Unfair dismissal, discrimination, redundancy, whistleblowing, TUPE, settlement agreements and Employment Tribunal claims. Whether you are an employee or an employer, get clear, expert advice from a Direct Access barrister, without going through a solicitor first.
Tell us about your matter and we will match you with specialist Direct Access barristers. There is no charge to enquire.
We will be in touch shortly. If your matter is urgent or a Tribunal deadline is close, please call 020 3771 9301.
MyBarrister connects you with specialist Direct Access barristers who handle employment matters every day, for both claimants and respondents. You get senior expertise without the cost and delay of going through a solicitor first.
Direct Access, sometimes called Public Access, is a Bar Standards Board scheme that lets members of the public and businesses instruct a barrister directly. You do not need to engage a solicitor first.
Barristers are specialist advocates and advisers. In employment law, that means counsel who spend their working lives on unfair dismissal, discrimination, redundancy and whistleblowing claims, and who regularly appear at the Employment Tribunal. Many are King's Counsel or senior juniors with substantial Tribunal advocacy experience.
Through MyBarrister you can engage a barrister for a single piece of work, such as advice on the merits of a claim, drafting an ET1 or ET3, reviewing a settlement agreement, or representing you at a Tribunal hearing. You agree the scope and the fee with your chosen barrister in writing before any chargeable work begins.
A straightforward route to expert advice, with no pressure and no charge to enquire.
Complete the short form above with a few details. There is no charge to enquire and no obligation to instruct.
We introduce you to employment barristers whose specialism and experience suit your situation, whether you are bringing or defending a claim. You see their credentials before deciding.
You agree the scope of work and fixed fee with your chosen barrister in writing, then they get to work on your case.
Employment disputes affect employees and employers alike. The barristers listed on MyBarrister act on both sides, from straightforward Tribunal claims to complex, multi-day hearings.
Advice and representation on unfair dismissal and wrongful dismissal claims, including procedural fairness, notice pay and constructive dismissal.
Claims and defences involving direct and indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation on grounds protected by the Equality Act 2010.
Advice on fair selection criteria, consultation obligations, unfair redundancy dismissals, and defending redundancy processes.
Claims and defences relating to detriment or dismissal after a worker makes a protected disclosure under the Employment Rights Act 1996.
Advice on employee rights and employer obligations on a business transfer, including consultation, harmonisation and dismissal connected with a TUPE transfer.
Independent advice on settlement agreements for employees, and drafting and negotiation support for employers offering them.
Advocacy at preliminary hearings, remedy hearings and final merits hearings, for claimants and respondents, including case management and witness preparation.
Advice and representation on non-compete, non-solicitation and confidentiality clauses, including urgent injunction applications.
Strategic advice and Tribunal representation for employers, HR teams and in-house counsel defending claims of any kind.
Employment disputes are stressful and time-pressured for employees, and costly and reputationally sensitive for employers. MyBarrister keeps the route to expert help short, transparent and within your control.
The barristers we introduce you to are full-time employment law practitioners with significant Tribunal experience. No generalists, no juniors learning on your case.
Employment barristers will usually quote a fixed fee for defined pieces of work. You know the cost before any chargeable work starts. No surprise bills.
Direct Access means you instruct the barrister directly. You are not paying a solicitor to instruct counsel on your behalf, which can substantially reduce overall cost.
Every barrister listed on MyBarrister is regulated by the Bar Standards Board and carries professional indemnity insurance through the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund.
You choose the barrister and the scope of work. You can instruct for one piece of advice, a single hearing, or your whole case. No long retainers tying you in.
MyBarrister has been helping clients connect with specialist counsel for more than a decade, with introductions made across the full range of employment matters.
See the full panel of employment barristers on MyBarrister, with their chambers, year of call, areas of focus and direct access status.
Common questions about Direct Access, fees, Tribunal deadlines and how to get started, for employees and employers alike.
Yes. Under the Bar Standards Board's Public Access scheme, you can instruct a Direct Access barrister directly, without going through a solicitor first.
This is very common for Employment Tribunal claims: Direct Access barristers regularly represent both claimants and respondents at Tribunal without a solicitor being involved at all.
Employment barristers usually quote a fixed fee for defined pieces of work, such as reviewing a settlement agreement, drafting an ET1 or ET3, or representing you at a Tribunal hearing.
Hourly rates are also common for advice. You agree the fee with your chosen barrister in writing before any work begins, so you know the cost up front.
Employment Tribunal claims are subject to strict time limits, usually three months less one day from the event you are complaining about (for example, the date of dismissal). This period is extended only briefly while ACAS early conciliation is under way.
If a deadline is close, please call us on 020 3771 9301 rather than submitting the enquiry form, so we can prioritise getting you in front of a barrister quickly.
In almost all cases, yes. Before issuing most types of Employment Tribunal claim you must first notify ACAS and go through Early Conciliation. ACAS will issue an Early Conciliation Certificate once that process ends, and you will generally need the certificate number to submit your ET1.
A barrister can advise on this process, the time limits that run alongside it, and what to do if conciliation is unsuccessful.
Yes. Your enquiry is treated in strict confidence. Information you share is used only to introduce you to suitable barristers. Our handling of personal information is set out in our Privacy Policy. Once you formally instruct a barrister, legal professional privilege applies to communications between you and counsel.
Yes. The barristers listed on MyBarrister practise across England and Wales, with members in London, the South East, the South West, the Midlands, the North West, the North East, Yorkshire and Wales.
Many will accept instructions remotely by video conference for advice, and travel to the Employment Tribunal for hearings.
Yes. All barristers listed on MyBarrister are regulated by the Bar Standards Board and hold a current practising certificate. Each is also authorised under the Public Access scheme to accept instructions directly from members of the public.
Every practising barrister carries professional indemnity insurance through the Bar Mutual Indemnity Fund.
One of our team will contact you, usually within one working day, to understand your matter in a little more detail. We will then introduce you by email to one or more specialist employment barristers whose experience fits your situation. You decide whom to instruct, and the barrister agrees the scope and fee with you in writing before any chargeable work starts.
Yes. We introduce you to barristers who specialise in your area of employment law and whose experience matches your matter. You decide whom to instruct. You can also browse the directory and request a specific barrister by name.
A short summary of your situation is enough to start. Useful details include:
Please do not share confidential information until you have engaged a barrister formally.
Yes. Employment barristers on MyBarrister act for both sides. Many of our barristers regularly defend employers, HR teams and in-house counsel facing Employment Tribunal claims, as well as representing individual claimants.
An employment barrister can advise and represent you on:
Yes. Direct Access barristers regularly represent both claimants and respondents at Employment Tribunal hearings, including preliminary hearings, remedy hearings and full merits hearings, as well as at the Employment Appeal Tribunal.
No. There is no charge to enquire through MyBarrister and no obligation to instruct. Any fees are agreed directly between you and the barrister you choose, in writing, before any chargeable work starts.
Solicitors usually handle the day-to-day conduct of a case: correspondence, collecting evidence and managing the file. Barristers are specialist advocates and advisers, traditionally engaged to give opinions on the merits and to represent clients in Tribunal.
Under Direct Access, you can instruct a barrister for the parts of the work that need specialist input without engaging a solicitor first. For longer or more document-heavy cases, the two roles can also be combined.
Tell us about your matter and we will introduce you to specialist Direct Access barristers who can help, whether you are an employee or an employer. There is no charge to enquire.
