Expert Employment Tribunal Representation Without a Solicitor
Fight unfair dismissal and discrimination with specialist advocates. Save costs by instructing employment Barristers directly.
What Direct Access Employment Barristers Actually Do
Employment Barristers are tribunal specialists who provide expert advocacy and strategic guidance
Tribunal Advocacy
Your Barrister can:
- Preliminary hearings
- Full merit hearings
- Case management discussions
- Remedy hearings
- Employment Appeal Tribunal
- Costs applications
Strategic Legal Advice
- Claim strength assessment
- Discrimination law application
- Compensation calculations
- Settlement negotiation tactics
- ACAS conciliation strategy
- Witness preparation
Document Drafting
Your Barrister can draft:
- ET1 claim forms
- Witness statements
- Schedule of loss
- Legal submissions
- Skeleton arguments
- Appeal grounds
Your Barrister drafts these documents. You are responsible for filing them at the tribunal.
What You Do Yourself
- ACAS early conciliation
- Filing ET1 at tribunal
- Gathering evidence
- Correspondence with employer
- Attending tribunal hearings
- Following tribunal orders
Your Barrister can draft documents for you. You are responsible for filing them at court and serving them on the other party.
Employment Law Services We Cover
Expert Barristers ready to help with all aspects of employment law.
Unfair Dismissal
Challenge dismissals without fair reason or proper procedure. Expert representation for constructive dismissal, wrongful dismissal and unfair redundancy claims.
Discrimination Claims
Specialist advocacy for age, disability, race, sex, religion and other protected characteristic discrimination. Expert handling of harassment and victimisation cases.
Redundancy Disputes
Challenge unfair selection, inadequate consultation or discriminatory redundancy. Fight for proper redundancy payments and compensation.
Whistleblowing
Protection for reporting wrongdoing at work. Expert representation for public interest disclosure detriment and dismissal claims.
Breach of Contract
Unpaid wages, bonuses, notice pay and contractual benefits. Expert advocacy for employment contract disputes.
Equal Pay
Gender pay gap and equal pay for equal work. Specialist representation for equal value cases.
Important: When Direct Access Is Available
These hearings are available via Direct Access for privately funded cases only.
You CAN use Direct Access for:
- All privately funded employment tribunal claims
- Discrimination, unfair dismissal, whistleblowing claims
- Cases where you pay your own legal fees
You CANNOT use Direct Access for:
- Legal aid cases (extremely rare in employment)
- Cases requiring extensive pre-claim correspondence
- Complex multi-claimant equal pay cases
Not sure if your case is suitable?
Complete our free 2-minute case assessment. We'll honestly tell you if Direct Access is right for your situation or if you'd be better off with a Solicitor.
Get Free Case AssessmentIs Direct Access Right for You?
Perfect for Direct Access
You're ideal if you:
- Can complete ET1 form using tribunal guidance
- Comfortable gathering evidence and documents
- Able to correspond with employer or Solicitor
- Want to save costs on administrative tasks
- Need expert tribunal advocacy
- Have completed ACAS conciliation
Consider a Solicitor If
You need someone to:
- Need extensive pre-claim strategy
- Want full case management
- Complex evidence coordination needed
- Multiple linked claims
- Need settlement negotiation support
- Emotional distress prevents involvement
The Direct Access Process
From first contact to court resolution
- 1Day 1
SUBMIT YOUR CASE
Tell us about your employment issue online. Takes 5-10 minutes.
- 2Day 2-3
GET MATCHED
We connect you with specialist employment Barristers. Review profiles and fees.
- 3Week 1
INITIAL ADVICE
Barrister reviews your case. Assesses claim strength and advises on strategy.
- 4Weeks 2-4
YOU PREPARE
Complete ACAS conciliation. File ET1 with Barrister guidance. Gather evidence.
- 5Your hearing date
TRIBUNAL DAY
Meet your Barrister at tribunal. They handle everything in the hearing room.
Indicative Fees for Employment Law
Fees vary by case complexity and Barrister experience. These figures give you a realistic starting point for employment law matters.
| Service | Junior Counsel | Senior Counsel |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Advice / Case Assessment | From £500 | From £1,500 |
| ET1 Drafting / Review | From £500 | From £1,200 |
| Preliminary Hearing | From £750 | From £2,000 |
| Full Hearing (per day) | From £1,200 | From £3,000 |
| Discrimination Claim (multi-day) | From £3,000 | From £8,000 |
| Schedule of Loss / Witness Statement | From £400 | From £1,000 |
Initial Advice / Case Assessment
Junior Counsel
From £500
Senior Counsel
From £1,500
ET1 Drafting / Review
Junior Counsel
From £500
Senior Counsel
From £1,200
Preliminary Hearing
Junior Counsel
From £750
Senior Counsel
From £2,000
Full Hearing (per day)
Junior Counsel
From £1,200
Senior Counsel
From £3,000
Discrimination Claim (multi-day)
Junior Counsel
From £3,000
Senior Counsel
From £8,000
Schedule of Loss / Witness Statement
Junior Counsel
From £400
Senior Counsel
From £1,000
Fees depend on case complexity, hearing length, and Barrister experience. Senior counsel and King's Counsel (KC) command higher fees for their expertise. Your Barrister will provide an exact fixed quote before any work begins.
All fees are exclusive of VAT where applicable. Court fees are separate and paid directly to the court.
Want an exact quote for your case?
Get Free Case AssessmentFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about working with employment law Barristers
Can I really manage the ET1 form myself?
Yes. ET1 forms have clear guidance notes and the tribunal provides detailed guides. Your Barrister can review a draft before you file. Many claimants successfully complete ET1 forms themselves with Barrister guidance.
What about ACAS early conciliation?
You must complete ACAS early conciliation before filing (unless exempt). ACAS is straightforward - contact them online or by phone, they attempt settlement. If that fails, you get a certificate to proceed. Your Barrister advises on strategy.
What if my employer has a Solicitor?
No problem. Your Barrister provides equal expert representation at tribunal. Between hearings, you handle their Solicitor letters with Barrister guidance. In tribunal, your Barrister delivers the same powerful advocacy.
How long do employment claims take?
From ET1 to final hearing typically 6 to 12 months, though some regions are faster. Preliminary hearings within 3 to 6 months. Many cases settle at ACAS or after preliminary hearing.
What compensation can I expect?
Unfair dismissal: basic award plus compensatory award for losses, capped at one year salary or £115,115. Discrimination has no cap and can result in higher awards including injury to feelings (£1,000 to £60,000+).
Do I need 2 years service to claim?
For ordinary unfair dismissal, yes (with exceptions). But you can claim automatically unfair dismissal (whistleblowing, pregnancy, health and safety) or discrimination with any service. A Barrister advises which claims you can bring.
Can Barristers work on no win no fee?
Some Barristers offer conditional fee agreements for strong employment claims. More common in discrimination cases than unfair dismissal. Discuss funding options during initial consultation. Legal expenses insurance may also cover costs.
What happens at a preliminary hearing?
Preliminary hearings deal with case management, jurisdictional issues, deposit orders and strike out applications. They are shorter than final hearings. Your Barrister ensures case progresses properly and protects you from unfair strike outs.
Get Expert Tribunal Representation Today
Fight unfair dismissal and discrimination with specialist employment Barristers while saving 40-60% by cutting out the Solicitor.
Or call us: 0800 302 9921 Mon-Fri 9am-6pm
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