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Thank you for looking at our services for Employment Law. We regularly advise employees on Employment Tribunal claims, Settlement Agreements and all other aspects of employment disputes. Our clients include everyone from directors and senior executives through to entry-level workers.
As an employee, you have rights under the law that employers must respect. If you believe you have been unfairly dismissed from your job, getting the right legal advice as soon as possible is vital. This will allow you to get a clear picture of whether you have grounds for a claim and what compensation you may be entitled to.
Our employment solicitors offer clear advice and practical support to help you secure the best available outcome as quickly and simply as possible. We aim to be completely transparent about our pricing, so you can be confident our fees are fair and you are getting good value for money.
Why Us
Our expert team has years of experience, so have almost certainly dealt with similar situations to the one you are facing many times. We will explore all the options available to you, helping you determine a course of action that fits your circumstances and personal priorities.
We know that value for money and overall costs really matter when pursuing an employment claim, so will provide you with a range of estimates and keep you updated on costs at all times. This way, you can be confident we are handling matters for you in a cost effective and efficient way.
If you decide to make an employment tribunal claim, we can offer strong experience in handling Employment Tribunal proceedings and appeals. Our team can provide the robust arguments, skilled judgment and lateral thinking to prepare your case and achieve the best available outcome.
Whether you wish to settle a claim or fight it at tribunal we will advise you on the best strategy for you and any additional fees involved.
We are proud to hold the Lexcel Accreditation issued by the Law Society. This involves the firm undergoing a rigorous audit process which ensures we maintain the highest levels of client care.
Pricing
In cases that proceed to a full hearing at a tribunal for unfair dismissal, our anticipated costs involved are likely to be in the region of £5,000 - £9,000 + VAT, but costs will exceed this should your claim involve additional complex aspects of discrimination or whistle-blowing.
It is not possible to put a definitive figure on the costs as each case depends on its individual circumstances such as the complexity of the issues, the volume of documentation and witness evidence. Such issues will naturally impact the length of a final hearing too. Should you wish to instruct an independent barrister specialising in employment law to represent you during the final hearing, this cost will be additional and be subject to seniority of the barrister and the length of the final hearing itself.
The costs will include all work done to draft your initial claim, respond to a response from your employer, or former employer, advising you of the risks and strategies on your case, corresponding with your opponent and the tribunal, preparing witness statements, dealing with disclosure issues, requesting any relevant expert reports such as medical reports and preparing for and presenting your case to the tribunal.
We charge for our work on an hourly rate basis. The hourly rate is currently between £220 + VAT per hour and £240 + VAT per hour depending on the level and experience of solicitor you wish to instruct. The costs are higher for more senior and experienced solicitors.
Before you are able to issue any Employment Tribunal proceedings you are required to exhaust the mandatory Early Conciliation with ACAS . The purpose of this requirement is to attempt to resolve the matter without the need to issue proceedings or without the need of the final hearing. We charge a fixed fee for Early Conciliation. That fixed fee is between £500 + VAT and £600 + VAT depending on the seniority and experience of the solicitor who deals with this on your behalf.
Timescales
The time to deal with your case depends on a number of factors. One is the availability of the tribunal and how quickly the case can be listed. A typical case is usually listed before a tribunal for a final hearing within 12 months. It can be longer or shorter than this depending on the availability of the tribunal and any witnesses. Once the claim has been issued at the tribunal, this will be sent to the Respondent(s), who will be required to provide their response within 28 days. The tribunal will then provide us with a copy of the response as soon as it is able to.
For complex claims, or those which involve aspects of discrimination or whistle-blowing (for example) a Preliminary Hearing is listed with the purpose of identifying the legal issues to be determined at the final hearing, to set case management orders and to list the final hearing. Case management orders will include a date to disclose your schedule of loss, a date to mutually disclose all relevant documentation each party intends to rely upon to assist the tribunal in reaching its decision, as well as a date whereby the parties must simultaneously disclose their witness statements.
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties and are payable in addition to our legal fees.
For example, the cost of instructing a barrister to conduct the advocacy at the final hearing. The disbursement associated with instructing a barrister, depending on the seniority of the barrister and the length of the final hearing, or the cost of requesting a medical report from your GP.
As the law currently stands there are no tribunal fees to pay to bring an employment claim, or for the claim to be heard.
Exclusions and Factors Which May Make a Case More Complex
In the event that the issues become more complex, we will make sure you are informed of this at the earliest opportunity and a clear estimate of those extra costs will be provided.
Factors that may lead to an increase in cost include:
- If it is necessary to make an application to amend your claim or to provide further information about an existing claim
- Making or defending a costs application
- Complex preliminary issues such as whether you have a disability (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
- If there are allegations of discrimination linked to the dismissal
Key Milestones
There are key milestones, which may vary according to individual circumstances. They may be as follows:
- 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 the mandatory Early Conciliation with ACAS where the possibility of settlement is explored;
- Preparing your claim
- Reviewing and advising on the 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, or instructing a barrister.
