What Does An Employment Lawyer Cost?
You are weighing fees before you contact anyone.
Cost worries stop some people from asking for help. The first stages of a claim need no lawyer, so you have time to ask.
What does it cost to get help?
Ask the lawyer directly whether the first review has a charge, because practice differs from one lawyer to the next. Ask before you send your papers.
Filing and conciliation do not need a lawyer at all. Solicitors are not permitted to represent parties at conciliation.1
What drives the price?
A plain case with clear documents costs less than one built on disputed facts and long email trails. How far the case goes, and how some hearing days it needs, also changes the total.
Ask any lawyer for the fee structure before you commit. It may be hourly, a fixed sum for each stage, or something else, and you should know which.
Why ask early?
Some people avoid a lawyer because of cost, without ever finding out what a first conversation involves. That assumption can close off options that cost little to check.
A direct question early clears it up faster than guessing.
How do you get a real answer for your case?
Confirm your filing deadline first on the 60-day deadline calculator. A case that cannot be filed has no cost to weigh.2
The employment lawyer page explains what a lawyer does at each stage. For fees at a particular stage, read what filing a dismissal claim costs and what an Industrial Court case costs.
If you want a lawyer to act for you, send your dismissal date and what happened. An independent employment lawyer can review the facts and reply about whether and how they can act.
If you are weighing the cost of a claim over your dismissal, send your dismissal date and what happened. An independent employment lawyer can tell you whether it is worth pursuing.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.
Common questions
Is a first conversation expensive?
That depends on the lawyer, so ask before you send your papers. Ask whether the first review has a charge and what it covers.
Why hire a lawyer if they cannot attend conciliation?
Preparation matters even where a lawyer cannot attend with you. Some people prepare beforehand so they know what to expect and present their position clearly.
What affects the total cost?
How complex your facts are, how some documents need review and how far the case goes. A case settled early costs less than one that reaches a hearing.
Should I compare fees between lawyers?
It is reasonable to ask more than one lawyer how they charge. Also weigh how clearly each one explains your situation.
Sources
- Solicitors are not permitted to represent parties at conciliation before the Department of Industrial Relations; an employee attends and speaks for themselves Mah Weng Kwai & Associates
- An employee who considers they were dismissed without just cause or excuse may make a written representation to the Director General of Industrial Relations within 60 days of the dismissal Mah Weng Kwai & Associates
Keep reading
If you are weighing the cost of a claim over your dismissal, send your dismissal date and what happened. An independent employment lawyer can tell you whether it is worth pursuing.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.