Employment pricing transparency

Employment Law Tribunal: Pricing Structure & Policy

Please see below for the current pricing for our employment services in relation to advice and representation for unfair dismissal.

Litigation – Range of costs

It is important to note that not all cases proceed to an Employment Tribunal Hearing. Indeed, the vast majority settle, so the cost is usually lower than the examples below.

However, should the case not settle, and the claim proceeds to an Employment Tribunal Hearing, the examples below will give you an idea of the likely cost.

Based on our hourly rates (which, depending on experience, range from £190 – £300 per hour plus VAT), pricing for bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal is as follows:

ServiceCost
Simple case An example would be a claim for wrongful dismissal or unfair dismissal where there are 1 – 2 witnesses and not many documents. The case is likely to be listed for 1 day in the Employment Tribunal.£5,000 – £7,500 plus VAT (at the prevailing rate)
Medium case An example would be a claim for wrongful dismissal or unfair dismissal where there are 3 – 4 witnesses and a reasonable number of documents. The case is likely to be listed for 2 days in the Employment Tribunal. £10,000 – £12,500 plus VAT (at the prevailing rate)
High An example would be a claim for wrongful dismissal or unfair dismissal where there are 5+ witnesses, allegations of discrimination or whistleblowing and/or a significant number of documents. The case is likely to be listed for 3 days + in the Employment Tribunal. £15,000 – £25,000 plus VAT (at the prevailing rate)


Disbursements

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

In the event we instruct Counsel (which is something we would discuss and agree with you in advance), Counsel’s fees are estimated between £1,000 – £1,250 plus VAT per day (depending on the experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing, and between £1,500 – £2,500 plus VAT for preparation for the Tribunal Hearing (depending on whether it is a simple, medium or high complexity case).

Assumptions

Factors that could make a case more complex (and therefore more time consuming /costly):

  • If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide further information about an existing claim
  • If there is a need for a Preliminary Hearing
  • 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 claimants, 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 or whistleblowing which are linked to the dismissal
  • If there is a need to use experts (e.g., a medical expert, an IT Consultant, an Occupational Health Consultant)

    • In the event there is a need for additional Employment Tribunal Hearings (e.g., a Preliminary Hearing to determine part of the claim), there will be an additional charge of £1,000 plus VAT per day.

    What we will do for you

    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 pre-claim conciliation where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached
    • Preparing a claim or response
    • Reviewing and advising on a claim or response from other party
    • Exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process
    • Preparing or considering a schedule of loss
    • Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents
    • Taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses
    • Preparing bundles 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 required)

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

      You may have insurance which covers the cost of employment litigation. We will check this with you at your first appointment.

      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 4 – 6 weeks.

      Depending on the relevant Employment Tribunal, and the volume of cases, if your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 26 – 39 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 processes.

      The team