Employment Law.

In the testing economic climate we presently face, being assured of clear, high quality legal advice is essential.

Whether you are seeking advice as an employee or an employer, we will seek to devise a strategy to help you achieve your goal.

Our expertise – held at partnership level – enables us to deliver advice and assist you in a variety of matters, including:

  • Employment Tribunal representation and onward Court representation
  • TUPE
  • Equality & Diversity
  • Discrimination
  • Dismissal (Unfair, Wrongful & Constructive)
  • Redundancy
  • Employment Contracts
  • Compromise Agreements

Your case will be handled by a fully qualified solicitor.

We offer competitive fees for our representation at the Employment Tribunal and our fees vary depending on the complexities involved in your particular case. In some cases, we can offer a fixed fee. The pricing structure will be determined following a consultation between you and your lawyer, following an assessment of the service you require and the complexity of your case. These assessments will be discussed with you in full. Your case will be assessed as falling into 1 of 3 categories: Simple (Category 1), Medium Complexity (category 2), or High Complexity (Category 3). Our fees for bringing or defending a claim before the Employment Tribunal will generally be as follows:

Category 1 Fees

£4,000 – £7,000 (plus VAT)

Category 2 Fees

£7,000 – £10,000 (plus VAT)

Category 3 Fees

£10,000 – £20,000 (plus VAT)

Fixed Fees

If you require limited advice and assistance with only certain parts of your claim, such as where you wish to represent yourself in some parts of the claim, where you require assistance with commencing the claim only, or advice on drafting your response to a claim, or a Compromise/Settlement Agreement, then we may be able to offer a fixed fee. These will again vary depending on the complexity of the case and the particular nature of the advice/assistance required by you. Our fees range from £500 – £1,000 (plus VAT) for preparing an application to the Employment Tribunal, or a response to a claim.  If you the claim is already well progressed and you seek representation before the Tribunal, then we can offer a fixed fee to represent you at your Tribunal Hearing. This will again vary depending on the complexity of the matter, and will be in the region of £800 – £1,200 per day (plus VAT). To advise in connection with a Compromise/Settlement Agreement will attract a fixed fee of £250 – £300 (plus VAT).

All costs are subject to VAT at 20%.

The Basis of Our Charges and What is Included

The above costs are estimates, and are based on your case being handled at partnership level, by a Solicitor-Advocate, at an hourly rate of £160 plus VAT per hour.

Some of the factors which may make your case more complex include:

  • Where the other side is unrepresented
  • If your claim or defence needs to be amended or further information is required;
  • If there are multiple witnesses and/or a large number of documents
  • If there are complex initial issues which need to be agreed at the outset
  • If there are multiple heads of claim, for example a claim for Unfair Dismissal coupled with a Discrimination claim
  • If there are multiple parties to the claim
  • Claims involving allegations over a lengthy period of time
  • Making of a defending a costs application
  • Collective claims.

Included in our fees are all the common key stages in Employment Tribunal cases:

  • Taking your instructions, reviewing any initial paperwork and providing you with our initial advice as to the merits of your claim and the issued involved
  • Drafting your claim or response
  • Considering and advising you on the claim or response of the other party
  • Preparing/advising on a Schedule of Loss (the document which sets out the amount being claimed from an Employer and which a Claimant would like to be awarded by the Tribunal)
  • Considering any settlement options and advising you on any settlement offer which may be made or which has been received
  • Preparing for the initial hearing before the Tribunal
  • Liaising with the other party/their representative to agree a Court bundle and where necessary preparation of that bundle
  • Taking or reviewing witness statements
  • Considering and advising upon the list of issues for the Tribunal to determine
  • Preparation for and attendance at the Final Hearing

The fees referred to above do not include advice or representation in any onward appeal either to be made or defended.

They also do not include 3rd party charges, known as ‘Disbursements’. In a claim before the Employment Tribunal such disbursements can most commonly include fees payable to the Tribunal to commence the claim, expert fees (for example, the cost of a medical report in cases of disability discrimination) and counsel’s fees. We will provide you with various quotes and discuss these with you prior to incurring any costs on your behalf. We will usually take payment for such disbursements on account from you, and then pay the expert directly. VAT applies to most disbursements.

How Long Will Your Case Take?

Naturally, each case presents different issues and there are many factors which can affect the timescale involved in your case reaching a conclusion. For example, a settlement offer may be made or received which is accepted, or a party may withdraw. As such, we cannot tell you at this stage how long your case will take to reach a conclusion, however in general terms if your case proceeds to a Final Hearing before the Employment Tribunal, this may take up to 2 years to reach a full and final conclusion.