Our Employment Law Team

Offices in Leeds, Harrogate and London. Working with clients across the UK and overseas.

We are a niche specialist practice with offices in Leeds, Harrogate and London and our employment team has over 30 years of collective experience in delivering high-quality work in all matters relating almost exclusively to employment law.

The team has particular expertise in:

• Negotiating exit terms and settlement packages for businesses and individuals
• Employment tribunal litigation (on behalf of both claimants and respondents). We also act on behalf of insurers
• Drafting, preparing & advising upon tailored contract documentation and handbooks
• Drafting, preparing & advising upon casual worker agreements and consultancy agreements
• Redundancy advice
• Restructuring
• The provision of TUPE advice
• Discrimination claims on behalf of Claimants and defending claims on behalf of businesses
• Whistleblowing claims
• Settlement agreements

What are our costs? 

We are required by our regulator to set out a range of our potential costs which you can expect to be charged when bringing or defending a claim for unfair or wrongful dismissal in the employment tribunal.

We also explain below the expenses that you will need to cover as part of the legal service, which we refer to as disbursements. Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees or counsel’s fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Because each case is fact specific and individual, sometimes additional circumstances arise that can increase costs. If that happens with your case we will update you as soon possible about any additional charges that would be required.

We may be able to quote fixed fees for each piece of work with which you require assistance. However, in some circumstances it is not possible for us to offer you a fixed price.

This can include where there are complex stages or considerations, such as large amounts of documentation or specific individual needs. However, we are always happy to discuss the work we will need to undertake if we represent you, and the charges for that work.

Charges for bringing or defending a claim for unfair or wrongful dismissal

Estimated costs are based on a two-day hearing at the Employment Tribunal, however, cases can take longer than this, depending on the complexity of your case, and our costs will increase accordingly.

Simple Case

Medium complexity case

High complexity case

*Please note that the initial brief fee quoted by a barrister for preparation and the first day generally remains payable even in the event that you settle the claim late or close to the first day of the hearing.

We will keep you apprised of any costs and payment dates in this regard should you choose to instruct a barrister. We request payment of all barristers’ fees on account and prior to any hearing commencing.

Cases that involve elements of discrimination or whistleblowing have a costs range between £30,000 – £75,000, plus vat at 20% plus disbursements, but this can be more again depending on the complexity and issues detailed below.

Each case is unique and we will provide you with a bespoke estimate upon instruction. We charge based on an hourly rate which varies depending on the member of staff dealing with your matter. The seniority of the members of staff dealing with your case will depend on its complexity. We will discuss this with you when you instruct us.

Our usual hourly rates are:

• Director £350 plus VAT at 20%
• Legal Director £300 plus VAT at 20%
• Associate Solicitor £275 plus VAT at 20%
• Solicitor (up to 4 years qualified) £250 plus VAT at 20%
• Trainee Solicitor £195 plus VAT at 20%
• Paralegal £145 plus VAT at 20%

How long will it take?

An average case can take 12-24 months. However, the time that your case might take will depend on a number of factors, these are also the factors could make you claim or defence more complex. These factors include:

• If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide further information about an existing claim. This may be called the provision of further and better particulars.
• Defending claims that are brought by litigants in person. These claims can be more time-intensive due to the lack of formal representation.
• Making or defending a costs application
• Complex preliminary issues such as whether a claim or defence has been brought in time, whether an individual is entitled to bring the types of claim they wish or whether for example, a claimant is disabled (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 is an application for interim relief in a whistleblowing claim
• If there are allegations of discrimination or other claims which are linked to the dismissal.
• If there is a large amount of paperwork relating to the matter.
• If there are a number of preliminary issues or hearings.
• If one party acts unreasonably (though we would seek to recover costs at the end of the claim if this were the case by way of a costs application)

What work would you be doing for me?

Our team will represent you throughout the process.

The work that we will carry out for you includes the following at the key stages of your 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 (or ACAS Early 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 the 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 on a bundle of documents
• Taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses
• Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements
• Agreeing on a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list
• Preparation and attendance at Final Hearing, including the preparation of full 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.

We may be able to quote fixed fees for each piece of work with which you require assistance.

Insurance 

You may also have insurance that may fund your claim or defence.

You should check any policies that you may have which include legal expenses cover or LEI. Please contact your insurer if you do have this on your policy.

We are able to act under the insurance policy in certain circumstances and can assist you with this if you need help.

If you are insured then we take on the claim or defence and your insurer will normally cover the costs of us so doing, providing that the claim or defence has 51% prospects of success (normally gauged by the insurers’ independent barrister).

You remain responsible for all costs which are incurred prior to the insurer implementing cover under your policy (eg: a review of papers) and by way of example these normally do not exceed £2,500, plus VAT at 20%, and are often less.

If you do have an insurance policy and require assistance in communicating with the insurer directly please contact us.

No Win No Fee – Damages-Based Agreements (DBA’s)

We do not undertake cases on a no win no fee basis.

We have four members of the team who may work on your matter. Regardless of who works on your matter, they will be supervised by a Legal Director or Marie Walsh who is a Director and owner of the business. She is the head of the employment law team here at Consilia Legal.