If your employer has treated you unfairly, your working environment has resulted in you losing your job, or you're suffering complications as a result of your working conditions, Tilly Bailey & Irvine Solicitors has an experienced team of Employment lawyers to assist and fight your case. 

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
  • 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

The stages set out above are an indication and if some of stages above are not required, the fee 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.

Timescales

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 your claim proceeds to a Final Hearing, your case is likely to take approximately 4 months after submission of the Claim or 3 months after submission of the Response. 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.

Qualification and experience of our staff

Our employment lawyers have years of experience dealing with all types of employment matters for employers and employees. This includes non-contentious/risk management matters such as preparing workplace policies, handbooks, contracts of employment and service contracts, redundancy processes and TUPE transfers, as well as contentious matters such as unfair dismissal claims, grievance/disciplinary matters, tribunal claims and litigation. The employment team is led by partner Alison Leith.

The Employment Law team includes lawyers and support staff with between one and about 27 years’ experience, in addition to the partners in the team. We encourage, train and supervise our junior lawyers and other team members with great care.

We have a proven track record in providing excellent service to clients.

Please see the link for full details of the fee earners that handle employment matters, including qualifications and experience. 

Pricing

Our fee estimates set out below cover the main stages of representation usually required in bringing or defending a straightforward claim for unfair or wrongful dismissal. The estimate also sets out some of the key stages involved in a tribunal claim.

If other claims are included within proceedings, such as for discrimination, then the claim would be more complex, and these fee estimates are unlikely to apply.  In such cases, we will discuss with you at the outset and provide bespoke fee estimates.

We will consider and advise upon the funding options available to you, such as existing insurance policies which may cover bringing or defending a claim.

Employment Pricing

Item

Initial Appointment

Amount

£180 - £320

VAT (20%)

£36.00 - £64.00

Subtotal

£216.00 - £384.00

Item

Negotiating a Settlement – Early Conciliation (within 3 months of dismissal lasting usually up to 30 days)

Amount

£540 - £1,080

VAT (20%)

£108 - £216

Subtotal

£648 - £1296

Item

Drafting the Claim / Response (Claim usually completed within 2 to 4 weeks after end of early conciliation / Response completed within 28 days of receipt)

Amount

£720 - £1,080

VAT (20%)

£144 - £216

Subtotal

£864 - £1296

Item

Negotiating a Settlement – Ongoing (continues throughout the claim)

Amount

£900 - £1,620

VAT (20%)

£180 - £324

Subtotal

£1080 - £1944

Item

Preliminary Hearing (listed approximately 2 months after submission of Claim / 1 month after submission of Response [if required])

Amount

Preparation of an agenda - £360 to £540

VAT (20%)

£72 - £108

Subtotal

£432 - £648

Item

Attendance at the hearing - if the hearing is held in Middlesbrough

Amount

£540 to £900

VAT (20%)

£108 - £180

Subtotal

£648 - £1080

Item

Disclosure (approximately 4 weeks after submission of Response)

Amount

£360 to £720

VAT (20%)

£72 - £144

Subtotal

£432 - £864

Item

Preparation of Hearing Bundle (1 to 2 weeks after disclosure)

Amount

£540 to £900

VAT (20%)

£108 - £180

Subtotal

£648 - £1080

Item

Exchange of Witness Statements - For witnesses with a significant amount of evidence to provide

Amount

£900 and £1,800 (Per Witness)

VAT (20%)

£180 - £360

Subtotal

£1080 - £2160

Item

Exchange of Witness Statements - For witnesses with only limited evidence

Amount

£360 to £540 (Per Witness)

VAT (20%)

£72 - £108

Subtotal

£432 - £648

Item

Hearing (approximately 4 months after submission of Claim / 3 months after submission of Response)

Amount

To reach the final hearing lasting one day - £13,500 to £18,000

VAT (20%)

£2700 - £3600

Subtotal

£16,200 - £21,600

Item

Additional days

Amount

£4,500 - £7,200

VAT (20%)

£900 - £1,040

Subtotal

£5400 - £8640

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter which are payable to third parties, such as to the Court or a barrister to represent you at a hearing.  We make payment of disbursements on your behalf.

Counsel’s fees for attending a Tribunal Hearing are estimated between:

  • £2,000 to £3,000 for the first day; and
  • £1,500 to £2,000 for the following days

The above are estimates of the main stages in the proceedings and include various discussions and correspondence with you, the tribunal, and your opponent throughout the course of the claim. These costs are intended to be covered by the total estimates listed under “Hearing” above but will be spread out across the various stages along the way.

Exclusions

As set out above, the estimated fees relate to a straightforward claim.  Factors that could make a case more complex include:

  • 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
  • Making or defending a costs application
  • Complex preliminary issues such as whether the claimant is disabled (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
  • Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal

We will consider and advise you at the outset and through the course of the claim if any of these factors are likely to apply and will provide bespoke fee estimates as necessary.