Fees for Settlement Agreements | Winston Solicitors Skip to main content
dispute resolution three people looking at document
Legal news

Fees for Settlement Agreements

Samira Cakali Samira Cakali
2 min read

Most employers will contribute towards your legal costs of obtaining independent legal advice on the proposed settlement agreement.  This is because for a settlement agreement to be legally binding the employee must have received independent legal advice.

In our experience, this contribution ranges typically from £350 to £500 plus VAT.

When dealing with settlement agreements, we will always enquire into the circumstances giving rise to the offer. This is because often the settlement agreement is being offered in exchange for the employee agreeing to not pursue any employment tribunal claims.

Employers will often assert that the fee is for advice on the agreement only but there is a lot more work involved. We review the employment contract and discuss the circumstances with you. We need to understand why the settlement agreement has been proposed, otherwise, it is difficult and possibly even negligent for our employment lawyers not to give advice on whether there might be a claim worth more than the sum being offered. Of course, we then engage with the employer until the matter is completed.

In 2019, The Employment Appeal Tribunal heard the case of Solomon v University of Hertfordshire.

Although the key principles to be decided were ones of discrimination and unfair dismissal, the Employment Appeal Tribunal did make the following comment in relation to fees for settlement agreements:

We wish to say a word about the offer of £500 to obtain legal advice. We think it clear that the advice which the Claimant could expect to receive for this would only relate to the terms and effect of the proposed settlement and its effect. Any advice as to the merits would require reading and consideration on a quite different scale.

It seems that a reasonable fee for a solicitor to advise on a settlement agreement may be well in excess of £500 if the solicitor is advising on the merits of a potential claim, especially where the employer is on notice. If the contribution from the employer is too low, we will always request an increase from the employer directly. Otherwise, where necessary, we may agree that you pay the difference.

For further advice on this or any other aspect of employment please contact us on 0113 350 5000 or email employment@winstonsolicitors.co.uk.

Client feedback

Winston's supported me with their professional services. They were very swift in responding to my initial enquiry, then very quickly put me in touch with someone with the correct professional experience. They explained every step of the process and made the whole exeriance feel very easy.
Andrew
I have recently worked with Samira and Dervinder, and I couldn't be more satisfied with the service I received. From the very beginning, they were both professional, responsive, and extremely knowledgeable. They took the time to explain every step of the legal process in clear and understandable terms, and their attention to detail and genuine care for achieving the best possible outcome truly stood out. 10 out of 10!
Joanne
From first contacting Winstons Solicitor, I was really impressed with the care, concern and empathy with which I was met. My subsequent meeting with Samira continued in the same way and I was able to benefit from clear, concise and invaluable professional advice clearly gained from years of experience. Thank you.
Steven
I was happy with the service dervinder Roth provided for me and helped with my anxiety through the 12 month process I had to deal with.
Salman
I'm so glad I found Samira. She went above and beyond to make me feel heard and supported through a really chalenging situation at work. She is very experienced and takes a fair, balanced, and honest approach. I'd highly receommend her to anyone needing support wih workplace issues.
Anonymous
Amazing service from Winston Solicitors. Through my settlement agreement Dervinder explained everything thoroughly and helped understand what it was, what it meant and where changes were needed they sorted this to the timeline that was set. They were proactive and responded to all queries. They were very helpful and would recommend them completely as they explain in understandable terms for someone with limited knowledge of the process Thank you so much all!
Eve
Excellent solicitors. Responsive, fast and thorough!
Simeon
Dervinder was a great help at calmly explaining all the details and processes. I felt confident during the engagement that everything was under control and he made my life simpler by sorting things out in a timely manner with no chasing.
Torban
Contact Samira