Employment Tribunal unfair/wrongful dismissal

It is difficult to say what exactly the costs would be in a case like. Below is some information regarding the possible range of costs this this sort of matter.

Costs

Our pricing for bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal:

Simple case – £10,000 to £15,000 (excluding VAT)

Medium complexity case – £15,000 to £20,000 (excluding VAT)

High complexity case – £20,000 to £30,000 (excluding VAT)

Our charging rate is £220 per hour.

Factors that could make a case more complex:

a. If it is necessary to make or defend an application to amend claims or to provide further information about the existing claim;

b. Defending claims brought by Litigations in Person;

c. Making or defending a costs application;

d. Complex preliminary issues such as whether the Claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties);

e. The number of witnesses and documents;

f. If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim, e.g. if you are dismissed for blowing the whistle on your employer;

g. Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal.

There will be an additional charge for attending at a tribunal hearing of £1,000 per day (excluding VAT). Generally, we would allow two days depending on the complexity of your case.

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. Counsel’s fees are estimated at between £1,500 to £3,000 per day (excluding VAT) depending on the experience of the Advocate for attending a tribunal hearing (excluding preparation).

Key stages

The fees set out cover all the work in relation to the following key stages of the claim:

a. Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on merits and likely compensation (this is likely to be re-visited throughout the matter and is subject to change);

b. Entering into pre-claim conciliation where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached;

c. Preparing a claim or a response;

d. Reviewing and advising on the claim and response from the other party;

e. Exploring settlement and negotiating a settlement throughout the process;

f. Preparing or considering a Schedule of Loss;

g. Preparing for and attending a preliminary hearing;

h. Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a Bundle of Documents;

i. Taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses;

j. Preparing a Bundle of Documents;

k. Reviewing and advising on the party’s witness statements;

l. Agreeing a list of issues, a chronology or costs list;

m. Preparation and attendances at the final hearing including instructions to Counsel.

The stages set out above are an indication and if some stages above are not required, the fee will be reduced. You may also wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages.

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 6 to 8 weeks. If your claim proceeds to a final hearing, your claim is likely to take between 26 and 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 as the matter progresses.