Is Hiring An Employment Lawyer Worth It?
You are weighing whether a lawyer is worth it for your dismissal.
Whether a lawyer is worth it depends on the stage your case has reached. Weigh each stage on its own.
Is a first conversation worth it?
For most people, yes. It clarifies whether your situation meets the legal test and how much of your 60-day window remains.1
Whether ongoing help is worth it depends on how the case develops from there.
What does a lawyer add at conciliation?
A lawyer cannot represent you at conciliation. Preparing beforehand still helps some people feel and speak more clearly in the session.
Your employer has to prove the dismissal was fair.2 A lawyer can test early whether it realistically can, which is hard to judge alone.
What changes at the Industrial Court?
A lawyer’s value rises at the court stage. They can represent you directly and handle the formal process.
If your case is heading there, ask what that stage would cost before you decide.
How do you weigh it honestly?
Separate the cost of asking from the cost of acting. Asking clarifies your position, while filing or negotiating is a separate choice you make afterwards.
Treating the first step as low risk makes the whole question easier to face.
What should you do this week?
Write down your dismissal date and a short account of what happened. Then check your deadline on the 60-day deadline calculator.
The employment lawyer page explains what a lawyer does at each stage. For the same question about filing, read whether filing a dismissal claim is worth it.
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 deciding whether to go ahead with a claim over your dismissal, send the 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 lawyer worth it for a simple case?
A short conversation can confirm whether the case really is simple, before you act on your own.
Is it worth hiring one if I attend conciliation myself?
Preparation beforehand can still help, even though you speak for yourself at that stage. Some people find the preparation itself valuable.
Does the cost outweigh the benefit?
That depends on your case. Ask what the first review costs, because it lowers the risk of the early decision.
What if I am not sure I have a case?
That doubt is what a first conversation is for. It clarifies your situation instead of guessing either way.
Sources
- 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
- In an unfair dismissal case the burden falls on the employer to prove the dismissal was for just cause or excuse Mah Weng Kwai & Associates
Keep reading
If you are deciding whether to go ahead with a claim over your dismissal, send the 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.