Legal experts named again in prestigious Legal 500
Specialists from law firm mfg Solicitors have once again been named among the best in the country...
Thank you for looking at our services for Employment Law. We 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. This will allow you to get a clear picture of whether you have grounds for a claim and what compensation you may be entitled to.
Our 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 are getting good value for money.
Why Us
Our expert team have years of experience, so have almost certainly dealt with similar situations to the one you are facing many times. We will explore all the options available to you, helping you determine a course of action that fits your circumstances and personal priorities.
All of our team are fully qualified solicitors with at least 5 years post-qualification experience and are employment law specialists who are members of the Employment Lawyers Association. The team is headed by Sally Morris, a Solicitor with over 20 years post-qualification experience.
We know that value for money and overall costs really matter when pursuing an employment claim, so 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 three bands, which we will be happy to discuss with you.
You will be informed at the outset of the hourly rate of the solicitor with conduct of your matter and that of any other solicitor who may carry out work on your matter. Our hourly rates are from £195 + VAT at 20% (£39) - £350 + VAT at 20% (£70) but are dependant on the complexity of your matter and may vary.
We will advise you of the funding options available to you, for example as an individual you may have 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. We shall decide the level of the fee earner that will advise you on this matter.
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
- Whether you elect to appoint a more senior fee earner such as a Partner
Fees
| Item | Cost/Range of Costs | + VAT at 20% | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|
Simple case defined as:-
| £7,000 - £10,000 | £1400 - £2000 | £8,400 - £12,000 |
Medium complex case defined as including one or more of the following factors:-
| £10,000 - £18,000 | £2000 - £3600 | £12,000 - £21,600 |
High complex case defined as one including one or more of the following factors:-
| £18,000 upwards | £3600 -upwards | £21,600 upwards |
Attending Tribunal hearing per day* | £1,600 |
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*based on our experience we typically allow 1 day for this, but can be clearer on this point when we speak with you as it will depend on the length of the hearing.
Please note that these costs do not include any pre-litigation work, such as dealing with grievances or disciplinary proceedings, ACAS pre-claim conciliation and any other matters prior to preparing and submitting an employment tribunal claim form.
Disbursements
Disbursements are those costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as court fees or incidental expenses incurred by us or any third party you instruct us to appoint on your behalf. Third parties may include expert witnesses such as forensic accountants or occupational health professionals, and their disbursements might include their travel expenses. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process and in doing so will ask that you make a payment on account to us prior to the incurring of a disbursement.
You may choose to instruct a barrister to represent you at any hearings. Barristers fees can vary significantly depending on the experience of the instructed barrister and the complexity of your case. Barristers fees are estimated between £750 to £2000 per day + VAT at 20% (£150.00 - £400.00) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation).
All figures quoted by us for disbursements are stated exclusive of VAT. This means that VAT, currently 20%, will be added to these figures.
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 – 6 weeks. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 12 – 52 weeks.
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 Milestones
There are key milestones, 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 your barrister.l