OUR PRICES

Information about our own complaints process, raising concerns to the Legal Ombudsman and to us

We want to give you the best possible service. However, if at any point you become unhappy or concerned about the service we provided then you should inform us immediately, so that we can do our best to resolve the problem.

In the first instance it may be helpful to contact the person who is working on your case to discuss your concerns and we will do our best to resolve any issues at this stage. If you would like to make a formal complaint, then you can read our full complaints procedure here. Making a complaint will not affect how we handle your case.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help you if you are concerned about our behaviour. This could be for things like dishonesty, taking or losing your money or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability or other characteristic. 

You can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

What do to if we cannot resolve your complaint

The Legal Ombudsman can help you if we are unable to resolve your complaint ourselves. They will look at your complaint independently and it will not affect how we handle your case.

Before accepting a complaint for investigation, the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve your complaint with us first. If you have, then you must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:

• Within six months of receiving a final response to your complaint; and,
• No more than six years from the date of act/omission; or
• No more than three years from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.
• If you would like more information about the Legal Ombudsman, please contact them.

 Contact details

• Visit: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
• Call: 0300 555 0333 between 9am to 5pm.
• Email: [email protected]
• Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ

Stage 1: Consultation and review of documents: we will meet with you to take instructions, go through documents and understand the background, so we can explain how we can assist you.

Average fee between £265 to £1,000 plus VAT. Average timescale: 1-2 weeks from instruction.

Stage 2: Contacting the debtor to establish liability. If appropriate, considering alternative dispute resolution. If not, preparing a letter before claim as required by the court rules. 

Average fee between £1,000 to £2,000 plus VAT. Average timescale: 3-6 weeks from instruction.

Stage 3: Preparing and issuing a court claim if the debtor fails to pay or respond.

Average fee between £1,000 to £2,500 plus VAT.

Average timescale: 4 – 10 weeks from service of letter before claim.

Stage 4: Taking all steps up to (but not including) trial – this may include: where no Acknowledgment of Service or Defence is received, applying to the court to enter judgement in default. Where defended, reviewing the debtor’s court documents and advising you further, complying with court directions, preparing for any case management/directions hearings; dealing with disclosure, witness statements, trial bundles and corresponding with the debtor or its representatives.  

Average fee between £5,000 to £15,000 plus VAT

Average timescale: 10 – 25 weeks from issue.

Stage 5: Attending trial with a barrister, if required.

Average fee between £1,000 to £3,500 plus VAT

Average timescale: 25 – 35 weeks from issue, depending on the court’s timetable.

Stage 6: Enforcement – much will depend on what the court finds at the trial hearing and how the debtor responds. If the debtor fails to comply with the court order, we will discuss various methods of enforcement and fees for them separately.

Matters usually take between 4 to 10 weeks from receipt of instructions from you to receipt of payment from the other side, depending on whether or not it is necessary to issue a claim. If a claim becomes necessary, the time scale will be affected by the court timetable and whether or not the debtor pays promptly on receipt of a judgement in default. If enforcement action is needed, the matter will take longer to resolve.

For all claims, please note:

• The VAT element of our fee cannot be reclaimed from your debtor.
• Interest and compensation may take the debt into a higher track banding, which will mean a higher cost.
• The costs quoted above do not include disbursements, such as court issue fees, hearing fees and barrister fees.
• Barrister fees vary depending on seniority but are on average, between £1,500 to £8,000 per day for attendance at hearings. They may also charge separately for preparation and travel costs.

*Complexity can include:

• Parties being domiciled outside the jurisdiction of England and Wales
• Litigants in person – where a party acts without legal representation
• Volume of documents and translation of documents
• Preliminary / interim applications / amendments to existing court claims; and,
• Above average number of witnesses – as this will require additional preparatory work and a longer trial hearing.

Factors that could make a case more complex:

• Allegations of discrimination that are linked to the dismissal
• Defending claims brought by litigants in person (without legal representation)
• If it is necessary to make or defend applications to amend claims or to provide further information about an existing claim
• If there are complex preliminary issues (for example, arguments over whether a party is disabled or who the employer is)
• The number of witnesses and documents
• If it is an automatic unfair dismissal claim
• Making or defending a costs application
• If there are complex and/or new points of law

There will be an additional charge for attending a Tribunal Hearing. The cost of attendance can vary depending on each case but is generally around £1,000 to £2,000 per day (excluding VAT).

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties on your behalf, such as court fees or counsel fees, which will be charged in addition to our professional fees.

Counsel’s fees estimated between £1,000 to £20,000 per day (depending on experience of the advocate) for attending a Tribunal Hearing (including preparation).

Key Stages

The fees set out above cover all usual work in relation to the following key stages of a claim:

• Obtaining your initial instructions, reviewing the documents and advising you on merits and likely compensation (likely to be updated as the case progresses and is subject to change)
• Entering into pre-claim conciliation (where mandatory)
• Preparing claim or response
• Reviewing and advising on claim or response from other party
• Considering settlement and negotiation throughout the process
• Preparing and/or considering on a schedule of loss
• Preparing for, and, if required, attending, a Preliminary Hearing
• Exchanging documents with the other party and agreeing a bundle of documents
• Preparing and drafting witness statements and agreeing content with witnesses
• Reviewing and advising on the other party’s witness statements
• Preparing a bundle of documents
• Preparing/agreeing a list of issues, a chronology and/or a cast list
• Preparing instructions to counsel
• Preparing and, if required, attending, a Final Hearing

The key stages above are an indication of an average claim. Your case may require additional stages or fewer, and we would adjust our fees accordingly.

You may want to obtain our advice in relation to some of the stages, and handle others yourself. We can discuss and arrange this to suit your preferences.

How long will my matter take?

As an indicative guide, Employment Tribunal proceedings for unfair dismissal and wrongful dismissal last between 6 to 18 months between the issuing of the initial claim and the parties receiving the Tribunal’s judgment. This will vary depending on the complexity of your case, if/when it settles, and, the Employment Tribunal’s own timetable. The Employment Tribunal will determine the precise case management timetable at the first preliminary hearing.