Unfair Dismissal Claims
Legal Fees
We can act in unfair dismissal claims on behalf of employer or employee. Sometimes, if we act for an employee, we can do so on a contingency fee basis, which means there will be no charges if the claim fails and charges will be set at a percentage of compensation recovered if the claim succeeds. There would be a range of charges depending on the level of risk in each case, but usually they would be in the region of 33% including Vat.
If we are unable to act for you on a contingency fee basis we would usually work on an hourly rate or fixed fee basis. Our rates vary from £150 and £300 per hour plus Vat. We charge in units of 6 minutes, so each hour is made up of 10 units and our charges are based upon the time spent.
Typical fees for this work would include:
- Straightforward case lasting no more than 1 day in a tribunal – £3,500 – £6,500+Vat
- Complicated case expected to last more than 1 day in a tribunal – £7,000 – £15,000+Vat
You should ask your solicitor for a more detailed estimate as the cost may vary from case to case. We may be able to provide an estimate for each stage of the litigation, once we know what is involved and arrange a staged or fixed fee payment scheme.
Included in any estimate we provide will be all legal work necessary to take your claim to the tribunal or defend it at tribunal (but not including any advocacy for which we make a separate charge if we undertake it or counsel will make a charge if counsel undertakes it) unless there have been allegations of discrimination, in which case you should contact us for a specific quote.
Disbursements and timescales
There will also be some expenses you will need to pay in addition to these fees. These are called disbursements and include barrister’s fees. A barrister may be instructed to undertake certain pieces of work in your case such as settle an advice or a complicated document. These fees will be paid in addition to our legal fees. A barrister’s fees for attending any hearing at tribunal will vary depending on the experience of the barrister but will likely be between £1,250 and £3,500 per day+vat.
How long an unfair or wrongful dismissal claim takes will depend on when your case is settled. If you settle during the ACAS Early Conciliation process, it will take around 3 to 4 months.
If your claim goes all the way to a tribunal hearing at which your case is determined, it will take around 9 to 12 months on average but complicated cases may take longer.
Settlement Agreements
We can act for employer or employee in circumstances where the employment relationship has become untenable and an employer proposes to come to terms with an employee for their exit from the business. Our charges for undertaking such work would range from £750+vat to £1,250+vat in most cases. If you are an employee, you are entitled to ask for a contribution to these charges from your employer, but you would remain responsible for any balance.
When the terms of an employee’s exit are negotiated, usually the matter would be resolved swiftly for the benefit of all parties. Timescales are often a matter of days to a few weeks.