Employment Law for Businesses

Our pricing for bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal depend on the complexity of the case.  The price range for dealing with various cases are as follows:

Simple case: £6,000-£8,000 (excluding VAT)

Medium complexity case: £8,000-£16,000 (excluding VAT)

High complexity case: £16,000-£25,000 (excluding VAT)

Factors that could make a case more complex and increase the costs:

• 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 are linked to the dismissal

• The number of days a Final Hearing is listed for.  This will be known early on in the case so a more accurate costs estimate can be given. 

Disbursements

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

Depending on the complexities of the matter Counsel are sometimes required. Counsel's fees are estimated between £1,000 to £1,500 excluding VAT per day (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation).

Key stages

The fees set out above cover all of the work in relation to the following 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 ACAS pre-claim early 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 or 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 if Counsel are used.

The stages set out above are an indication and if some of the stages above are not required, the fee will be reduced.  A large part of the costs in a case are incurred at the end of the end in the preparation for and attendance at the Final Hearing.  If a case settled early on the costs will be significantly less than the ranges given above.  You may also wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages, for example drafting the claim or defence and drafting witness statements. 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 ACAS early conciliation, your case is likely to take 4-12 weeks depending on how early you instruct us. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 9 – 12 months. 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.

VAT will be charged at 20%.