Our Fees - Branch Austin McCormick

Our time and expertise are the key elements of the services we provide and so our fees are calculated by reference to the time spent by and the hourly rates of the legal personnel who deal with the matter. Hourly rates vary according to seniority and experience of the legal personnel. Other factors may also be taken into account, including the complexity, urgency and value of the matter, and an additional charge may be made.

The standard hourly rates of our partners, solicitors and consultants for 2022 are as follows:

Partners: £400-£650

Admitted Staff*: £210-£400

Non-Admitted Staff: £130-£375

*Admitted staff includes Solicitors of the Supreme Court; Employed Barristers, Fellows of the Institute of Legal Executives; certain other professionally qualified staff employed in specialist areas.

The rates do not include VAT. Time is recorded in units of 1/10th of an hour Our rates are reviewed annually and updated on our website.

Our initial file set up fee is an administration charge starting at £50 plus VAT, in addition we charge £30 plus VAT for each bank transfer of funds we make on your behalf and a download fee of £20 plus VAT for obtaining and supplying official copies from the Land Registry of title and other documents in addition to the Land Registry fees of (currently £3 or £6 per document) . Couriers and special delivery postage are charged at cost plus VAT. We reserve the right to charge for copying at our applicable rates from time to time (not exceeding a cost of 3.5% of our fee plus VAT).

We reserve the right to make a charge for services other than those provided by legal personnel, including but not limited to photocopying which we carry out ourselves (as opposed to copying which is carried out externally by third parties), bank charges, company formations, searches, storage and travel.

Payment in advance/on account is required and clients are responsible for payment of all liabilities to third parties, including Counsel, enquiry agents, process servers, couriers and translators, HMRC, Land Registry, Companies House, other registrar fees, Court and search fees.

VAT will be added at the rate which applies when the work is done. All estimates or quotations given by us are exclusive of VAT.

If we give you a written estimate of the total charges, it is given only as a guide to assist you in budgeting and should not be regarded as a fixed quotation unless otherwise agreed in writing. We may update any such estimate from time to time

In accordance with the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) regulations, we also set out specific additional information not covered by the above in relation to the areas listed below.

For Private clients:-

Employment Claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal

Immigration

Probate

Residential Conveyancing

For Business clients:-

Debt Recovery up to £100,000.00

Employment Tribunals involving claims for unfair dismissal or wrongful dismissal

RESIDENTIAL CONVEYANCING

We do not have “standard” fees as the range of residential property that we deal with is very broad and our service is tailored to the transaction and the client. Our minimum fee is £1,500 plus VAT (currently 20%) and disbursements – which are the costs payable to third parties on a transaction, such as searches. The type and amount of disbursements will vary according to the transaction and property concerned.

Our fees can be affected by factors such as:

Value
Urgency
Freehold or leasehold
Lock out or exclusivity agreement
New build or “off plan”
Listed building
Title defects or other issues
Alterations
Mortgage
Lease extension
Consents required
Declaration or trust
Tax or company structures

Please also see the GENERAL NOTE at the end of this section.

We set out below example fees for the straightforward purchase or sale or remortgage of a freehold or a leasehold property for a price/value of £1 million, with none of the above factors or other issues and an exchange timescale of 4-6 weeks and completion 2-4 weeks after exchange.

We carry out full investigation of the legal title to the property and the legal rights required for its proper enjoyment and full set of standard searches for your purchase. We provide a comprehensive report on our investigations with copies of all documents referred to and legal advice as appropriate. Our fee includes dealing with the Stamp Duty Land tax return and registration of your title to the property at the Land Registry.

PURCHASE– price of £1million
	FREEHOLD	LEASEHOLD
Our conveyancing fee	£2200 + VAT	£2750 + VAT
Funds transfer fee*	£30 + VAT	£30 + VAT
Land registry fee*	£295	£295
Land registry pre-completion search (per title)*	£9 inc. VAT	£9 inc. VAT
Searches package(Local / drainage / environmental/infrastructure / chancel)*	£400-600 + VAT	£400-600 + VAT
Landlord’s licence to assign / deed of covenant*	n/a	£750 + VAT
Share of freehold or management company to be transferred as part of the transaction (if applicable)*	£100 + VAT	£100+ VAT
Landlord’s Notice fees (per transaction to be notified)*		£75+ VAT

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is usually payable on a purchase. The amount will depend on the value of the property and your circumstances. HMRC’s website can give you an indication of the amount likely to be due from you in relation to your transaction https://www.gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax or, if your property is in Wales by using the Welsh government’s site https://gov.wales/land-transaction-tax-calculator

A Stamp Duty Land Tax return is required to be made to HMRC in most circumstances, even if no SDLT is payable. The return is your responsibility but is a technical document which we prepare for you and submit on your behalf to HM Revenue & Customs promptly once completion has taken place and pay across the SDLT we have collected in from you to obtain the required certificate to enable registration of your title at the Land Registry and deal with registration of your title to the property at the Land Registry and securing your lender’s charge on the property (if applicable).

SALE COSTS – price of £1million
	FREEHOLD	LEASEHOLD
Our conveyancing fee	£2000 + VAT	£2500 + VAT
Funds transfer fee*	£30 + VAT	£30 + VAT
Land Registry title fee* per title/document	£15 + VAT	£15 + VAT
Managing agent’s information pack*	Usually n/a	£450 + VAT
Landlord’s licence to assign / deed of covenant*	n/a	£750 + VAT

We provide a full legal service which includes:

Preparing a full sales pack (with your help on the standard questionnaires) for the buyer including the draft contract for the sale, title details and documents , all relevant copy documents, such as planning permissions, guarantees and certificates.
On a sale of a leasehold property, we also obtain the additional management information from the managing agents and liaise with them regarding any additional enquiries, we also apportion and collect back from the buyer any service charge and rent paid buy you for a period after the completion of the sale and dealing with any landlord’s requirement and consents
Negotiations
Liaising with your lender for the redemption of any mortgage on the Property

REMORTGAGE COSTS – value/advance of £1million
	FREEHOLD	LEASEHOLD
Conveyancing fees	£1500 + VAT	£1500 + VAT
Land Registry title fee* per title/document	£15 + VAT	£15 + VAT
Land Registry fee	£295	£295
Bankruptcy search	£3 per borrower	£3 per borrower
Land registry pre-completion search per title	£9	£9
Search pack (Local / drainage / environmental / chancel)	£400- £600 + VAT	£400 -£600 + VAT
Notice fees*	n/a	£75 + VAT
Funds transfer fee	£30 + VAT	£30 + VAT

GENERAL NOTE:

Figures marked with an asterisk are or include fees payable to third parties. Third party fees. We give estimated figures for such disbursements. In particular, Landlord’s fees are not standard and vary depending on the Landlord/property and may be significantly more than estimated. There may be additional third party fees payable and we will be able to provide you with more details and figures once we have these from the parties involved in your transaction.

Funds transfer fees are for the electronic transmission of funds in excess of £30,000, which is the method we use for payment of deposit, completion monies, mortgage repayment monies and net proceeds to you.

We charge file set up fees for each new client, including electronic identity search* which vary according to the type of client involved as corporate or trust structures are more complex. The basic fee is £50 per purchaser + VAT for an onshore individual.

The fees figures given assume that the matter in question is a standard transaction, by which we mean:

One title with up to 1 additional title document affecting the title (and if a leasehold title, the one document is an existing lease);
No unusual or unforeseen factors arise – e.g. but not limited to defects in title, disputes or other matters which require resolving before completion, resulting in additional deeds, documents or negotiations with third parties;
All parties involved are co-operative and responsive (including no delays in third parties providing documents) and the transaction proceeds within the timescales stated

Not included in our fees as displayed

Tax or financial advice.
Any of the factors affecting fees.
Advice regarding neighbouring and adjoining properties.
Interpretation of planning documents.
Additional Face to face meetings (other than to verify identity).

However, we can provide assistance in relation to any or all of these matters as well if required. Please ask and we can provide further information about our fees.

KEY STAGES

Although each transaction is individual so there may be variations according to the circumstances, generally the key stages are:

Purchase

Take instructions and carry out identification and money laundering checks including verifying source of wealth and funds.
Contact sellers solicitors and confirm instructions
Receive contract and title pack documents, peruse and raise any enquiries arising of seller’s solicitor. Initial advice.
Carry out searches, peruse and raise any enquiries arising of seller’s solicitor
Read a copy of your surveyor’s report on the physical aspects of the property, liaise further with you, raise any enquiries arising of seller’s solicitor
Seek further information or other documentation if required
Provide you with a comprehensive report on title, advising on the documents and information received.
Deal with approval/amendment of the contract as required
Take your instructions on and agree the date for completion of your purchase.
Send the final agreed contract to you for signature and request the deposit of 10% which is to be paid on exchange of contracts
Obtain your authority to proceed and exchange contracts for the agreed completion date and confirm to you.
Carry out pre-completion searches and obtain clear results.
Confirm the total sums required and arrange for all monies needed to be received (from lender where applicable) and you
Execution and signing by you of the relevant documents for completion of your purchase and the Stamp Duty Land Tax Return
Remit the completion monies to and complete your purchase (and mortgage)
Make the SDLT return and payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax on your behalf
Serve any post completion notices (e.g. notice of the transfer and mortgage) and other relevant matters.
Make the application for registration of your title (and the mortgage ) at the Land Registry

Sale

Take your instructions and carry out our identification and money laundering checks.
Provide you with the conveyancing standard property questionnaires to complete
Ascertain position on any mortgage and that the sale proceeds will be sufficient to discharge any existing mortgages on the Property
Obtain title and title documents, draft contract documents and prepare a sales pack. Obtain any management pack required (leasehold) and ascertain any landlords requirements such as licence to assign.
With your help, deal with any enquiries raised by the buyer’s solicitor (of which there may be more than one set)
Agree the contract and transfer deed with the buyer’s solicitor.
Take your instructions on and agree the date for completion of the sale
Make arrangements for satisfaction of and Landlord’s requirements to take place before completion
Send the final agreed contract to you for signature
Obtain your authority to proceed and exchange contracts for the agreed completion date and confirm to you that this has happened
Execution and signing by you of the transfer (and any other relevant documents) for completion of your sale
Obtain final repayment figure for your mortgage
Complete any licence to assign etc as may be required by the Landlord
Receive the completion monies and complete the sale
Send monies to lender to obtain discharge of any mortgage
Pay and discharge our fees and disbursements, pay your selling agent’s agreed fee from sale proceeds (if agreed) and send the net proceeds of sale to you by electronic funds transfer

Remortgage

Investigation of title according to instructions from your new lender including obtaining all searches and replies to enquiries as required.
If leasehold, ensuring there are no arrears or other breaches of lease by enquiries with the managing agents and obtaining any necessary consents from the landlord.
Execution and signing by you of the new mortgage deed.
Carry out pre-completion searches and obtain clear results.
Liaising with your existing lender to discharge their mortgage and remove their mortgage from your title.
Applying to the Land Registry to register the mortgage of the new lender against your title.
If leasehold, giving the notice of charge to the landlord.

Timescales

On average, assuming all information is available and all parties act without delay, you should allow approximately 4-6 weeks on average to exchange.

Completion can take place at any time after exchange on a date agreed by the parties at exchange. Usually between 2- 4 weeks. Banks will usually require up to 5 working days’ notice to draw down mortgage funds.

Actual timescales vary between transactions and depend on a number of factors, often out of our control, including:

How swiftly you are able to provide with suitable and sufficient ID and proof of address documents, sufficient proof of source of wealth and funds.
The position on a buyer’s mortgage offer and whether the buyer’s lender instructs the buyers solicitor or another firm
If either party’s sale / purchase is dependent on simultaneous purchase / sale of any other property
Speed of provision of full contract pack from seller with all relevant title, management, planning and other relevant documents and information
Speed of both parties in providing instructions/ replies to enquiries/further information
Speed of obtaining search results
Existence of title defects
Existence of physical defects / breaches of planning permission/listed building or building control
If leasehold, the landlord’s requirements and the speed of landlord / managing agent/ solicitors in providing full management pack and dealing with any queries / requests for consent/ any breaches of lease

Probate

What we do – applying for the Grant, collecting and distributing the assets

We only charge for the actual work we carry out, rather than a fee based on the value of the Estate.

Our work is charged at our hourly rates and probate matters are handled by a qualified solicitor, experienced in probate matters, with appropriate assistance as the case may be, at an average hourly rate of £300 per hour.

Everyone’s affairs are different. Our charges vary depend on the complexity of an estate and the number of beneficiaries and the way the estate devolves. In an “average” estate meeting based the criteria below, we would expect that in most circumstances, our work from start to finish would involve from 15 to 35 hours of work, so our estimated costs would range from £4,500 to £10,500 (excluding VAT and disbursements).

The exact cost will depend on the circumstances of each individual case, they could be less or more. Where the surviving spouse is the sole beneficiary and inherits the only property, the matter will be less complex so the costs would be lower. If there are several beneficiaries, properties and multiple bank accounts, then the matter will be more complex and so the costs will be at the higher end. The deceased’s tax affairs may be complicated and foreign assets may be involved.

The “average” estate for these figures is one where:

there is a valid Will and the deceased was domiciled in the UK

there is no dispute relating to the estate, whether between the beneficiaries or other claims against the estate

the deceased had only one property and no more than 5 bank, national savings/ premium bonds or building society accounts

the deceased had no other assets, whether in the UK or overseas

there are no trusts whether in the Will or that the deceased was interested in

there is no Inheritance Tax payable

there are no more than 5 cash legacies to be paid from the estate

there are no more than 3 residuary beneficiaries;

VAT is chargeable at 20%

Disbursements are the costs which are payable to third parties, such as the Court to obtain the grant of probate, in connection with these matters and include (present rates):

probate application fee of £273 plus £1.50e for each additional copy of the grant obtained at the same time (usually one for each asset)

Notices to protect against unexpected claims from unknown creditors – these are placed in the London Gazette(approx.. £200) and also in a local newspaper where the deceased lived (approx. £100)

Land Charges Department searches (bankruptcy) £2 per beneficiary);

Additional costs:

We can assist with the estate’s tax affairs but do not deal with complex tax affairs of the deceased or of the estate but will liaise with the deceased’s (or other appropriate) accountant so that they may do so. If those affairs are complex the additional work may arise.

Additional work will also arise if there is no Will or if there are assets in addition to those specified above, for example any shareholdings or investments (such as stocks, unit trusts, bond ), if the will creates or the deceased was interested in any trusts, if there are any disputes and such like.

Additional work will lead to additional costs, which could be significant and will depend on the factors in each case. We can give you a more accurate quote once we have more information.

Timescale and Key Stages:

Usually the “average” estate takes between 6 to 18 months to be finalised.

We review the Will and confirm your duties as executor.

Before the Grant of Probate can be applied for, the extent of the deceased’s estate, assets debts and holdings must be ascertained. We liaise with you to obtain the documents and information required, we assist you with the process of valuation and choosing valuers etc to assist. We contact all the asset holders and all the creditors ascertained to assess the amounts in question.

Once the extent of the estate has been ascertained , We will complete the online probate application. This takes approximately 3 -4 months from being formally instructed by the executors.

After grant of probate is obtained, we place the warning notices in the London Gazette (and local newspaper). We liaise with the banks and asset holders and collect in the estate’s assets, which can take from between 1 month to 3+ months and then (or at the same time depending) the debts/liabilities can be paid.

Next any cash legacies are to be paid, and we draft the appropriate receipts and discharges for the executors. If and interim distribution is appropriate, we work out with the executors the appropriate amount of interim distributions to be made to the residuary beneficiaries before the Estate Accounts are prepared.

We prepare the Estate Accounts for the executors approval, draft the appropriate receipts and discharges for the executors and make the final distributions. This will usually take between 2 and 6 months in this type of Estate .

Debt recovery up to £100,000

Debt recovery requires a strong understanding of the relations between an individual or business and their debtor and the ability to prudently decide on the best way to proceed. Our head of Litigation, Hal Branch has over 30 years of experience resolving disputes, working with a wide range of clients from individuals to large corporations. We will employ years of negotiation skills to try and resolve your case in the most efficient and harmonious manner, in turn saving you the time, costs and stress involved in taking your matter to court. However, we will conduct your case in line with the Civil Pre-Action Protocol to place you in the best possible position, should it be required to commence court proceedings, in which case we will powerfully promote you or your business’s interests, with a focus on securing the best result possible.

Our prices

Stage	Work	Costs
Stage 1	Pre-Action	This is usually the first step in our attempts to recover a debt. We will first ask that you provide us with the relevant documentation in respect of your claim. Upon receipt of the papers, we will draft a Letter Before Claim to be sent to the debtor. The letter will comply with the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims and will require the debtor to make payment of the debt or reach an agreement for settlement.	£350 – £550 + VAT and disbursements
Stage 2	Court proceedings	If instructed, we will issue a claim against a debtor on your behalf, in the County Court, which may have been following our attempts (at Stage 1 above) or following your own direct correspondence with a debtor. We will draft a Claim Form and the accompanying Particulars of Claim, which shall refer to any relevant documentation that you have provided to us. Once the claim has been issued by the Court, we will contact you to request further instructions, assuming that no Defence or Counterclaim is filed and served by the debtor. In the event that the claim is not disputed, we will file a Request for Judgment at Court, which will incur an additional fee.	£550 to £750 + VAT and disbursements The applicable court fee payable will be dependent on the value of the claim. Please go to the following link to ascertain the current court fees:- https://www.gov.uk/court-fees-what-they-are
Stage 3	Enforcement	Should you be successful with your claim and obtain judgment against the debtor, they will have been ordered by the Court to make payment of the judgment sum. Where the debtor does not comply, you may need to enforce the judgment by one of the methods listed below to recover the debt or secure it by way of a charge. County Court Bailiff High Court Enforcement Officer Charging Order Attachment of Earnings Order Third Party Debt Order	£350 – £550 + VAT depending on the method of enforcement and the complexity of the matter, and disbursements (not including the applicable court fees or enforcement compliance fees)
	Bankruptcy/ Insolvency	If the judgment debt is more than £5,000 (for individuals) or £750 (for companies), you can instruct us to commence Bankruptcy/ Insolvency proceedings against the debtor. If the debtor does not pay following a Statutory Demand or once a Petition has been issued, we would seek that a bankruptcy or winding-up order is made at the relevant hearing.	£350 – £650 + VAT and disbursements (based on only one hearing)

We add VAT to our charges at the rate that applies when we carry out the work. Currently, this is 20%.

The above is not an exhaustive list, and should we be instructed or required to undertake any work outside the scope of the services you instruct us to assist with, we would charge our time on an hourly basis. Our hourly rates range from £200 – £430 per hour (plus VAT), depending on the qualification and experience of the fee earner required for the service needed.

Additional Services / Charges

The fixed fees provided for each of the above services do not include any
additional work that we are instructed or required to undertake on your behalf.

Please note that our fixed fee services do not include the following list of additional services:

Responding to a debtor’s dispute at the pre-legal stage.
Responding to, or dealing with, any Defence or Counterclaim filed by a debtor – including the drafting/filing witness statements, directions questionnaires, or arranging representation at hearings.
Dealing with any applications made by the debtor, such as to set-aside a judgment.
Monitoring instalment plans or collecting multiple payments from a debtor.
Partaking in any Alternative Dispute Resolution, such as Mediation (including via Telephone).
Negotiations and correspondence with the debtor or any other third party.
Reviewing further documentation that you provide or is provided by the opposing party.

Corporate & Personal Immigration Pricing

Our specialist immigration department undertake immigration work covering private client, corporate, global mobility, asylum and human rights work. From time to time, we are instructed on highly specialised cases which often are complex and fall outside of the scope of the immigration rules, we are not able to provide those costs in a guide such as this.

Our work is carried out by qualified solicitors with appropriate assistance, and we will employ years of legal acumen and negotiation skills to try and resolve your case in the most efficient and prudent manner, in turn saving you time, costs and stress. We aim to mitigate having to take your matter to court by preparing a strong and meritorious applications before the Home Office.

Depending on the type of case or application and your circumstances we may offer a fixed fee or an hourly-rated quote for our cost.

The personal circumstance of each client is unique and difficult to quantify into a set price, we have therefore provided a range as to our typical fees. It is essential to take careful note of the following key points:

Value Added Tax (VAT)

All of the prices exclude VAT. This is charged at the rate set at the time of your application and payable on our fees and on most expenses incurred on your behalf. In certain circumstances VAT may not be applicable. We can provide guidance on these situations; however, you are advised to seek you own independent tax advice in this regard.

What is included in the pricing range?

These fees represent our professional fees. In other words, this is the amount we will charge for the legal work that our firm will carry out on your case.
Please note, due to the unique circumstances of each case and the individual nature of each application, the services provided to each client may differ.
Generally, our retainer will include advising you about the relevant law, procedure, preparing your application, liaising with relevant third parties and representing you in respect of your case until a decision is made by the relevant adjudicator.

What is not included?

Any disbursements which we may incur (these are fees and costs payable to third parties such as Government departments) are not included in our professional fees

These can include, but are not limited to the following:

Payments made to the Home Office on your behalf.
Payments made in regard to the Immigration Health Surcharge.
Payments made to the UKVI on your behalf.
Payments made to third parties such as the HM Passport Office.
Counsels’ fees. In the event of us seeking the advice of Counsel (Barrister) you will be liable for their fees which vary depending on their experience. We will liaise with you and discuss the options and costs involved prior to instructing Counsel. We ensure you will be kept informed as to the hourly rates of any barrister instructed in your case.
Fees to the Courts or Tribunals.
External translation fees.
Costs of Experts or Agents instructed on your behalf.
Non routine postage charges and courier charges.
File set up fees
Document certification fees.

And: –

Preparing a schedule of absences from the UK.
Travel and meeting expenses.
Photocopying.
Attending Home Office interviews or other meetings.

Please note our pricing list sets out the various types of immigration applications. In certain circumstances we may adopt a strategy which involves a combination of applications in order to advance your case. We will always advise upon the anticipated cost in advance. In the event your matter progresses and it further costs may be necessary; we will update you at the earliest opportunity. Our fees quoted below are for standard applications. More complex cases will attract higher fees, but we will always advise you of this.

Estimate Fees and Quotations

We do offer fixed fees for the majority of our personal and corporate immigration work. A fixed fee is a pre-agreed fee, which will not be increased or decreased and is not dependent on the application being successful. As set out above, any disbursements or expenses will be payable in addition to our fees. In the event you withdraw instruction prior to the submission of your application, the fixed fee, together with any disbursements or expenses will remain payable in full.

Factors which may increase the overall cost of your case.

Unexpected circumstances in your immigration history, personal circumstances, financial situation which we were not aware of at the point of instruction.
Delays in receiving information requested.
Information provided being, inadequate, out of date or requiring translation.
Where your case has a short deadline.

Factors which may decrease the overall cost of your case.

Where we have undertaken work for you in the past and we have pre-existing knowledge of your case or immigration history.
Where we submit multiple applications for the same entity or family.
Where you provide sufficient and concise information at our initial meeting to demonstrate you clearly meet the Immigration Rules.

Application or Case Type	Guideline Fee
Initial Consultation	£250-£550 – (Our consultation fee may be deducted from our professional fees if we are subsequently instructed on the case).
Tier 1 Investor	£10,000 – £30,000
Innovator Visa	£12,00 – £15,000
Start Up	£4,000 – £10,000
Entrepreneur Application	£10,000 – £15,000
Tier 4 Student	£2,000 – £4,500
Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme)	£2,000 – £3,500
PBS (Points-Based-System Dependents) Applications	£1,500 for the first, £500 per dependent thereafter.
Adult Dependent Relative	£4,500 – £10,000
BRP Replacement (NTL)	£1,000 – £2,500
BRP Replacement (BRP RC)	£1,000 – £2,500
Visitor Visa	£2,500 – £5,000
EU Pre Settled	£500 – £1,500
EU Settled	£500 – £1,500
EEA Family Permit	£2,500 – £7,000
EEA Registration	£2,500 – 5,000
EEA Permanent Residence	£2,500 – £7,000
EEA PR + Nationality + First Passport	£5,000 – £12,000
Naturalisation	£2,500 – £5,000
Nationality + Passport	£3,000 – £6,000
Discretionary Nationality	Subject to hourly rates
Registration as a Child of a British or Settled National	£2,000 – £5,000
Right of Abode	£2,000 – £3,000
Appendix FM Application	£5,000 – £8,000
Indefinite Leave To Remain	£5,000 – £8,000
First Passport Application	£1,000 or subject to hourly rates if complex.
Discretionary passport application	Subject to hourly rates.
Fiancé Visa Application	£2,000 – £8,000
Tier 2 Application / Skilled Worker (Leave to Remain)	£2,000 – £4,000
Tier 2 Application / Skilled Worker (Indefinite Leave to Remain)	£2,000 – £4,000
Sole Representative Visa	£4,500 – £10,000
ECAA Turkish Businessperson	£4,500 – £10,000
Civil Enforcement Response – Illegal Worker	Subject to hourly rates.
Tier 1 Exceptional Talent	£3,000 – £10,000
Ancestry Visa	£3,500 – £5,500
Global Talent Visa	£3,500 – £7,500

Employment Department Fees

Employment law can be complicated, and when employment law disputes arise it can seem intimidating at first. We aim to successfully guide our clients through employment law difficulties and bring a wealth of experience to our advice and representation.

We represent and advise both employers and employees, which gives us valuable insight into the thought processes of both sides and means that we can often find the most appropriate solution hopefully both cost-effective and agreeable to all, without the need for costly court or tribunal proceedings.

Each case is unique and therefore will have varying final costs. We are normally able to provide a service to suit most clients’ budgets and in certain circumstances can also offer a “no win, no fee” agreement (“NWNF”) should it be appropriate or where we wish to ensure we fulfil our goals relating to providing justice to the local community.

The cost of a case relates directly to its complexity and some of the factors that could make a case more complex include:

the need to make or defend applications to amend claims or provide further information about an existing claim
defending claims that are brought by litigants in person
making or defending the application (such as for additional disclosure, costs or for further and better particulars)
complex preliminary issues such as whether the claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties)
the number of witnesses / documents involved
automatic unfair dismissal claims e.g. if you are dismissed whistleblowing
Complex preliminary issues, such as whether the claimant is disabled (if this is not agreed by the parties)
allegations of discrimination which are linked to the dismissal

In order to comply with the requirements of our Regulator (the Solicitors Regulation Authority) we set out the following pricing for a typical wrongful dismissal / unfair dismissal claim, including our fees and also an estimated range of costs for bringing a case from initial instructions to the point of a tribunal judgment.

Our prices (estimated range)

Simple case from start to finish:	£4,600 – £8,000
Medium complexity case from start to finish:	£8,000 – £20,0000
High complexity case from start to finish:	£20,000 –£65,000 (or more)

We have attempted to set out sample pricing for a typical simple case. Please note that these costs would be increased as the complexity of the case increases, the amount of documents involved and the complexity of the law involved. In addition, the actions of your opponent and the tribunal can effect the costs involved.

Please note that approximately 80% of our employment litigation cases settle (and at different stages of litigation).

The fees below are set using Ms Sheida Zeinali’s hourly rate of £200 plus VAT. VAT is currently 20%. All fees below are plus VAT. It may be possible to instruct a more senior member of our team if you desire. We have set out below the likely range of fees for each typical piece of work. The fees are also set out based on representing a Claimant at tribunal. Similar fees would be charged if representing a Respondent to wrongful / unfair dismissal claim.

References to days is to working days and so if initial instructions are taken on Wednesday, completion would take until the following Wednesday.

Taking Initial instructions and reviewing client’s papers	5 days	£200- £400
Engaging in initial settlement negotiations / dealing with ACAS	20 days	£200 – £400
Preparing your ET1 and Particulars of Claim	10 days	£400 – £800
Considering Grounds of Resistance	5 days	£400 – £800
Exploring and negotiating a settlement	(throughout the case)	£400 – £800
Preparing your schedule of loss	5 days	£200-£400
Preparing your disclosure	20 days	£200-£400
Considering your opponent’s disclosure	10 days	£200 – £400
Preparing your witness statement (highly dependent on the complexity of the statement and whether more than one is required)	30 days	£400 – £800
Considering your opponent’s witness statements	10 days	£400 – £800
Cost of trial (based on a one-day hearing but this is dependent on the number of days). It may well be cheaper to instruct junior counsel rather than ourselves.	N/A	£2,000
Total		£4,600 – £8,000

The above prices are our fees only and do not include tribunal fees, expert’s fees or other disbursements such as counsel’s fees. Presently, the employment tribunal does not charge fees but this is likely to change.

The stages set out above are an indication and if some of the stages above are not required, the fee will be reduced. Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as an interpreter or tribunal fee. In more complex cases, we may instruct a barrister to represent you, likely at trial. There are a range of options in relation to instructing counsel, both in terms of experience and cost.

Please note that counsel are not part of our firm. Very junior counsel may be very low cost for a preliminary hearing (£500 – £800) or very expensive (£5,000 – £10,000) and similarly the range of counsel’s fees for a trial could be markedly different (£2,000 – £50,000). It is too difficult to give a range of estimates and it would depend on the experience and prices of counsel of your choice. Please ask us

The time it takes from taking initial instructions to the final resolution of your case depends largely on the stage at which your case is resolved.

There is normally no preliminary hearing in a simple unfair dismissal case. We charge from £800 – £2,000 for attending a preliminary hearing (this depends on travelling time and the complexity of the case). You may wish to handle the claim yourself and only have our advice in relation to some of the stages, which can be arranged depending on your individual needs. You may also wish to instruct counsel to attend the preliminary hearing.

Funding options

Legal Expenses Insurance
No Win No Fee Damages Based Agreement
Privately paying – fixed fee
Privately paying – agreed hourly rate
Trade Union Representation
Crowd Funding (via Crowd Justice)
Self-representation

Legal Expenses Insurance

You may have an insurance policy which covers legal costs. If you do, the insurance company will pay your legal costs and should offer you the right to choose any firm of solicitors of your choice.

Privately Paying / Agreed Fixed Fee

This is usually offered where we can easily predict the likely costs of the case in advance. We can also offer a fixed fee for a piece of work. For example, we are happy to offer the following fixed fees for a medium complexity unfair dismissal / discrimination case (all prices plus VAT). Whether the case is “medium complexity” is at our discretion and whether we offer the below prices is also at our discretion:

Initial instructions, assessing your case, advising on next steps and advising on the possibility of settlement:	£2,000
As above, but preparing your Letter of Claim and without prejudice letter and starting ACAS early conciliation	£3,000
As above, but attempting to obtain settlement	£3,800
As above, but also including issuing your ET1 and particulars of claim	£5,000

The fixed fee will be payable irrespective of whether your case is won or lost but provides you with a definite expectable cost from the outset to achieve certainty when budgeting.

No Win No Fee (“NWNF”) / Damages Based Agreement (“DBA”)

Damages-based agreements (“DBA”) are a form of contingency fee, or “no win no fee” (NWNF”). This is an agreement for you to pay us a percentage of your compensation or settlement amount instead of making an upfront payment of our costs. The Regulations governing such arrangements set a maximum fee of 35% (including VAT) of the amount which is actually recovered from your opponent. If your claim does not succeed, then you do not pay us any costs as long as you have complied with the terms of the agreement. Please note that we do not normally charge any less than 35%.

It is likely that you would have to pay counsel’s fees and all other fees if we represented you on under a DBA.

Privately Paying / Agreed Hourly Rate

Paying for our services on an agreed hourly rate may be the most suitable way of funding your claim. It may be that your claim is of a very high value and you prefer to manage your costs in this way. Alternatively, you may have a claim that is not particularly strong but you still wish to bring because of the importance of it to you or because you are pursuing an outcome other than compensation.

We will provide you with an estimate of the likely costs at the outset and update you regularly throughout the progress of the case.

Trade Union Representation

If you were member of a trade union before the incident leading to your present dispute arose and you still are a member of that union, you should be entitled to free representation through your union. We suggest contacting your union to request that they progress your case with their in-house legal advisers.

Crowd Funding

Many of our cases are Crowd Funded through the organisation Crowd Justice. This means that your legal fees may be paid through raising funds via members of the public. Not all cases are suitable for this method of funding and it requires substantial disclosure to members of the public about your case. You may also need to supplement any fees crowd funded as they may not cover our fees. It normally requires a substantial amount of input (raising funds) by yourself. We do not assist in raising the funds but can assist in setting up the Crowd Funding webpage. More details on request.

Self- Representation

It is possible that we can advise you but not represent you. We can offer a bespoke funding solution if you choose to do this. We would normally advise against this but it is up to you.

Employment department members, qualification dates and hourly rates

Please note we have 3 partners who carry out employment advice and representation in the firm. Elliot Hammer, Head of the Department, Harender Branch, and Hal Branch. We also have 2 employment solicitors in the firm, Aida Vysniauskaite and Sheida Zeinali.

We normally operate a system of one partner and 2 solicitors acting on your case, in order to make the most efficient use of our hourly rates and experience.