How much does it cost to instruct an employment law barrister?

Expert legal advice starts from £250 plus VAT. Document drafting, including tribunal claims and witness statements, starts from £300 plus VAT. Tribunal representation starts from £850 plus VAT per hearing. You will always receive a clear, fixed-fee quote before any work begins. There is no charge to submit an initial enquiry.

What counts as unfair dismissal?

Unfair dismissal occurs when an employer dismisses an employee without a fair reason or without following a fair procedure. To bring a claim, you generally need two years of continuous employment. Fair reasons for dismissal include conduct, capability, redundancy, illegality, and some other substantial reason. If an employer cannot show a fair reason or did not follow a fair process, the dismissal may be unfair.

What is constructive dismissal?

Constructive dismissal occurs when an employee resigns because their employer has fundamentally breached their employment contract. Common examples include a significant reduction in pay, a demotion without consent, or a persistent failure to address serious workplace issues such as harassment. The resignation must be in direct response to the breach and the employee must not have affirmed the breach by continuing to work.

Can a direct access barrister represent me or my business at an employment tribunal?

Yes. A direct access employment law barrister can represent both claimants and respondents at all stages of employment tribunal proceedings, including preliminary hearings, case management hearings, and final merits hearings. Barrister Connect has specialists who act for both employees bringing claims and employers defending them.

What do I need to do before making an employment tribunal claim?

Before submitting an employment tribunal claim, you are required to notify ACAS and complete early conciliation. ACAS will contact both parties to explore whether the dispute can be resolved without a tribunal hearing. If conciliation fails, ACAS issues a certificate that allows you to proceed with your claim. The early conciliation process is free and mandatory for most types of employment claim.

Is it cheaper to use a direct access barrister than a solicitor for an employment dispute?

In many cases, yes. By instructing an employment law barrister directly through Barrister Connect, you remove the cost of a solicitor acting as an intermediary. Barrister Connect provides fixed-fee quotes so you know exactly what you will pay before any work begins. Expert legal advice starts from £250 plus VAT.

Does Barrister Connect act for both employees and employers?

Yes. Barrister Connect can match both employees bringing employment claims and employers defending tribunal proceedings with the right specialist. Our panel includes barristers with experience on both sides of employment disputes, including unfair dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing, and redundancy cases.

Direct Access Employment Law

Employment Law Barristers
You Can Instruct Directly

Our employment law barristers can assist you with complex workplace matters, discrimination, unfair dismissal, and contractual disputes: navigating employment law confidently and efficiently, without the additional cost of a solicitor intermediary.

Get a free quote 01823 589 333

34+ Barristers

Employment Law Specialists

All barristers regulated by the Bar Standards Board

Fixed-fee quotes, no surprises

Fully confidential

England and Wales coverage

What we can help with

Key Areas of Employment Law

Our barristers have years of experience across the full spectrum of employment law disputes. Whether you are an employee bringing a claim or an employer defending one, we can connect you with the right specialist.

Dismissal Discrimination Whistleblowing Breach of contract

Unfair dismissal

Constructive dismissal

Wrongful dismissal

Workplace discrimination

Whistleblowing claims

Equal pay disputes

Redundancy disputes

Breach of employment contract

Settlement agreements

TUPE transfers

Pensions disputes

Employer tribunal defence

Not sure where your case fits?

Speak to our team and we will guide you to the right barrister.

Call 01823 589 333

Meet the team

Our Expert Employment Law Barristers

All of our employment barristers are regulated by the Bar Standards Board and are experienced across a wide range of employment tribunal proceedings and workplace disputes. Select a barrister to view their profile and experience.

Transparent pricing

Employment Law Barrister Fees

You will always receive a clear, itemised quote before any work begins. There are no hidden costs and no obligation to proceed. Costs vary depending on the complexity of your case and the experience of the barrister selected. All fees are quoted exclusive of VAT.

Expert Legal Advice

One-to-one conference with a specialist employment law barrister covering your legal position, prospects of success, and options.

From

£250 – £750 +VAT

Document Drafting

Preparation of ET1 or ET3 claim forms, witness statements, skeleton arguments, schedule of loss, and other tribunal documents.

From

£300 +VAT

Tribunal Representation

Full advocacy at employment tribunal hearings. A one-hour hearing starts from £750 plus VAT. A one-day hearing ranges from £1,500 to £2,500 plus VAT.

From

£750 – £2,500 +VAT

For a full breakdown of fees, visit our barrister fees page. Barrister Connect does not accept legal aid-funded cases and does not operate on a no-win-no-fee basis.

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Under the Bar Standards Board Direct Access scheme, you can instruct an employment law barrister directly without a solicitor. The barrister handles legal advice, document drafting, and tribunal advocacy. Barrister Connect facilitates direct access instructions across all employment law matters in England and Wales.

An online consultation with a barrister starts from £250 plus VAT (up to £750 before a claim is filed). Representation at a one-hour tribunal hearing starts from £750 plus VAT. A one-day hearing ranges from £1,500 to £2,500 plus VAT. A three-day hearing ranges from £3,750 to £7,200 plus VAT. You will always receive a clear, fixed-fee quote before any work begins.

The employment tribunal process typically follows these stages: early conciliation through ACAS; submission of an ET1 claim by the claimant; submission of an ET3 response by the employer; a case management preliminary hearing; and a final hearing at which both parties present their evidence. Most cases take between six months and two years from claim to final hearing.

Unfair dismissal occurs when an employer dismisses an employee without a fair reason or without following a fair procedure. To bring a claim you generally need two years of continuous employment. Fair reasons include conduct, capability, redundancy, and illegality. If an employer cannot show a fair reason or did not follow a fair process, the dismissal may be unfair.

Constructive dismissal occurs when an employee resigns because their employer has fundamentally breached their employment contract. Common examples include a significant reduction in pay, a demotion without consent, or persistent failure to address serious workplace issues such as harassment. The resignation must be in direct response to the breach.

Under the Equality Act 2010, it is unlawful to discriminate on the basis of a protected characteristic. These include age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation. Direct discrimination, indirect discrimination, harassment, and victimisation are all covered.

Before submitting an employment tribunal claim you must notify ACAS and complete early conciliation. ACAS will contact both parties to explore whether the dispute can be resolved without a hearing. If conciliation fails, ACAS issues a certificate allowing you to proceed. Early conciliation is free and mandatory for most employment claims.

Yes. Barrister Connect can match both employees bringing employment claims and employers defending tribunal proceedings with the right specialist. Our panel includes barristers experienced on both sides of employment disputes, including unfair dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing, and redundancy cases.