Employment

Our pricing for bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal

Our fees are based upon the individual circumstances of the matter and the work required to be undertaken. We charge based on an hourly rate which varies depending on the member of staff dealing with your matter having regard for their qualification, experience and the expertise. Our lowest hourly rate is £111 plus VAT and our highest hourly rate is £220 plus VAT. The seniority of the members of staff dealing with your case will likely depend on its complexity. We will discuss this with you when you instruct us.

Simple case: £4,000 to £6,000 including VAT

Medium complexity case: £6,000 to £10,000 including VAT

High complexity case: £10,000 to £20,000 including VAT

Factors that could make a case more complex:

• If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide 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 client 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.

There will generally be an additional charge for attending a Tribunal hearing of £1,800 per day (plus VAT). Generally, we would allow 1 day for a simple case, and between 5-10 days for a high complexity case.

Disbursements

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

Counsel’s fees estimated between £2,500 to £4,000 per day plus VAT (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation).

All references to VAT are to the prevailing rate, which is currently 20%.  

Key Stages

The fees set out above cover all of the work in relation to the key stages of a claim:

• 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 for and 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.

The stages set out above are an indication and if some of the stages above are not required, the fee will be reduced. You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can also be arranged on your individual needs.

How long will my matter take?

The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved. If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, your case is likely to take 6-12 weeks. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 39-52 weeks. This is just an estimate and we will of course be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses.

We would encourage any prospective client to contact us to discuss your individual needs and requirements and we can endeavour to tailor a cost-effective plan around your circumstances. You can contact us here or telephone 01938 552727.