Hetts specialise in employement law advice for both employees and employers.
The scope and complexity of employment law has developed dramatically in recent years. It is therefore important for you to consider appointing an experienced employment law solicitor to represent you in any case you may have.
Our specialist employment law team can provide cost-effective advice on this ever changing area of law. Some of the issues we may be able to help you with are listed below
- Compromise Agreements
- Breach of contract
- Unauthorised deductions from wages
- Unfair dismissal
- Terms and conditions of employment
- Flexible working arrangements
- Adoption, maternity and paternity pay and leave
- Disciplinary action
- Preparation and submission of employee grievances
- Redundancy
- Unlawful discrimination on grounds of – age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc
The above list in non-exhaustive. If you feel you have a case, please do not hesitate to contact our employment law team either by calling 01724 843287, emailing cstokcdale@hetts.co.uk or contacting our primary employment law contacts listed below.
How much will it cost?
Our fees are calculated on an hourly rate basis. The hourly rates are commensurate with the qualification and expertise of the individual in our organisation dealing with your case. The hourly rate ranges from £150 to £250 per hour, exclusive of VAT. We will discuss the most cost effective way to pursue your case and the suitable level of qualification and expertise of the person who will deal with the matter, together with their hourly rate.
Once we have had the opportunity of reviewing your case, we will provide a fee estimate. This will depend on whether your case is a “simple case”, one of medium complexity or a high complexity case.
A simple case can take between thirty to thirty-five hours if the case proceeds to a final hearing at an Employment Tribunal, in which event the average costs would be between £5,000 and £7,000 excluding VAT and any disbursements. Many simple cases settle before an Employment Tribunal hearing takes place, in which event our fees would be commensurately less. We will of course, at appropriate intervals, provide you with an interim estimate of costs on request.
We will discuss our costs with you in the case of medium complexity or high complexity cases, which may involve a multi-day Employment Tribunal final hearing and involve Counsel’s fees should they be instructed to represent you at the hearing.
Employment Costs
Bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal
Legal costs only
- Full costs to take a case to conclusion at hearing:
- Simple case: from £6,000.00 (excluding VAT)
- Medium complexity case: from £7,500.00 (excluding VAT)
- High complexity case: from £10,000.00 (excluding VAT)
We may be prepared to act on your behalf subject to a Contingency Fee Agreement allowing for costs to be limited to 33% of your award on success.
You will also be required to pay any disbursements incurred, such as Barristers fees or travel expenses
Factors that could make a case more complex:
- Making or defending 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;
- Complex preliminary issues such as facts to be determined in discrimination claims (if this is not agreed by the parties);
- The number of witnesses and documents;
- If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim e.g. whistleblowing ;
- Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal ;
- Constructive Dismissal claims;
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties. We will advise you of any likely disbursements from the outset and it is this firm’s policy to seek payment of the disbursement on account from the outset. We will, however, handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to the third party to ensure a smoother process.
If required/recommended, Counsel’s fees estimated between £2,500.00 to £3,500.00 per day (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation) (excluding VAT)
Anti-money laundering electronic verification checks maybe undertaken at a cost to you of approximately £3 (inclusive of VAT), per name of each client.