EMPLOYMENT SOLICITORS · ACROSS ENGLAND AND WALES

Pricing

Clear fees, explained before we start. We confirm our fees, or give you a written estimate, before any work begins. VAT is charged at 20%.

For employees, our fixed fee starts at £650 + VAT (£780) for most agreements, and at £1,500 + VAT (£1,800) for senior exits, depending on complexity. It includes advice on the agreement, minor negotiation of the terms and signing the adviser's certificate, where appropriate. Any additional work and its cost are agreed with you first.

Your employer will usually contribute to your fees. If their contribution doesn't cover our fee, we'll tell you before we start.

For employers, we charge at our hourly rates or a fixed fee agreed in advance.

Settlement agreements

Employment tribunal claims

Bringing or defending unfair or wrongful dismissal claims

Our estimated fees, depending on complexity:

  • Simple case: £7,500 to £12,500 + VAT (£9,000 to £15,000)

  • Medium complexity: £12,500 to £30,000 + VAT (£15,000 to £36,000)

  • High complexity: £30,000 to £75,000 + VAT (£36,000 to £90,000), potentially more in exceptional cases

These are estimates, not fixed prices, and exclude disbursements. We'll give you an estimate for your case and update it if things change.

How we charge

Unless agreed otherwise, we charge by the hour, including for attending hearings:

  • Robin Williams, Director and Solicitor, qualified 1997: £300 + VAT (£360) per hour

  • Christopher Newton, Senior Solicitor, qualified 2018: £275 + VAT (£330) per hour

We instruct barristers for advocacy at hearings where needed. Their fees are additional.

What can make a case more complex

  • Applications to amend a claim, or for further information

  • A party without a lawyer

  • Applications for costs

  • Disputed preliminary issues, such as whether the claimant is disabled

  • Many witnesses or documents

  • Automatically unfair dismissal, such as whistleblowing

  • Linked discrimination allegations

Our estimates cover these key stages, where required:

  • Advice on merits and likely compensation

  • Acas early conciliation

  • Preparing the claim or response, and reviewing the other side's case

  • Settlement negotiations

  • Schedule of loss

  • Preliminary hearings

  • Disclosure and the hearing bundle

  • Witness statements

  • List of issues and chronology

  • Preparing for and attending the final hearing

Barristers' advocacy fees, appeals and enforcement are not included. If some stages aren't needed, the cost will be lower.

Disbursements

Disbursements are third-party costs, mainly barristers' fees. As a guide, a barrister may charge £1,000 to £5,000 + VAT (£1,200 to £6,000) per hearing day. We'll get a quote and your approval first. There is currently no fee to bring an employment tribunal claim.

How long will it take?

  • Initial advice: usually one to two weeks

  • Acas early conciliation: up to 12 weeks

  • Preparing the claim or response: usually two to four weeks, subject to statutory deadlines

  • Documents, witness statements and hearing preparation: usually three months or more, depending on the tribunal's directions

  • Final hearing: usually one to five days

A case that goes to a final hearing can take a year to two years or longer, depending on tribunal waiting times. Many cases settle sooner. We'll give you a more accurate estimate as the case progresses.

What's included

Other employment law work

For other advice, for employees or employers, we charge at our hourly rates or agree a fixed fee, confirmed in writing before we start.