(First published 6th December 2018. Updated 6th February 2023)
Thank you for looking at our services for Employment Law. We regularly advise both employees and employers of all sizes across a wide range of industries in respect of Employment Tribunal claims, ACAS early conciliation and other options for resolving employment disputes (particularly Settlement Agreements).
As an employer, you have a legal duty to provide a fair working environment that complies with all relevant legislation, whilst still needing to be able to manage and adjust your workforce effectively. If an employee has raised an issue or made a claim to the Employment Tribunal, it is essential to have the right expert advice to promptly and effectively protect your business and reputation. It is particularly important to strictly comply with the relevant timescales applicable to Employment Tribunals.
As an employee, you have rights under 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, particularly given the rigid timescales imposed by law on pursuing claims of this nature. This advice will enable you to get a clear picture of whether you have sufficient grounds to pursue a claim and what remedy you may be entitled to.
Our employment solicitors can guide you through each step of the process in dealing with an employment dispute, which will alleviate as much stress and uncertainty from the situation as possible. We can help you secure the best available outcome for your business or you personally as efficiently as possible.
Why Us
Our team has years of experience handling both straightforward and highly complex employment disputes and claims at every level, from initial negotiation through to Employment Tribunal Trials.
We appreciate that getting the right result is only one of the concerns when dealing with an employment dispute and that there are always associates issues such as protecting your reputation.
Value for money and overall costs are important factors for any business or individual, so we will provide you clear estimates and keep you updated on ongoing costs as the matter progresses.
Whether you wish to settle a claim or fight it through to Trial, we will provide a clear assessment of the merits of your matter and commercially-focused advice, to make sure we are adopting the best strategy for you.
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
Our fees for issuing and defending claims pursued in the Employment Tribunal depend on the individual circumstances of your matter. The below pricing information applies to matters relating to both businesses and private individuals. We will always seek to identify any other funding options available to you, for example using any legal expenses insurance.
We are usually able to offer an initial consultation in respect of your employment matter for an agreed and fixed fee. Within this initial consultation we will be able to consider the primary documents relevant to your matter and then meet with you to provide clear advice as to your position and the options available to you.
Our fixed fees for such initial consultations will range between £300 plus £60 VAT to £500 plus £100 VAT, depending on the facts and complexity of the matter and the individual solicitor who is conducting the meeting.
Following the initial consultation there is no obligation for you to then continue with the matter if you do not want to. However, if you do wish to continue then the anticipated costs involved in continuing the matter will be discussed and explained, should that you can make an informed decision as to whether to proceed.
If it is necessary to pursue Employment Tribunal proceedings then the typical range of overall costs (from initial consultation until Trial) range between £5,000 plus £1000 VAT to £30,000 plus £6,000 VAT. The exact overall costs of any matter of this nature depends on a range of factors and circumstances including the complexity of the legal and factual issues, the length of any hearings, the number of witnesses involved, the range of preliminary applications pursued and various other factors.
During the continuation of the matter our fees are calculated on the basis of the exact time spent on the work involved, based upon our prescribed hourly charging rates. Our hourly charging rates range for £150 plus £30 VAT per hour for Trainee Solicitors to £295 plus £59 VAT for Partners.
We will keep you advised on the ongoing cost of any Tribunal proceedings on a stage by stage basis. It is typically possible to clearly identify the relevant elements of a Tribunal proceedings and we will advise you on the costs involved in each distinct stage as these arise.
The range of fees for our services does not includes disbursements, which are third party costs incurred on behalf on your behalf (for example Tribunal fees). It should be noted that there are no Tribunal fees currently payable in the Employment Tribunal. If the matter proceeds to Trial we will either conduct the Advocacy required on your behalf or will instruct Barrister to represent you. Barristers fees for a typical Trial range between £2,000 plus £400 VAT to £4,000 plus £800 VAT per day, again depending on the nature of the proceedings and the seniority of Barrister.
Timescales
The exact timescales involved in your matter, from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution (whether this be by way of settlement or determination at Trial), depends on a number of factors including the exact Tribunal which conducts the claim, the reasonableness of the parties and the complexities of the matter.
We will provide you with clear guidance on the likely timescales involved and always actively progress your matter to minimise any delays.
Key Milestones
With any recovery there are key milestones, which may vary according to individual circumstances. We aim to structure our fees around these key milestones, so that the costs are suitably managed.