EMPLOYMENT WORK IN GENERAL

All employment work is supervised by one of the following partners:

Daniel Isaac, a partner, with over 28 years’ post-qualification experience. His profile can be seen here.

James Williams is also a partner within the team with over 22 years’ post-qualification experience.  His profile can be seen here.

The partners are assisted by Leigh Janes, an associate with more than 3 year’s post qualification experience.  Her profile can be seen here.

Where appropriate, the team are supported by paralegals and trainee solicitors or barristers.

Working for employees in general

When advising employees on the termination of their employment, our ambition is to add value and either to persuade the employer to pay our legal fees in full or  to improve the compensation to cover our legal fees. Only a tiny minority of the cases we take on reach a hearing, with the vast majority of cases settling on favourable terms. Most of our employee clients are billed less than £10,000.

Wrongful dismissal claims for employees in the employment tribunal

Wrongful dismissal is the term to describe a contractual claim by an employee that he or she has been dismissed without the notice to which he or she is entitled. Wrongful dismissal claims may be brought in the High Court or in the employment tribunal but, in the latter case, the maximum compensation that can be awarded in £25,000.

We tend to advise on wrongful dismissal claims in the High Court which are not covered by the SRA Transparency Rules. High Court claims require that both parties draw up and exchange a budget for legal fees at an early stage in the proceedings.

Because of the cap of £25,000, we tend not to advise on wrongful dismissal claims in the Employment tribunal, except as an adjunct to another, more valuable claim.

Unfair dismissal claims for employees in the employment tribunal

If an employee can show that they have been unfairly dismissed, they may receive a basic award, depending on age and length of service, between £643 and £19,290 together with a compensatory award, depending on financial loss. Compensatory awards are capped at the lower of a year’s pay or £105,707. We tend to work only on claims where the maximum award is available.

A fully contested unfair dismissal claim will typically cost between £35,000 and £80,000 plus VAT, inclusive of barrister’s fees.

Defending claims of unfair and wrongful dismissal

As when we are acting for employees, in the vast majority of wrongful and unfair dismissal claims in which we are instructed to represent the employer, the matter does not reach a hearing. In some cases, the employee is persuaded to withdraw, in others the claim is struck out, while others settle on modest terms.

Defending a fully contested wrongful or unfair dismissal claim will typically  cost between £35,000 and £80,000 plus VAT, inclusive of barrister’s fees.