Transparency in Price and Services

Pricing for certain legal services

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has published rules on pricing and services to ensure clients have accurate and relevant information about certain legal services. For Vedder, the rules apply to price and service information when we assist our clients bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal.

Our Team

Vedder’s London Employment Group all have employment litigation experience. Please select our team members’ biographies to learn more about their expertise or contact us direct to find out more.

Our Pricing Estimates for Bringing and Defending Claims for Unfair or Wrongful Dismissal

The below pricing estimates only apply to bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal and do not relate to other claims such as discrimination/whistleblowing. Further clarity on our pricing can be obtained from our London Employment Group.

• Simple case: £40,000 - £100,000 (excluding VAT, charged at 20%)
• Medium complexity case: £100,000 - £150,000 (excluding VAT, charged at 20%)
• High complexity case: £150,000 - £250,000 (excluding VAT, charged at 20%)

All prices provided here are estimates only and are not formal quotes. Our pricing also excludes VAT and disbursements (explained below).  

We typically charge based on an hourly rate which varies depending on the member of staff dealing with your matter. Our lowest hourly rate is £180 and our highest hourly rate is £840. Our standard hourly rates are reviewed annually, normally with effect from 1 January of each year, and may be adjusted on your matter accordingly. The seniority of the members of staff dealing with your case will depend on its complexity. We can discuss this and other possible fee arrangements with you during our initial discussions.

Please note that, in addition to your own legal costs to fund an employment tribunal claim, there is a risk that, if you lose at an employment tribunal, in exceptional circumstances, you may be ordered to pay a contribution towards the other side’s costs.

Factors that could make a case more complex

Our pricing estimates and the ultimate cost for you to bring or defend a claim for unfair or wrongful dismissal may increase or decrease based on the complexity of the matter. Some factors that may have a bearing on the pricing include:

• The number of claims or issues in dispute;
• Whether claims are brought against multiple respondents;
• 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;
• Where there are preliminary issues to be decided by the employment tribunal, involving any preliminary hearings;
• The length of any hearing;
• 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; and
• Allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal.

Value Added Tax (VAT)

Where applicable, VAT will be charged at the prevailing rate of 20% on our fees, as well as any disbursements (see below) and other expenses that are subject to VAT.

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties. We typically handle the payment of any disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. Possible disbursements may include barrister’s fees, expert’s fees, filing fees and court fees. 

Some disbursements, for example, barrister’s fees and the fees of other experts will be liable to VAT at 20%. Certain other disbursements, such as court fees and filing fees, are not subject to VAT.

We might also incur other internal expenses in the course of your case, such as travel costs, subsistence expenses, printing and photocopying charges, postage charges, courier fees and bank charges. All other expenses will be liable to VAT at 20%.

Wherever possible, we will inform you of the any disbursements and the relevant amounts of disbursements or other expenses before they arise. You are required to reimburse us for any payments made on your behalf.

Advocacy

Our solicitors do not advocate at tribunal hearings. However, we may handle the advocacy at preliminary hearings, depending on the circumstances.

A barrister will typically be involved to advocate at tribunal hearings, but we may also involve them at an earlier stage to assist with drafting key documents. The cost for involving a barrister will vary depending on the level of assistance required and the seniority of the barrister instructed. 

Barristers’ fees will be charged in addition to our own fees. As we mention above, the level of any barristers’ fees will depend on the barrister’s level of seniority and the nature of the work we ask them to undertake. We will always obtain your approval for any barristers’ fees before they are incurred.

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;
• If mandatory under the circumstances, entering into pre-claim conciliation to explore whether a settlement can be reached;
• Preparing the claim or response;
• Reviewing and advising in relation to the claim or response from the 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 bundles of documents;
• Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements;
• Agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or cast list; and
• Preparation and attendance at a final hearing, including instructions to a barrister.

The stages set out above are an indication and if some 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 based on your individual needs.

We would usually allow 2-7 days for a tribunal hearing, although depending on the complexity of your case and the length of your hearing, the actual timeframe could be outside of this range. Once we have the details on your case, we will be able provide a more accurate indication of the possible duration of your tribunal hearing.

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 2-12 weeks. If your claim proceeds to a final hearing, your case is likely to take 6-18 months, or possibly longer in view of the limited Employment Tribunal resources available at present. 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.