For unfair/wrongful dismissal claims, costs are likely to be in the range of £40,000 to £50,000 plus 20% VAT and including Counsel’s fees, to pursue a case to trial. This depends on several factors, including the length of the trial, the complexity of the issues, the number of witnesses etc.

Hourly rates range between £175 to £450 plus 20% VAT depending on the experience of the fee earner.

The above range includes all correspondence, pleadings, disclosure, witness statements and representation at the trial.

We charge a compliance fee per instruction which can cost anywhere between £12.50 – £150 plus 20% VAT depending on the number of parties to check and complexity of work involved.

Costs in your case may be higher and a specific estimate would be provided to you at the appropriate time.

How long will my matter take?

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 4-12 weeks. If your claim proceeds to the Employment Tribunal, your case is likely to take 12 weeks (on the basis that matters are resolved shortly after pre-claim conciliation) to 104 weeks (on the basis that matters proceed to trial and based on current time estimates as of January 2025 for a trial being listed in some Employment Tribunals up to two years after Employment Tribunal proceedings are issued). 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 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.

Please contact Satbir Singh Choudry, Partner, for more information (020 3940 3781 or sschoudry@streathers.co.uk).

Details of the team are available here.