Regardless of your political persuasion, it is probably fair to say that there some trepidation as to the contents of the Labour governments first budget in 15 years. The uncertainty is now over and we have all had a chance to reflect on the opportunities...
Thank you for looking at our services for Employment Law. We regularly advise employers of all sizes across a wide range of industries on dealing with employment tribunal claims, early conciliation and other options for resolving employment disputes.
As an employer, you have a legal duty to provide a fair working environment that complies with all relevant legislation, while still needing to be able to manage your workforce effectively. If an employee has raised an issue or made a claim to an employment tribunal, it is essential to have the right expert advice quickly to protect your business and reputation.
Our expert employment lawyers can guide you through each step of the process in dealing with an employment dispute, removing as much stress and uncertainty from the situation as possible. We can help you secure the best available outcome for your business as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible whilst seeking to minimise any negative impact on your commercial interests.
Why choose us for employment law?
Our expert team have many years of experience, handling both straightforward and highly complex employment disputes at every level from negotiation and early conciliation, through to Employment Tribunal hearings and Employment Appeal Tribunals proceedings.
We appreciate that getting the right result is only one of the concerns when dealing with an employment dispute – protecting your reputation and making sure the matter is dealt with efficiently and cost effectively are often just as important. We therefore tailor our approach to your priorities, making sure we resolve your matter in way that works for you and your business.
Value for money and overall costs are important factors for any business, so we will provide you with a range of estimates and keep you regularly updated on costs. That way you can budget appropriately and be confident that we are handling your case cost-effectively.
Whether you wish to settle a claim or fight it at tribunal, we will provide an honest assessment of the merits and commercially-focused advice to make sure you are pursuing the best strategy for your business.
We are proud to hold the Lexcel Accreditation issued by the Law Society. This involves the firm undergoing a rigorous regular audit process which ensures we maintain the highest levels of client care.
Pricing
Our fees for defending claims brought against your business for unfair and wrongful dismissal are based on three bands, which we will be happy to discuss with you.
We will advise you of the funding options available to you, for example, using any commercial legal expenses insurance your business is covered by.
There are various items we will consider when deciding what pricing band your case falls into. We will make this assessment and inform you of the relevant fees at the earliest opportunity.
Factors that may influence this may include the need for:
- Responding to a claim that has been made against you
- Reviewing documentation received setting out the factual and legal basis of the claim
- Responding to Orders made by the Tribunal
- Any applications to a Tribunal we may need to make on your behalf
- Whether an Employment Tribunal hearing is required
- The volume of documentation involved
- The number of witnesses involved
Fees
| Case category (see factors below) | Cost Range (inc VAT at 20%) |
|---|---|
| Simple case | £5,000 to £10,000 |
| Medium complex case | £10,000 to £20,000 |
| High complex case | £20,000 to £50,000 |
| Attending tribunal hearing (per day) | £800 to £1,500 |
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. Where we are placed in funds we can handle payment of disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
Counsel's fees are estimated at between £750 to £2,000 plus VAT (at 20%) per day (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation).
Exclusions and Factors Which May Make a Case More Complex
In the event that the issues become more complex, we will make sure you are informed of this at the earliest opportunity and that a clear estimate of those extra costs will be provided.
Factors that may lead to an increase in cost include:
- 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 the claim relates to an automatic unfair dismissal claim e.g. if an employee claims they were dismissed after blowing the whistle on your business
- If the claim involves allegations of discrimination
- If there are delays or cancellations by the court or tribunal
Time Scales
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 2-8 weeks. If your case proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 26-52 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 progresses.
Key Milestones
There are key milestones, which may vary according to individual circumstances. They may be as follows:
- Taking your initial instructions
- Reviewing the papers and advising you on the merits of the claim being brought against you and likely compensation an Employment Tribunal might award if the claim is successful (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 your response to the claim
- 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(s) 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