Please note that all fees quoted are exclusive of VAT
Our fees are time-based and are calculated by reference to hourly charging rates dependent on the seniority of the fee earners working on your matter. Our departmental hourly rates are:
- Partners £290 – £350
- Associates £260 – £280
- Solicitors £155 – £240
- Trainees £150
- Other Fee Earners £130 – £150
The following examples are provided to give an idea of the estimated costs associated with bringing or defending a claim at the Employment Tribunal for unfair or wrongful dismissal.
- A simple claim is likely to cost between £5,000 and £15,000
- A more complex claim is likely to cost between £10,000 and £25,000 and involve the services of a barrister who will charge fees in addition to this amount
- A very complex case is likely to cost £20,000 to £50,000 and will again involve barrister fees in addition to this estimate
Factors that could make a case more complex can include the following:
- 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 may be linked to the dismissal.
Generally, we would estimate between 1 and 5 days for a final hearing but this depends on the complexity of your case
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a more streamlined process.
In most cases, we will instruct a barrister who specialises in employment law to be your advocate at any hearings. The estimated daily fee for a barrister to attend a hearing ranges from £1,500 to £4,000 . Usually the fees include any preparatory work undertaken by the barrister but additional fees may be charged; we will let you know if this is the case.
If you decided you also wanted us to accompany you at the Hearing, our fees for this would be approx. £1,000 to £2,500 per day.
The precise work and stages involved in bringing or defending a claim at the Employment Tribunal for unfair or wrongful dismissal varies according to the circumstances.
However, the key stages involved in a typical matter included as part of our fee estimate would be to:
- take your initial instructions, review the papers and advise you on the merits and likely compensation (this is likely to be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change);
- engage in the compulsory statutory pre-claim conciliation process to explore whether a settlement can be reached;
- prepare your claim or response;
- review and advise on your opponent’s claim or response;
- engage in settlement discussions during the course of the claim;
- prepare or consider a schedule of loss;
- prepare for (and attend) any preliminary hearings;
- exchange documents with the other party and agree a bundle of documents;
- taking witness statements, agree their content and draf statements
- review and advise on the other party’s witness statements;
- prepare document bundles for hearings;
- agree a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list (for the final hearing);
- prepare and attend the final hearing, including instructions to Counsel
The stages set out above are an indication of the type of work that will be necessary to progress your case all the way to a final hearing. If some of these stages are not required, the total fees may be less than the estimates provided. You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only take our advice in relation to some of the stages. We are happy to act for you on this basis and will charge our time according to a previously agreed hourly rate.
The time it takes from initial instruction to final resolution of your matter depends largely on the point at which your case is resolved. If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, your case is likely to take between 4 and 6 weeks. However, if your claim proceeds all the way to a final hearing, it could take between 6 and 8 months. This is a very rough guide; a more accurate time frame can normally be given as a matter progresses.
What are your next steps?
Please get in touch with us. We look forward to helping you.
Solicitor