What our clients say

Employment

We provide advice on employment matters such as unfair or wrongful dismissal, other general matters as well as settlement agreements. Work is generally charged on our hourly rates.

The cost will vary depending on at what stage the claim will settle and whether it will lead to a Tribunal Hearing.

The cost of advising and representing in a low to medium complexity employment case before a Tribunal Hearing will typically range, between £5,000 to £12,000 (plus 20% VAT).

Our fees could be higher if the case is a complex one. Factors that could make a case complex, include, but are not limited to:

  • Claiming/Defending against an unrepresented employer/employee
  • Consideration of a complex element of law
  • Dealing with an extensive amount of documentation
  • Drafting statements for and/or dealing with a large number of witnesses
  • A need to seek further information
  • A need to make amendments to a response to a claim
  • A need to address preliminary issues
  • A need to make or defend a costs application
  • Defending a claim for automatic unfair dismissal in connection with a transfer of an undertaking.

In such circumstances we would keep you informed of changes to your estimate as the case progresses.

Disbursements

Should your case progress to a Tribunal Hearing then you could incur further costs for a barrister to represent you in Court and for any travel costs. Travel costs would range in the region of £20- 30 plus 20% VAT.

If a barrister is engaged to represent you at a hearing typically the cost can be between £1,500 - £2,500 + 20% VAT per hearing, and sometimes more than this. All barrister fees would be agreed with you in advance before any are incurred.

Key stages

  • Taking initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on your claim.
  • Preparing and submitting your claim form
  • Preparing /considering a schedule of loss which indicates the value of your claim.
  • Reviewing the response to the claim
  • Exchanging documents with employer/employee and agreeing the content of the bundle for the Tribunal Hearing
  • Interview for witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing the content with witnesses
  • Reviewing and advising on the employer/employee's witness statement
  • Agreeing a list of issues
  • Preparation for a Tribunal Hearing
  • Instructing a barrister, if they are to be engaged
  • Advising on and exploring and negotiating settlement throughout the process

Time frame

From taking initial instructions to the final resolution of the claim depends largely on the stage at which the case is resolved and the scheduling of a Tribunal Hearing. Currently, it can take 6-9 months from when a claim is submitted. If the Tribunal Hearing will take more than one day then the timeframe is likely to increase.

In cases, which may be complex, after consulting with you, a barrister is engaged to represent you in a Tribunal Hearing. These costs will be referred to as disbursements and are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties.

Settlement Agreements

We will review your agreement, advise you of your rights and we will ensure you understand what you are signing. This will typically involve a cost of around £400-500 plus 20% VAT – this cost is usually borne by the employer as part of the agreement.

Who will be dealing with my matter?

Peter Hodkin, the Principal of the firm oversees all the work. He qualified in 1989 and has 30 years of experience in Employment Law

The member of staff who may carry out your work is:

Lee Blazer – Assistant Solicitor. Qualified in 2018 with 6 years of experience in Employment Law.