UK price transparency disclosure

We are subject to regulatory requirements to publish costs information about certain of our services. The information below relates to our representation of employers in defending claims for unfair dismissal in the Employment Tribunal in England and Wales. Biographies of our lawyers who undertake such work are available via Find a lawyer.

Range of costs

Our costs for defending claims for unfair dismissal could have a broad range. For a simple matter, our costs could be as low as £50,000. For the most complex cases, our costs could be as much as £1,5 million. The costs for many mandates are normally in the middle of this range. The basis of our charges will normally be hourly rates. These typically range from £215 to £895 per hour plus VAT and will vary depending on the seniority of the lawyers involved and other pricing factors.

A full case-specific estimate can be obtained by contacting us with your requirements. Factors that could make a case more complex:

• 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
• The number of witnesses and documents
• 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

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Counsel's fees estimated between £5,000 to 20,000 per day (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation).

VAT

All legal fees and disbursements incurred by UK fee earners working on UK matters would be subject to applicable standard VAT at the prevailing rate (currently 20%).

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
• Taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses
• Reviewing and advising on the other party's witness statements
• Agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list
• 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 cost will be reduced. You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages. This can also be arranged on your individual needs.

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 nature and complexity of the case and the stage at which it is resolved. If your claim proceeds to a final hearing, your case is likely to take anything up to one year or possibly longer. This is just an estimate and we will, of course, be able to give you a more accurate timescale once we have more information and as the matter progresses.