Our charges for bringing or defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal in the employment tribunal.
No two cases are the same. Our charges are generally calculated on a time spent basis. The particular issues in any given case will have an impact upon the amount of time spent. Those issues include the extent to which the evidence of the parties is agreed, the degree of cooperation from the opponent, the amount of documentary evidence, the value of the claim, the number of witnesses and the complexity of the underlying legal issues such as additional allegations of discrimination being linked to the dismissal.
We would generally expect the following charges:
Simple case: £1000 – £3000 (plus VAT)
Medium complexity case: £3000 – £5000 (plus VAT)
High complexity case: £5000 – £10,000 (plus VAT)
There will be an additional charge for representation at the final tribunal hearing. Typically, this can range between £750 – £2000 (plus VAT) per day depending upon the complexity of the issues and value of the claim. Many cases can be heard within 1 – 2 days. More complex cases with many witnesses can take up to 5 days or more to hear.
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs relating to your matter which are payable to third parties. In an employment tribunal case the most significant disbursement is likely to be counsel’s fees for representation at trial should you wish to employ the services of a barrister. Counsel’s fees are charged on a daily rate. Typical rates for the first day of a trial can vary between £500 – £3000 (plus VAT) depending upon the experience of the barrister and the complexity of the case. The rate for any subsequent day of trial is generally a proportion of the fee for the first day.
What our estimate covers
The estimates above cover the following main stages of a typical claim:
• Taking initial instructions and providing initial advice
• Preparing the claim or a response to the claim
• Preparing or considering a schedule of loss and preparing any counter schedule required
• Preparing for and attending any preliminary hearing
• Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents
• Preparing witness statements and considering the other party’s statements
• Exploring settlement possibilities throughout the process
• Preparing for the final hearing including instructions to counsel
If any of the above stages are not required our charges are likely to be lower. If you wish to handle the claim yourself and to receive advice only in relation to some of the above stages again our charges are likely to be lower. We are happy to negotiate with you a charging package which is suited to your individual needs or requirements bearing in mind the general rule that costs are not awarded in the employment tribunal.
How long will your matter take?
This is again linked to the complexity of the case and also to the chances of settlement being reached. If your claim proceeds to a final hearing will typically take between 3 and 6 months from the date of proceedings being issued. Larger and more complex cases may take longer.
