Solicitors’ fees can be a daunting prospect and, sometimes, you might not even look for legal advice believing it to be too expensive. But, that’s not necessarily the case.
Here, we demystify the thorny subject of solicitors’ fees and how employee advice is priced.
Our clients generally have questions which fall into one of three categories:
- Settlement Agreements
- Questions about employee rights
- Dispute resolution (negotiations) and employment tribunal claims.
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Settlement agreements –
Your employer pays
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Questions about employee rights –
It’s a fixed fee
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Dispute resolution and employment tribunals – Payment plans |
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When you are looking for a solicitor because you have been offered a settlement agreement, generally your employer pays a contribution to your legal fees.
Have a look at our previous articles on settlement agreements for more information on this topic or get in touch to find out more.
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At Howells, we offer the first meeting with your solicitor for a fixed fee.*
Our prices are:
- £240 inc. VAT (up to 1 hour)
- £120 inc. VAT (up to 30 minutes)
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When your case is not perhaps so cut and dry, we estimate how much the overall future cost is likely to be and we provide you with an itemised estimate, taking you through each of the key stages and the preparation required.
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* However, if you’re not sure whether your question warrants the cost, you can speak to our solicitors for up to 10 minutes for free.
We can’t give you free advice, but we can help you to decide whether you need an appointment or if there’s anything else we can do to support you.
Do you offer no win no fee?
In exceptional cases, we do offer a no win no fee agreement, so it is always worth contacting us to find out whether your case would fall into the exceptions.
Otherwise, the majority of our clients privately pay for their fees from their own funds or with the help of family or friends.
We always encourage you to double check whether you have insurance cover for legal expenses (sometimes you find this as a bolt on to another insurance product, such as home contents insurance). If you do, we liaise with your insurer, so you don’t have to worry about legal fees.
Do I have to pay everything in one go?
Generally, no. We always forecast the overall future fees, and this means there is usually enough time to spread the estimated cost into more manageable staged advance payments.
Sometimes, everything is resolved under budget. If this happens, we refund the surplus to you.
What if my employer doesn’t agree to negotiate?
Sometimes, it is difficult to know how long something like a negotiation is going to take, because it depends on how your employer reacts to the proposal. In these situations, we give you advice on what a reasonable settlement bracket would be and agree a budget with you, which is designed to give enough time to resolve the dispute.
Have More Questions?
If you have further questions about how our employee law solicitors bill their services or would like to set up a meeting, please get in touch with Gemma Bailey, Partner and Head of Employment Litigation and Disputes, and her expert team.
