Kingsley Smith Solicitors LLP Banner Image

Employment for Individuals

Employment Tribunal Pricing For Employees

Thank you for looking at our services for Employment Law. We regularly advise employees on Employment Tribunal claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal, Settlement Agreements and all other aspects of employment disputes. Our clients include everyone from directors and senior executives through to workers and trainees.

As an employee, you have rights under the law that employers must respect. If you believe you have been unfairly  or wrongfully dismissed from your job, getting the right legal advice as soon as possible is vital. This will allow you to get a clear picture of whether you have grounds for a claim and what compensation you may be entitled to. Chris Eastland offers clear advice and practical support to help you secure the best available outcome as quickly and simply as possible. We aim to be completely transparent about our pricing, so you can be confident our fees are fair and you are getting good value for money.

Why Us

Chris has many years of experience, so has almost certainly dealt with similar situations to the one you are facing many times. He will explore all the options available to you, helping you determine a course of action that fits your circumstances and personal priorities.

We know that value for money and overall costs really matter when pursuing an employment claim, so will provide you with a range of costs estimates and keep you updated on costs at all times. This way, you can be confident we are handling matters for you in a cost effective and efficient way.

If you decide to make an employment tribunal claim, we can offer strong experience in handling Employment Tribunal proceedings and appeals. Chris Eastland can provide the robust arguments, skilled judgment and lateral thinking need to prepare your case and achieve the best available outcome.

Whether you wish to settle a claim or fight it at tribunal we will advise you on the best strategy for you and any additional fees involved.

Pricing

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 include the need for:

  • Filling out and submitting a claim form outlining your case to the relevant Tribunal centre

  • Reviewing your former employer’s response to the claim

  • Reviewing documentation received setting out the factual and legal basis of the claim

  • Reviewing any Orders made by the Tribunal

  • Making any further applications to a Tribunal on your behalf

  • Whether an Employment Tribunal hearing is required

Estimated Fees

Item

Range of Costs

VAT @ 20%

Subtotal

Simple case

£1500 - £3000

£300 - £600                

£1800 - £3600

Medium complexity case

£3000 - £10000

£600 - £2000

£3600 - £12000

High complexity case

£10000 - £20000

£2000 - £4000

£12000 - £24000

There will be an additional charge if you wish Chris to attend a Tribunal Hearing  with you of in the region of £2000 per day (including VAT). However as you will be represented by a barrister ( see below) it is not usually necessary for Chris to attend the hearing except in the most complex of cases or if you ask for additional support. 

The costs information given here is general and for guidance, and we will give you more precise and personalised information when we know the particular facts of your case and your own requirements.

Top Tip – help us to help you keep costs to a minimum by providing the documents and information we need clearly and promptly.

Disbursements

Disbursements are expenses related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as a barrister’s fee. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

A  barrister's fees  are estimated between £900 to £2500 including VAT and any expenses 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 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 an application to amend your claim or to provide further information about an existing claim

  • Making or defending a costs application

  • Complex preliminary issues such as whether you have a disability (if this is not agreed by the parties)

  • The number of witnesses and documents

  • If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim e.g. if you are dismissed after blowing the whistle on your employer

  • If there are allegations of discrimination linked to the dismissal

Examples

Simple case:  Client A has been dismissed by their employer in circumstances where the employer has not followed the correct process.   Client AB comes straight to us and we write to the employer and negotiate a settlement without the need for issuing a claim. The terms of agreement are recorded in a settlement agreement which binds both parties.

Medium complexity case: Client B has been dismissed by their employer.  The employer is not interested in resolving the matter. They respond disputing the facts and with robust legal argument. A claim is issued and proceeds to a one day hearing with 2 witnesses.

High Complexity Case:  Client C has been dismissed by their employer. There is no prospect of a settlement being reached .  A claim is issued and the matter proceeds to a full hearing lasting 5 days because there are 14 witnesses in total. All the key facts are disputed, there is no common ground and the case involves complicated legal argument on several tricky points of law . 

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 4-12 weeks. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 6-18 months.

This is just an estimate as there are no fixed timescales 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 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 your claim

  • Reviewing and advising on the response from other party

  • 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 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 your barrister

The stages set out above are an indication and if some of the stages above are not required, the fee will be reduced. You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can also be arranged on your individual needs.  Please tell us the sort of help you are looking for and we can tailor our service and the associated costs to your own requirements.

Can We Help You?

Please call us on 01634 811 118, complete our online enquiry form, or email Chris Eastland (chris.eastland@kslaw.co.uk).