These estimates of fees and timescales are for a typical Employment Tribunal where you are an employer defending a claim for unfair dismissal.
Our charges are normally based on hourly rate fees which vary depending on the level of experience of the practitioner handling your case; see the table below. In some cases we may agree fixed costs for certain stages of the process, either at the start of the case or as it progresses.
| Partner |
£330 plus VAT at 20% |
| Senior Associate |
£285 plus VAT at 20% |
| Associate |
£185 plus VAT at 20% |
| Paralegal |
£100 plus VAT at 20% |
Click here to see a profile of each member of our team, including their experience and expertise.
Typical stages of a Tribunal case, and an indication of our fees at each stage, are shown below. The stages are based on the standard list of directions usually set by the Tribunal. More or less work may be required depending on the nature of the case and its surrounding circumstances.
1.Taking initial instructions, reviewing documents and providing advice on prospects and potential compensation (which will be reviewed throughout your case): £285 – £990 plus VAT at 20%.
This work will take approximately 30 minutes to 3 hours.
2.Drafting and submitting Response Form (the defence): £750 – £2,500 plus VAT at 20%
We can normally complete this stage within a few days. Be aware that your Response Form must be submitted within 28 days of the Notice of Claim. This work will take approximately 2.5 – 7.5 hours.
3.Reviewing Schedule of Loss; preparing Counter-Schedule; collating associated remedy evidence: £750 – £1,750 plus VAT at 20%
Production of the Schedule of Loss by the Claimant is normally required by the Tribunal within three months from submission of the claim. Action taken by you in response is typically an ongoing feature of your defence up to the final hearing. This work will take approximately 2.5 – 5.5 hours.
4.Compiling Schedule of Documents (including review of documents); dealing with disclosure; preparing the joint hearing bundle: £1000 – £2,500 plus VAT at 20%
This stage, together with witness statement preparation, may take several weeks and will usually occur 4-6 months after the claim submission. This work will take approximately 3 – 8 hours.
5.Drafting witness statements: £1,500 – £3,000 plus VAT at 20% per statement (according to length of statement)
This work will take approximately 4.5 – 9 hours.
6.Attendance at the Hearing: £1,450 plus VAT at 20% per day
This work will take approximately 4 hours.
7.Other additional fees: for example in relation to providing advice, costs warning letters, negotiations, agreeing a list of issues, chronology which will be charged at our normal hourly rates – £5,000 to £12,000 plus VAT at 20%.
This work will take approximately 15 – 36 hours.
Disbursements – Counsel’s fees for representing you at the hearing – vary according to seniority and experience of Counsel.
Total estimated costs
Our total fees for a typical one day case, proceeding as we have outlined above, are therefore likely to range from £10,000 – £20,000 plus VAT at 20%, with average costs falling within the middle of this range; plus Counsel’s fees.
Employment Tribunal cases do not usually incur other disbursements (additional fees for services provided by third parties in connection with a legal matter) other than Counsel’s fees.
Timescales
We have no control over the listing of the case (the scheduling of a date and location for the hearing), which is in the hands of the Tribunal Service. We would normally expect it to be listed around 9 -18 months after the claim submission.
Pricing: Employment Tribunals (for defending a claim for wrongful dismissal) – Respondent
These estimates of fees and timescales are for a typical Employment Tribunal where you are an employer defending a claim for wrongful dismissal.
Our charges are normally based on hourly rate fees which vary depending on the level of experience of the practitioner handling your case; see the table below. In some cases we may agree fixed costs for certain stages of the process, either at the start of the case or as it progresses.
| Partner |
£330 plus VAT at 20% |
| Senior Associate |
£285 plus VAT at 20% |
| Associate |
£185 plus VAT at 20% |
| Paralegal |
£100 plus VAT at 20% |
Click here to see a profile of each member of our team, including their experience and expertise.
Typical stages of a Tribunal case, and an indication of our fees at each stage, are shown below. The stages are based on the standard list of directions usually set by the Tribunal. More or less work may be required depending on the nature of the case and its surrounding circumstances.
1.Taking initial instructions, reviewing documents and providing advice on prospects and potential compensation (which will be reviewed throughout your case) – £500 – £1,500 plus VAT at 20%.
This work will take approximately 1.5 – 4.5 hours.
2.Drafting and submitting Response Form (the defence): £750 – £2,500 plus VAT at 20%
We can normally complete this stage within a few days. Be aware that your Response Form must be submitted within 28 days of the Notice of Claim. This work will take approximately 2.5 – 7.5 hours.
3.Compiling Schedule of Documents (including review of documents); dealing with disclosure; preparing the joint hearing bundle: £1000 – £2,500 plus VAT at 20%
This stage, together with witness statement preparation, may take 2-3 weeks. This work will take approximately 3 – 7.5 hours.
4.Drafting witness statements: £1,500 – £3,000 plus VAT at 20% per statement (according to length of statement)
This work will take approximately 4.5 – 9 hours.
5.Attendance at the Hearing: £1,450 plus VAT at 20% per day
This work will take approximately 4.5 hours.
6.Other additional fees: for example in relation to providing advice, costs warning letters, negotiations will be charged at our normal hourly rates – £2,000 to £5,000 plus VAT at 20%.
This work could take approximately 6 – 15 hours.
Disbursements – Counsel’s fees for representing you at the hearing – vary according to seniority and experience of Counsel.
Total estimated costs
Our total fees for a typical one day case, proceeding as we have outlined above, are therefore likely to range from £8,000 – £12,000 plus VAT at 20%; plus Counsel’s fees.
Employment Tribunal cases do not usually incur other disbursements (additional fees for services provided by third parties in connection with a legal matter) other than Counsel’s fees.
Timescales
We have no control over the listing of the case (the scheduling of a date and location for the hearing), which is in the hands of the Tribunal Service. We would normally expect it to be listed around 9 -12 months after the claim submission.
