Employment law is complicated. It can be a minefield for employers to navigate and for employees to understand their employment rights. That’s why, whether you are an employer or employee, you need access to expert employment law advice.

Our Employment Solicitors understand that when you have an employment law question or need employment advice you want expert and efficient legal advice so you can reach a speedy and satisfactory resolution. If you cannot reach a settlement then you may need robust representation in Employment Tribunal proceedings.

Free Initial Discussion

For no-obligation advice and information, call our specialist employment team today on 01642 252 828 or use our contact form and we will call you back.

For Employers

A dedicated workforce is at the heart of any business. However, it is important that you, as an employer, put in place the right measures to protect your business from employment law related claims and to protect your employees in accordance with general legislation and any industry specific regulations. That way you reduce the risk of employment disputes and tribunal proceedings.

We understand that, particularly for SMEs, keeping up to date with employment law and best practice can be tough.

Our employment law specialists provide advice and support on all areas of employment law, including:

• Absence and sickness management policies
• Bullying and harassment claims
• Drafting HR policies and procedures and staff handbooks
• Employment contracts
• Managing and advising on disciplinary and grievance procedures
• Redundancies
• Restructuring
• Representation at Employment Tribunals
• Settlement agreements
• Transactions and TUPE advice
• Unfair dismissal claims

We are committed to providing all of our business clients, large or small, with tailored employment law guidance and advice designed to save your business time and money and reduce the risk of your company requiring representation in Employment Tribunal proceedings.

For Employees

Our employment law solicitors understand that if you are experiencing problems at work, you may be confused about what your employment law rights are and concerned about what happens next.

Our approachable Employment law Solicitors can help you with a variety of employment-related matters, including:

• Breach of contract
• Checking contracts for new employment
• Constructive dismissal
• Director service agreements
• Discrimination claims
• Flexible working rights
• Harassment and bullying claims
• Maternity and paternity rights
• Reasonable adjustments and disability claims
• Redundancy, short working hours and layoffs
• Settlement agreements and termination packages
• Stress at work claims
• Tribunal proceedings
• Unfair dismissal

Our team are empathetic and understands that you may be going through a difficult time at work, which is why we will always listen to your concerns to understand how we can help you reach a resolution that will best meet your needs and goals.

If you need representation in an Employment Tribunal against your employer, we can provide the specialist representation you require.

Employment Tribunals

Whatever the nature of Employment Tribunal proceedings we can provide effective and expert legal advice for you, whether you are an employer or an employee.

Acting for a range of large and small employers across a wide range of industries and sectors, as well as helping individual employees, gives our employment law team the skills and insight needed to reach compromises and agree on settlements even where it may initially seem that a tribunal hearing is the only option.

How much do our services cost?

Employment Tribunal claims for wrongful or unfair dismissal – Claimant  

Our charges for advising and representing you in bringing an Employment Tribunal claim against your former employers for wrongful or unfair dismissal are calculated on the basis of the time that we spend in dealing with your matter. This is charged at an hourly rate of £146 per hour + VAT at 20% spent on your matter.

There are four main stages to your claim and the costs will depend on how far through the process you go and the complexity of your claim.  

ACAS Stage  

Our fees in dealing with this stage will include the following:

Taking your initial instructions, reviewing the papers and advising you on the merits of your claim and likely levels of compensation.  

Entering into pre-claim conciliation via ACAS on your behalf.  

This can take up to four months depending on the limitation date to bring your claim and the length of negotiations. Our average costs for this stage are from £200 to £500 +VAT at 20%. 

Issuing your Claim  

Our fees in dealing with this stage will include the following:-  

Advising you on the Employment Tribunal process, preparing the necessary documents to issue your claim with the Tribunal and sending these to the Tribunal for issue.  

This process can take a further one to two months and our average costs are from £500 to £1,000 +VAT at 20%.  

Preliminary Hearing  

Our fees in dealing with this stage will include the following:-  

Reviewing the response from your employer and advising you on their response, preparing a schedule of your losses, exploring and negotiating settlement, agreeing a case management agenda and preparing for and attending the preliminary hearing.

This process can take a further two to three months and if your claim goes to this stage our average costs are from £1,00 to £2,000 +VAT at 20%.

In addition, we may need to instruct a Barrister to advise you and to represent you at the preliminary hearing and this is likely to cost from £350 to £900 +VAT at 20% depending on the experience of the Barrister we instruct.  

Final Hearing  

Our fees in dealing with this stage will include the following:-  

Advising you on the outcome of the preliminary hearing, exchanging documents with the other side and agreeing a bundle of documents, preparing witness statements and agreeing their content with witnesses, obtaining a medical report if your case includes any medical issues, reviewing and advising on the other side’s witness statements, agreeing a list of issues, preparing for the final hearing, instructing a Barrister to represent you and attending the Hearing with you.

This process can take a further three to four months and our average costs should your case go to this stage are from £2,000 to £6,000 +VAT at 20%.

We will need to instruct a Barrister to represent you at the final hearing and their costs are likely to be £1,500 to £3,000 +VAT at 20% with an additional daily cost of approximately £850 per day +VAT at 20% that your hearing lasts.  

In addition, if your case involves any issues relating to your health we may need to obtain a medical report which is likely to cost between £200 and £500 +VAT at 20% for a standard report.

The following factors are likely to put your costs at the upper end of the ranges given:-  

• There are a large number of witnesses or documents
• Medical evidence is required in relation to whether you are disabled
• Counsel’s opinion is required on a specific area of law
• Additional applications are needed, including in relation to additional orders required or amendments to the claim.
• Your dismissal was for a reason that is classed as an “automatic” unfair dismissal e.g. you have been dismissed after whistleblowing.
• Your dismissal involved other factors such as discrimination.

We may be able to offer you a Contingency Agreement to fund your claim if we consider that your claim is suitable for this.  If we do, you will not need to pay our legal costs up front, however you will need to pay any disbursements (payments we need to make to others such as your barrister or medical report) and we will charge you a percentage of your damages at the end of the matter if you win instead of our hourly rate fees.  

How Macks Can Help

We will thoroughly explore your circumstances and determine the best course of action that is tailored to your specific needs.

We will discuss the funding arrangement that best suits your situation and provide you with efficient, practical advice.

Contact us

For more information about employment law, you can call us on 01642 252 828; alternatively, complete our online contact form and one of our Employment team will be in touch.

Macks Solicitors provide a comprehensive employment service across the country from our offices in Middlesbrough, Darlington and Redcar.