How to Find your Legal Expert: Part 7 – Employment Lawyer for Employees

The seventh edition of the Backhouse guide to finding your legal expert series covers the best practices and tips for employees looking for the right Employment Law Solicitor to help with their issue.

Employment Law professionals can advise on a variety of issues such as, but not limited to, redundancy, settlement agreements, unfair dismissal, constructive unfair dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing as well as representation at an employment tribunal. But ensuring you are getting the best advice for you, isn’t as easy as it may seem…

To help you on your way to finding the right employment law solicitor, we have included a few key things to consider:

1. Recommendations – A good place to start searching for a solicitor is to speak to friends or family to see if they have used a firm recently. You ask about their experience and whether they would recommend them.
2. Research – Do not just choose the first firm that pops up when you search for Employment Lawyers/Solicitors, do some research first. Ensure that the firm can assist with your issue and review their services.
3. Online Reviews – viewing a company’s online ratings will provide you with an indication of other people’s experiences, which can be really useful.
4. Consider your needs – do you want a solicitor who explains things to you in plain English, or would you prefer a solicitor who uses legal jargon? Review their website to ensure that the firm matches your preferred style.
5. Fee Transparency – look for firms that state they will provide fee transparency. Often legal fees are not communicated clearly with clients and the final bill can end up being more than expected!
6. Comparing Costs – Although it is tempting to choose the cheapest firm, this can have consequences. You may not receive a quality service, they may not have the qualifications you expect or they may not be insured for their advice (which is important if their advice is incorrect and you need to sue them).  You also need to make sure they are regulated.  Solicitors are regulated by the SRA (Solicitors Regulation Authority). Therefore, we recommend you do your homework first.
7. Initial consultation – Most firms will offer an initial consultation, sometimes free of charge. You should take the opportunity to use this initial consultation to assess whether the firm is a suitable match for you.
8. Legal bodies and accreditations – look for accreditations and qualifications on the firm’s website.

Not everyone will be aware of the legal qualifications or regulations of the legal industry, so to help we have detailed this below.

SRA (Solicitors Regulation Authority) – the SRA logo and a registered number should easily be seen on the firm’s website and linked to a page that states the website has been verified by the SRA. This means that:

• the firm and the solicitors are governed by the SRA
• everyone who works for the firm must meet the high standards and rules set by the SRA
• this firm must have the right level of insurance to protect you in case something goes wrong
• you may be able to claim through the SRA Compensation Fund to have your money reimbursed if this firm or a solicitor working for it owes you money because it has been stolen or unaccounted for, or there was inadequate insurance in place.
• you can complain to the SRA if a solicitor breaches the SRA rules

• It is a requirement to take legal advice on a settlement agreement as you will be waiving your rights to bring all claims against your employer. It is also important that you understand what you are signing and whether you are receiving a fair amount of compensation.
• Legal representation can give you the best chance of success at the Employment Tribunal and provide you guidance throughout the process.
• A solicitor will be able to give you advise and explain your options regarding your employment issue whether that be an ongoing issue at work, or because you have been dismissed.
• An employee has unfair dismissal protection and if your employer has failed to adhere to these, you may have a claim for unfair dismissal.

If you are an employee looking for a qualified and expert Employment Law Solicitor to help with your issue, contact the team at Backhouse and book your free 30-minute consultation with one of our professionals.

Coming Soon – How to Find your Legal Expert – Part 8 – Litigation Lawyer

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Email:     info@backhouse-solicitors.co.uk
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