Pricing - Employment Tribunals

Davis Blank Furniss provide employment law advice at both our Manchester city centre and Glossop offices.  Our experienced solicitors provide a personal service tailored to each individual client.

PRICING

We have set out a range of our charges and fees which we believe to be competitive.  However, we are always happy to discuss costs on an individual basis and therefore we are always open to an initial discussion to give you a better steer on costs.

Examples of the team’s hourly rates are set out below:

Unfair dismissal claims for Respondents

Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising on merits and likely compensation (this is likely to be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change) £231 – £700 plus VAT.

ACAS Early Conciliation procedure £231 – £1,000 plus VAT.

Response Form (ET3 Form) setting out your defence £800 – £2,000 plus VAT.

Preparing for and attending a Preliminary Hearing £500 – £800 plus VAT.

Drafting witness statements (per statement) £800 – £2,000 plus VAT.

Agreeing a list of issues and a chronology £231 – £700 plus VAT.

Drafting COT3 Agreement (if the claim settles) £400 – £500 plus VAT.

Defending Tribunal claims will also include exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process, exchanging documents and reviewing the other parties’ documents and agreeing a bundle of documents, reviewing the other side’s witness statements, and schedule of loss, preparing a bundle of documents, preparation and attendance at the final hearing including Instructions to Counsel, conferences with Counsel, cost warning letters, and general correspondence advice, all of which will be charged at our normal hourly rate and will be in the range of £5,000 – £7,000 plus VAT.

Disbursements

Conference with Counsel (various depending on seniority of Counsel).

Counsel’s fees for hearing  (various depending on seniority of Counsel).

Costs for an unfair dismissal claim (based on a one day Tribunal hearing) would be in the region of £10,000 – £15,000 plus VAT for our fees, plus Counsel’s fees).

Wrongful dismissal for Respondents

This relates to failure by an employer to pay notice pay.

Taking initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on the merits and likely compensation (this is likely to be revisited throughout the matter and subject to change) £231 – £700 plus VAT.

Defence Form (ET3 Form) outlining your defence £500 – £900 plus VAT.

Preparation of witness statements (per statement) £800 – £1,800 plus VAT.

Attendance at the Tribunal per day £1,400 plus VAT.

Defending Tribunal claims will also include exploring settlement and negotiating settlement throughout the process, exchanging documents and reviewing the other parties’ documents and agreeing a bundle of documents, reviewing the other side’s witness statements, preparing a bundle of documents, preparation and attendance at the final hearing including Instructions to Counsel, conferences with Counsel, cost warning letters, and general correspondence advice, all of which will be charged at our normal hourly rate and will be in the region of between £1,500 – £4,000 plus VAT.

Disbursements

Conference with Counsel (various depending on seniority of Counsel).

Counsel’s fees for hearing (various depending on seniority of Counsel).

Costs for an wrongful dismissal claim (based on a one day Tribunal hearing) would be in the region of £6,000 – £9,000 plus VAT for our fees, plus Counsel’s fees).

Please note that the above are estimates and our fees can vary depending on the complexity of each particular matter.  Factors that could make a case more complex are:

• If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or provide further information about an existing claim.
• Attending more than one Preliminary Hearing.
• Defending claims that are brought by litigants in person.
• Complex preliminary issues such as whether an individual is out of time for pursuing a claim or has the status of “employee” in order to pursue a claim.
• Complex preliminary issues such as whether a Claimant is disabled (if this is disputed by the parties).
• Making or defending Costs Applications.
• The number of documents.
• If it is an automatic unfair dismissal case, e.g. if you are dismissed after blowing the whistle on your employer.
• If the dismissal is related to a TUPE transfer.
• Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal.

How long will the matter take?

The time it takes from taking your initial instructions to final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved.  If a settlement is reached during the pre-claim conciliation (ACAS Early Conciliation) your case is likely to take 2 – 4 weeks.

If your case proceeds to a final hearing the case is likely to take 6 – 12 months, depending on Tribunal listing times.  This is just an estimate and we will of course be able to give you more accurate time scales once we have information and as the matter progresses.