When you approach us with instructions we will explain to you the basis upon which we will charge for the work we will do for you. Depending upon the nature of the work, this may be an hourly rate with an estimate of costs, an hourly rate with no estimate of cost. Some types of work can be provided on the basis of a fixed fee. In each case we are required to add VAT and will inform you of any third party fees or disbursements that you may need to incur. In all cases we have a policy of keeping you informed of the level of costs.
You may ask us to let you know the amount of costs at any time.
For more details on Litigation costs see here
In December 2018, the Solicitors Regulation Authority introduced a requirement for us to publish our pricing for carrying out certain types of work namely
- Pursuing or defending unfair dismissal claims.
We there set out these details below.
Our pricing for bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal
Simple case: £5,000 to £8,000 (excluding VAT) plus disbursements
Medium complexity case: £8,000 to £12,000 (excluding VAT) plus disbursements
High complexity case: £12,000 to £20,000 (excluding VAT) plus disbursements
Factors that could make a case more complex:
- Whether there are more than two parties.
- If it is necessary to make or defend applications 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
- Making or defending any other procedural applications
- Complex preliminary issues such as whether the claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties)
- The number of witnesses and documents
- The number of different types of claim that are being pursued
- 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
- Complexities with regard to the calculation of the losses claimed.
There will be an additional charge for attending a Tribunal Hearing of £1,500 per day (excluding VAT) or we will pass on the charge for instructing a barrister (counsel) to represent you. Generally, we would allow 1 -2 days depending on the complexity of your case.
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court/tribunal fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
Counsel's fees are estimated at between £1,250 to £2,000 per day (excluding VAT) (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation)
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
- Speaking to witnesses, 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 for the final hearing
- 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 will be reduced. You may wish to handle parts of the process yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can also be arranged on your individual needs.
Other sources of funds
Generally speaking you will be expected to meet these costs yourself. However, in some cases, the parties may have the benefit of legal expenses insurance or support. This is occasionally provided for employees under a household contents insurance policy or by virtue of union membership. Employers should also check with their insurance brokers to see whether their business insurance provides legal expenses cover.
Further information about fees and funding are contained in the leaflet which can be downloaded here.
INFORMATION FOR CLIENTS ON FUNDING OF DISPUTE RESOLUTION, LITIGATION AND TRIBUNAL CLAIMS
GENERAL INFORMATION FOR CLIENTS INVOLVED IN A TRIBUNAL CLAIM
Some firms may offer to pursue a claim on the basis of a (No Win No Fee) contingency fees basis. Generally speaking we do not offer this facility. Even if we did, we would only do so once we have been able to review the merits and we would charge £500 to £750 (excluding VAT) for that review
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 could be resolved within a couple of weeks. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take at least six months. This is just an estimate and depends on a number of factors including the complexity of the case and any backlog of other cases still to be dealt with by the tribunal. Some of these are within our control; some are not We will, of course, be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses. The Tribunal will endeavour to find a date which is convenient to all parties and witnesses.
Who will deal with the work?
Tony Hughes will be responsible for the work. His details can be found here