Our fees for bringing (if you are an individual) or defending (if you are a small business) claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal are as follows:
Simple case | Medium complexity case | High complexity case | |
---|---|---|---|
Fee Range | £2,500 – £10,000 | £10,000 – £25,000 | £25,000 – £45,000 |
Charge for attending a Tribunal hearing | 1 – 2 days (based on £750 – £1,500 per day)£1,000 – £3,000 | 2 – 4 days (based on £1,000 – £2,000 per day)£2,000 – £8,000 | 3 – 5 days (based on £1,500 – £2,000 per day)£4,500 – £10,000 |
VAT | £650 – £2,600 | £2,400 – £6,600 | £5,400 – £12,000 |
Total | £3,900 – £15,600 | £12,400 – £39,600 | £30,400 – £57,000 |
* Based on hourly rates (excluding VAT):
Partner £250 Associate £200 – £250, Solicitor £180 – £200, Trainee Solicitor/Paralegal £120.
Reasons that could make a case more difficult:
If it is required to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide additional information about an existing claim
Defending claims that are brought by litigants in person
Making or defending a costs application
Difficult preliminary issues such as whether the claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties), employment status, jurisdiction etc
The number of witnesses and documents, such as where there are more than 2 witnesses, or the documents or evidence includes audio or video recordings, or the total number of pages in the hearing bundle exceeds 100
If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim e.g. if you are dismissed after blowing the whistle on your employer
Accusations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We may handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. In addition to our fees above, we may instruct counsel to represent you at a Tribunal hearing (including preparation) depending on the complexity of your case and due to their expertise in advocacy. Please note that counsel fees below are estimates only but would usually depend on the experience of the advocate.
Simple case | Medium complexity case | High complexity case | |
---|---|---|---|
Fee Range | £2,500 – £10,000 | £10,000 – £25,000 | £25,000 – £45,000 |
Charge for attending a Tribunal hearing | 1 – 2 days (based on £750 – £1,500 per day)£1,000 – £3,000 | 2 – 4 days (based on £1,000 – £2,000 per day)£2,000 – £8,000 | 3 – 5 days (based on £1,500 – £2,000 per day)£4,500 – £10,000 |
VAT | £650 – £2,600 | £2,400 – £6,600 | £5,400 – £12,000 |
Total | £3,900 – £15,600 | £12,400 – £39,600 | £30,400 – £57,000 |
Key stages
The fees set out above contain all the work in relation to the following key stages of a claim:
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 pre-claim conciliation where this is mandatory to explore whether a settlement can be reached.
Preparing claim or response
Reviewing and advising on claim or 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
Taking witness statements, drafting statements, and agreeing their content with witnesses
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
The stages set out above are an indication and if some of stages above are not required, the fee may 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.
Duration:
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 – 16 weeks. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 16 – 104 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.
Our Employment Law Team/Individual Details Patrick Opurum – Principal
Patrick is the head of the employment law team and has over 8 years’ experience in employment law. Patrick qualified as a Solicitor in 2012 and has assisted individuals in settling cases outside the Tribunal and obtaining compensation.