Employment law advice for employees

Our leading national team gives practical employment law advice for employees on the full range of employment issues, including settlement agreements.

Employment law and professional dispute resolution

We are a dedicated team of specialists who take a proactive approach to advising on employment law rights and resolving employment issues and disputes, recognising the need to work with you to achieve your objectives. The services we provide include:

• Negotiating and drafting service agreements and employment contracts
• Advising on grievance procedure and disciplinary processes, including discrimination, harassment and bullying at work
• Advising on entitlements and rights, including sickness, performance, and maternity and paternity
• Advising on, negotiating and drafting termination packages and settlement agreements
• Legal representation at the Employment Tribunal and County Court
• Assisting you with unfair dismissal and constructive dismissal claims
• Advising you where your employment is affected by TUPE
• Advising on pay issues at work, including equal pay
• Assisting you when you are involved in disciplinary procedures
• Advising on employee rights in redundancy

> I need advice on a settlement agreement
> I need advice on an Employment Tribunal
> I need advice on an employment contract
> I need advice on problems at work

Our charges

The charges set out below are for a private instruction only. When we are acting for you under your insurance policy, we will set out our charges in your engagement letter.

We charge:

• £4,000-£10,000 to pursue an unfair dismissal claim to hearing
• £2,000-5,000 to pursue a wrongful dismissal claim to hearing
• Our fees are calculated by reference to the hourly rate of the relevant case handlers and vary depending on the complexity of the matter

The complexity of the matter depends on factors such as:

• The number of complaints brought
• The type of complaint brought. For instance, discrimination or whistleblowing claims often involve additional issues that require determination by the Employment Tribunal
• The amount of relevant documentary evidence
• Whether there is more than one claimant or respondent whose case is being considered by the Employment Tribunal at the same time

Our hourly rates are:

• Paralegal or trainee solicitor: £110 per hour
• Solicitor or legal executive: £150-180 per hour
• Partner: £250 per hour
• Typically, a one-day unfair dismissal claim requires 30 hours’ work for a solicitor and we would therefore charge £5,400
• Our charges above do not include VAT: this is payable in addition

Disbursements

These are expenses payable to other parties.

We are likely to instruct a barrister to represent you at the hearing.  The cost of this varies depending on their experience.  Typical fees for a one-day hearing are around £2,000 + VAT.

These fees must be paid in advance at least two weeks before the Employment Tribunal hearing.

Damages-based agreement

In some circumstances, we may be able to offer a damages-based agreement (DBA).  We usually charge £250, payable in advance, to assess the merits of potential claims and their value, and to advise on whether we could offer a DBA. Under the terms of a DBA, our costs would be a percentage of the compensation awarded or settlement sum reached when the case concludes, paid out of your compensation.

Disbursements such as barrister’s fees are payable in addition to our costs; these fees must be paid in advance at least two weeks before the Employment Tribunal hearing.

Timescales

The typical timescale for making an Employment Tribunal claim is between six months and two years. A straightforward wages claim is likely to be concluded within six months but a complex discrimination claim, for instance, usually takes more than a year to conclude.

The key stages of the claim are:

• You contact us and ask us to act for you
• We advise you on the merits and value of potential claims, strategy to pursue, timescales, and funding options
• We approach the other side to explore settlement
• Usually within two months of initial contact, we conclude settlement for you or issue a claim in the Employment Tribunal
• We receive Acknowledgement of Claim from the Employment Tribunal, Notice of Hearing and directions
• If the claim is defended, we prepare a schedule of loss, exchange lists of documents, agree the bundle with the other side, prepare and exchange witness statements, and agree a list of issues
• Usually within six months of issuing the claim (depending on the Employment Tribunal being used), the case is heard by the tribunal

People who carry out the work or supervise others carrying out the work

• David Leslie: partner and Employment Group Leader. He qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales in 2008
• The team also includes solicitors qualified in Scotland and in England and Wales, a CILEx member, trained paralegals specialising in employment law and trainee solicitors.