Professional rules require Gibson Dunn to provide costs information on certain of our services. The information below relates to bringing and defending claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal in the Employment Tribunal in England and Wales. Biographies of our lawyers who undertake such work are available here.
Gibson Dunn will take initial instructions, advise on conciliation and a defence, deal with the preparation and disclosure of documentation and witness statements, instruct counsel and take all other steps up to a settlement or, if necessary, a final hearing. Gibson Dunn will provide more detailed information as part of any ongoing representation.
Gibson Dunn will calculate fees based on the lawyer hours spent on the matter, and fees may range from approximately £50,000 to £1,500,000, excluding VAT* (this figure is not intended to be a cap on charges or a maximum, and is only a guideline), depending on the complexity of the case. A hearing will usually last one to two days but possibly up to 10 days.
Factors that could add complexity to a case include, for example, a large number of witnesses or documents, whistleblowing or allegations of discrimination.
In addition, there may be disbursements such as fees payable to the court, experts or a barrister who is independent from Gibson Dunn. A barrister’s fees may range from £1,000 to £50,000 (excluding VAT*) per day depending on experience. Gibson Dunn will discuss in advance the payment of any disbursements.
The duration of time from taking initial instructions to the final resolution of a case depends largely on the stage at which a case is resolved, and may vary between two weeks, if the case settles, to 18 months.
*VAT: legal fees and disbursements incurred by London lawyers working on a UK matter would be subject to applicable standard VAT at the prevailing rate, which is currently 20%