparing or considering a schedule of loss
  • Preparing for (and attending) a Preliminary Hearing
  • Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents
  • Taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses
  • Preparing bundle of documents
  • Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements
  • Agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list
  • Preparation and attendance at Final Hearing, including instructions to Counsel

There are various factors that could make a case more complex and therefore increase the costs involved including:-:

  • If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide further information about an existing claim
  • Defending claims that are brought by litigants in person
  • Making or defending a costs application
  • Complex preliminary issues such as whether the claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties)
  • The number of witnesses and documents
  • If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim e.g. if you are dismissed after blowing the whistle on your employer
  • Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Barristers and other experts.. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Counsel’s fees estimated between £1,500 to £2,500 per day (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation)

Obviously, our fees do not include any external costs and charges that may be incurred as part of the process (eg. damages, fines, penalties or other liabilities).   You will also be responsible for these items.

Who will deal with my case?

Our employment law team is made up of Solicitors, Chartered Legal Executives and Legal Assistants who are experienced in dealing with claims arising from employment and well qualified to help guide you through what can be a very stressful process and provide you with the support you need from start to finish.

What if something goes wrong?

If there is a problem you should contact the person who is dealing with your matter as soon as possible with details of your concern. If it is not possible to resolve the matter quickly and informally we have a complaints handling procedure which you can read here.