Employment Tribunal Pricing For Employers

Thank you for looking at our services for Employment Law. We regularly advise employers ( typically small and medium sized businesses) across a wide range of industries on dealing with employment tribunal claims for unfair and wrongful dismissal, 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 to protect your business and reputation.

Chris Eastland can guide you through each step of the process of dealing with an employment dispute, removing as much stress and uncertainty from the situation as possible. He can help you secure the best available outcome for your business as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible while minimising any negative impact on your commercial interests.

Why Us

Chris has many years of experience handling both straightforward and 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 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 updated on costs at all times. 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 situation and commercially-focused advice to make sure you are pursuing the best strategy for your business.

Pricing

Our fees for bringing claims for unfair and wrongful dismissal are broadly based on three bands (see below), which we will be happy to discuss with you. We charge based on time spent at an hourly rate. Chris Eastland’s hourly rate is £230 plus VAT of 20% =  £276

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 include the need for:

  • Responding to a claim 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 need to make on your behalf

  • Whether an Employment Tribunal hearing is required

Estimated Fees

Item

Cost/Range of Costs

VAT @ 20%

Subtotal

Simple case

£1500 - £3000

£300 - £600                

£1800 - £3600

Medium complexity case

£3000 - £10000

£600 - £2000

£3600 - £12000

High complex 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.

Disbursements

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

A barrister's fees are estimated between £900 - £2500 including VAT per day (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation).

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.

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 defend applications to amend claims .

  • 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

Time Scales

Simple case:  An employee has been dismissed by employer A in circumstances where the employer has not followed the correct process.   The employer A comes straight to us and we write to the employee and negotiate a settlement before a claim is issued. The terms of agreement are recorded in a settlement agreement which binds both parties.

Medium complexity case: An employee has been dismissed by employer B.  The employee is not interested in resolving the matter and disputes the facts and with robust legal argument. A claim is issued which we are instructed to robustly defend on B’s behalf and the case proceeds to a one day hearing with 2 witnesses.

High Complexity Case:  An employee has been dismissed by employer C. There is no prospect of a settlement being reached .  The claim is robustly defended 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 the 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 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

  • 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 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.

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).