Employment Law Costs
We've outlined below the important considerations regarding the costs involved in presenting or defending a claim for unfair or wrongful dismissal.
WORKING TOGETHER
Our Legal Fees encompass all the work needed to handle your case, starting from the initial instruction and concluding the case.
Legal Fees represent the amount you'll need to pay for the services we provide, covering everything from the beginning to the end of your case.
Our pricing for handling claims related to unfair or wrongful dismissal is determined by the time required for the work. Our employment law team will handle this, and their charge-out rates are as follows:
Fee Earner | Price + VAT | Total inc. VAT |
---|---|---|
Senior Employment Lawyer | £280.00 + VAT | £336.00 |
Associate Solicitors | £250.00 + VAT | £300.00 |
Other Solicitors | £180.00 + VAT | £216.00 |
Trainees/Paralegals | £130.00 + VAT | £156.00 |
Estimates
Estimated costs for bringing or defending such claims are as follows:
Case Difficulty | Fees exc. VAT | Fees inc. VAT (Total) |
---|---|---|
Simple Case | £5,000 - £15,000 + VAT | Between £6,000 - £18,000 inc. VAT |
Medium Complexity Case | £15,000 - £30,000 + VAT | Between £18,000 - £36,000 inc. VAT |
High Complexity Case | £30,000 - £80,000 + VAT | Between £36,000 £96,000 inc. VAT |
Complexity
In the event that your case becomes more complex, we will notify you in advance of any additional costs.
Tribunal Hearing
Attending a Tribunal Hearing incurs an additional charge of £1,000 – £2,000 plus VAT per day (a total of £1,200 – £2,400 including VAT). The duration depends on the case's complexity.
VAT
VAT at 20% applies to our fees and most disbursements. We'll clarify which disbursements carry VAT in our formal quotation or as we advise you to incur them.
Disbursements
Disbursements are expenses related to your case that are payable to third parties. We handle the payment of these disbursements to ensure a smooth process.
Changes in Fees
If our fees change for any reason, we'll inform you and discuss the rationale behind the changes. This typically happens if you modify your instructions or if unforeseen complexities arise.
Other Claims
You may also have other claims, such as sex discrimination or equal pay, which could affect the overall costs.
Counsel’s Fees
Estimated between £1,000 – £3,000 plus VAT per day, depending on the advocate's experience, for attending a Tribunal Hearing. There may be an additional charge for their preparation time of between £1,000 – £3,000 plus VAT per day.
The steps involved in unfair or wrongful dismissal claims can vary based on the circumstances. Here are the key stages:
1. Initial instructions, reviewing papers, and advising on merits and compensation.
2. Pre-claim conciliation (mandatory in some cases).
3. Preparing the claim or response.
4. Reviewing and advising on the opposing party's claim or response.
5. Exploring settlement and negotiation.
6. Preparing a schedule of loss.
7. Preparing for and attending a Preliminary Hearing.
8. Document exchange and agreement on a document bundle.
9. Witness statements, drafting, and agreement with witnesses.
10. Preparing a document bundle.
11. Reviewing the opposing party's witness statements.
12. Agreeing on issues, chronology, and cast list.
13. Preparing for and attending the Final Hearing, including Counsel's instructions.
14. Reporting on the case's conclusion and closing your file.
Timeline
The duration of your case depends on when it's resolved:
- Settlement during pre-claim conciliation: 4-8 weeks.
- Proceeding to a Final Hearing: 5-12 months. This estimate can be refined as the case progresses.
Complexity Factors
Certain factors could make your case more complex and affect legal fees and disbursements. These factors include:
- Amendments to claims or additional information requirements.
- Cases involving litigants without legal representation.
- Costs-related applications.
- Complex preliminary issues (e.g., employment status, jurisdiction, disability disputes).
- Factual disputes about owed sums.
- The number of witnesses and available evidence.
- Challenges related to document disclosure, admissibility, and specific requests.
- Automatic unfair dismissal claims (e.g., whistleblower cases).
- Discrimination allegations linked to the dismissal.
- Mediation, settlement discussions, and negotiation complexities.
- The number of days allotted for the final hearing.
Should any of these factors arise, we'll notify you and discuss any potential increases in legal fees or disbursements.
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