Employment Tribunals

Employment tribunal claims. Expert legal support.

Employment tribunal claims can be costly and time consuming to defend. Our specialist employment tribunal solicitors provide strategic guidance to protect your business interests while managing costs effectively.

Our employment law specialists help employers navigate every stage of any tribunal proceedings, including:

• ACAS Early Conciliation
• Initial case assessment and risk management
• Advising and negotiating settlement terms
• Full tribunal representation

Whether defending claims or exploring settlement options, our employment tribunal lawyers provide practical solutions aligned with your business objectives.

We help you make informed decisions that protect both your interests and resources.

Understanding employment tribunal costs and compensation

Employment tribunal proceedings require significant investment of both time and resources for employers. Our employment tribunal solicitors provide strategic guidance to protect your interests throughout the process.

It is important to be aware that even if you are successful in defending a claim, it is unlikely you will recover your legal costs as the general rule in the Employment Tribunal is that each side is responsible for their own costs.

If the employee wins their claim against you, you could be ordered to pay damages to them. The most common types of claims are those for unfair dismissal or discrimination.  In many cases the employee may claim both.

In a successful Employment Tribunal claim the Tribunal will make a compensatory award for loss of earnings up to the value of a year’s pay or £115,115 (2024/25) – whichever is the lower.

In contrast there is no limit on the compensation which may be awarded in a discrimination claim and unlike claims for unfair dismissal the Tribunal can also award an additional sum for injury to hurt feelings.

With this in mind, early commercially informed and expert advice can assist businesses in evaluating the options available to them and minimising overall cost. We recommend that you contact us as soon as you receive notification from ACAS regarding early conciliation or receipt of an employment tribunal claim, so that we can help you assess the relative merits of the claim and the best course of action for your business.

If you decide to defend a claim, we can assist you with:

• Drafting a defence (known as an ET3) to the claim
• Liaising with the claimant and the employment tribunal regarding wider preparation for the hearing (for example, disclosure and witness statements)
• Representing you at any preliminary or final employment tribunal hearing (or arranging for a barrister to do so if appropriate)

Throughout the process we will continuously assess and advise you as to the strengths and weaknesses of your position and support you in working towards a resolution that works for you.

We also have extensive experience of negotiating settlements in all types of employment tribunal claims, including constructive/unfair dismissal, unlawful discrimination, whistleblowing and claims of unlawful deductions from wages.

If your preference is to resolve a claim without recourse to the employment tribunal, we will work with you to achieve the most favourable settlement terms possible in the circumstances.

Whether you wish to negotiate a settlement or to defend a claim at tribunal, we will work to achieve the best possible outcome.

ACAS pre-claim conciliation

Prior to formally commencing a claim at the employment tribunal, an employee is required to initiate the ACAS Early Conciliation process. During this process, ACAS will make contact with both parties and endeavour to ascertain if a mutually agreeable resolution can be reached.

We can assist during the ACAS Early Conciliation process by assessing the relative merits and value of the employee’s potential claims and/or representing you directly in communication with ACAS.

We can also draft and advise on the settlement documentation (known as a COT3) in the event that an agreement is reached.