Otium Legal Employment and Litigation Solicitors

We are experienced in all types of Employment Tribunal claim, from straightforward unfair and wrongful dismissal claims to complex, high-value discrimination and whistleblowing claims. 

Employment Tribunals 

As a guide, our pricing for bringing or defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal in the Employment Tribunal is as follows:

      Simple case: £2,000 to £5,000 (plus VAT at 20%)  

      Medium complexity case: £5,000 to £20,000 (plus VAT at 20%)  

      High complexity case: £20,000 to £50,000 (plus VAT at 20%)  

We highlight below the factors which are likely to result in the case falling into the high complexity category and so incurring fees at the higher end of the range or, in the case of work which goes beyond unfair or wrongful dismissal claim work, falling outside the ranges provided.

The factors that tend to make a case more complex and therefore more expensive include: 

1. If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide further  information about an existing claim.
2. Making or defending a costs application.
3. Complex preliminary issues such as whether the claim has been made in time.
4. The number of witnesses and documents. 
5. If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim, e.g. if you allege that you were dismissed as a result of a TUPE transfer or dismissed after blowing the whistle. 
6. Multiple claimants/respondents.    

Unfair or wrongful dismissal claims that also include allegations of discrimination or whistle blowing can be very complex and costs could exceed those set out above. 

Key stages 

The costs set out above cover all of the work involved in relation to the following key stages of a claim: 

Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on the strength of your  claim and likely compensation (this will be revisited throughout the matter).

Entering into pre-claim conciliation, where this is mandatory, to explore whether a settlement  can be reached. 

1. Preparing a claim form.
2. Exploring and negotiating potential settlement throughout the process.
3. Preparing a Schedule of Loss.
4. Preparing for and attending any Preliminary Hearing.
5. Exchanging documents with the other side and agreeing the Tribunal documents.
6. Taking witness statements, drafting statements and agreeing their content with witnesses. 
7. Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements.
8. Agreeing a list of issues and chronology where necessary. 

The stages set out above are an indication of what may be necessary but if some of the 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, and appropriate charges agreed, depending on your individual needs. 

Hearing 

There will be an additional daily charge for attending a Tribunal Hearing of £1,000 to £2,000 (plus VAT at 20%) (depending on the experience of the advocate). 

Generally, you should allow 1 to 3 days for a Tribunal Hearing depending on the complexity of the case. 

Disbursements 

Disbursements are costs related to your case 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.

If a barrister is instructed to attend a Tribunal Hearing, we would expect a barrister’s fee for a one day hearing to be between £700 and £3,500 plus VAT at 20%. A barrister’s charges for multi-day hearings would depend on the length of the hearing and the experience of the advocate. 

Fee rates for barristers are set by individual chambers. The level of fees for a barrister will depend upon the experience of the barrister, the complexity of the case and how many days the Tribunal Hearing will last. 

Who will carry out my work?

All our solicitors are fully qualified, senior and experienced, with a minimum 20 years’ post-qualification experience; often a lot more. Please see our individual profiles at Our Team for more detail.

Funding 

You may have other funding options available, such as cover under an insurance policy or through your membership of a trade union and this should be checked by you as it could reduce your costs. 

How long will my case take? 

The period of time from taking initial instructions to final resolution of the matter will depend on the stage at which the claim is resolved.

If a settlement is reached during pre-claim conciliation, your case is likely to take 2 to 4 weeks. If your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take 6 to 12 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 case progresses. 

For more information about our fees and services, contact us via our online form, call or email us on:  

Call: 0330 088 5620 

Email: info@otiumlegal.co.uk ;

Joanne Adams | Director | Employment Law Solicitor 

Call: 07885 374436 

Email: jo.adams@otiumlegal.co.uk 

Anthony Kay | Director | Employment Law Solicitor 

Call: 07718 593205

Email: anthony.kay@otiumlegal.co.uk 

Sally Laughton | Consultant | Employment Solicitor 

Call: 07500 113 899 

Email: sally.laughton@otiumlegal.co.uk

Nermina Webster | Consultant |Civil Litigation 

Solicitor and Mediation Specialist  

Call:  07967 743637

Email: nermina.webster@otiumlegal.co.uk