Employment

Unfair and wrongful dismissal

Our pricing for bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal will vary dependant on the facts of the case. Our estimated costs are;

Simple case: £3,900 plus VAT
Challenging case: £12,500 plus VAT
Complex case: £25,000 plus VAT

There are a number of factors that could make a case complex or challenging (this list is not exhaustive);

  • It is necessary to make or defend an application 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
  • 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
  • Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal

There will be an additional charge for attending a Tribunal Hearing of £1,500 per day (excluding VAT). Generally we would allow 3 – 5 days depending on the complexity of the 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. The most common ones are Barristers fees and court fees. Barristers fees depend on the nature of the case and the experience of the one chosen. Barristers fees can range from £600 plus VAT to £4,500 plus VAT.

Key Stages

The fees set out above cover all of 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 into 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
  • 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 Counsel

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.

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 12 – 24 weeks. If your claim 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.

Other cases

This will be based on our hourly rate, which are as follows;

Senior Solicitor: Adrian Bart-Williams – £260 plus VAT
Paralegal: Alex Stefanov – £145 plus VAT
Paralegal: Orsolya Busay – £120 plus VAT