The Wildings Employment Law Team regularly advise employees on Employment Tribunal claims, Settlement Agreements and all other aspects of employment disputes. Our clients include everyone from directors and senior executives through to entry-level workers.
As an employee, you have rights under the law that employers must respect. If you believe you have been unfairly dismissed from your job, getting the right legal advice as soon as possible is vital. We can advise you whether you have grounds for a claim and what compensation you may be entitled to.
Our team of employment lawyers offer clear advice and practical support to help you secure the best available outcome as quickly and simply as possible. We aim to be completely transparent about our pricing, so you can be confident our fees are fair and you understand from the outset what fees are being charged, so that we are transparent.
Why Us
Our expert team have years of experience, and we will explore all the options available to you, helping you determine a course of action which ideally meets your objectives and your desired outcome. Our Employment team is supervised by Neelam Afzal who is a Partner and Head of the Employment.
We will provide you with a range of estimates and keep you updated on costs at all times. This way, you can be confident we are handling matters for you in a cost effective and efficient way.
If you decide to make an employment tribunal claim, we can offer strong experience in handling Employment Tribunal proceedings and appeals. Our team can provide the robust arguments, skilled judgment and lateral thinking need to prepare your case and achieve the best available outcome.
Whether you wish to settle a claim or fight it at tribunal we will advise you on the best strategy for you and any additional fees involved.
We are proud to hold the Lexcel Accreditation issued by the Law Society. This involves the firm undergoing a rigorous audit process which ensures we maintain the highest levels of client care.
Pricing
Our fees for bringing claims for unfair and wrongful dismissal are based on the complexity of the claim, length of service and type of claim, which our team will discuss with you.
We will explore and advise you of the funding options available to you, for example such as insurance which can cover your legal fees.
There are various items we will consider when deciding what pricing band your case falls into. We will make this assessment and inform you of the relevant fees at the earliest opportunity.
Factors that may influence this include the need for:
- Filling out and submitting a claim form outlining your case to the relevant Tribunal centre
- Reviewing your former employer’s response to the claim
- Reviewing documentation received setting out the factual and legal basis of the claim
- Reviewing any Orders made by the Court
- Making any further applications to a Tribunal on your behalf
- Whether an Employment Tribunal hearing is required
- Length of your hearing and additional preliminary/open preliminary hearings.
Fees
Subject to the complexity of the case and your instructions, we will charge fixed fees or hourly rates as follows:
Partners/Solicitors/Consultant with 8 years plus post qualification experience: £295.00
Solicitors/Legal Executives/Other staff with 4 years plus experience: £250.00
Other Solicitors/Legal executives: £200.00
Trainee Solicitors & Personal Assistants: £125.00
Item | Cost/Range of Costs
(sums exclude VAT) VAT is charged at 20% |
Pre-action stage | £350 to £1200.00 |
ACAS early conciliation stage | £500 to £1,500.00 |
Submitting the claim form outlining your case and the nature of the dispute (Form ET1) | £500 to £1,500 |
Costs to final hearing | £5,000 to £12,000 |
Contingency Fee Agreement
In exceptional circumstances based on the merits and funding of your claim, we will consider a no win no fee agreement. We deduct a maximum of 35% from the total award made by the Employment Tribunal or agreed as part of your settlement prior to any final hearing. The 35% deduction including VAT is charged in addition to the disbursements incurred on your matter. If your claim does not succeed, we do not recover any fees from you except for the disbursements incurred in your matter.
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 £750.00 to £2,000.00 per day (excluding VAT) (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation).
Exclusions and Factors Which May Make a Case More Complex
In the event that the issues become more complex, we will make sure you are informed of this at the earliest opportunity and a clear estimate of those extra costs will be provided.
Factors that may lead to an increase in cost include:
- If it is necessary to make an application to amend your claim or to provide further information about an existing claim
- Making or defending a costs application
- Complex preliminary issues such as whether you have a disability (if this is not agreed by the parties)
- 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
- If there are allegations of discrimination linked to the dismissal
Time Scales
The time that it takes from taking your initial instructions to the final resolution of your matter depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved.
If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, your case is likely to take 4 to 6 weeks. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 6 to 18 months.
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.
Key Steps
There are key steps which may vary according to individual circumstances. They may be as follows:
- 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 your claim
- Reviewing and advising on the 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
- Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents
- Taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses
- Preparing bundle of documents
- 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
To talk through your options, and for an estimate of our fees tailored to your own personal circumstances, call our dedicated enquiries team. They specialise in providing jargon-free, initial advice to help you get the information you need, so there are no surprises down the line. Call us on 0121 786 2555, or email info@wildings-solicitors.co.uk or neelamafzal@wildings-solicitors.co.uk