It is important that you provide us with the full facts and all relevant information and documents to enable us to present your claim properly. This will not only enable us to set out what you consider the true position to be in your Claim Form (ET1) but it will also help us advise you on the strength of your case.

In the first instance, we will need copies of all documents which may be relevant to your case (including your contract of employment, relevant sections of the staff handbook, appraisal notes, memoranda and emails relating to the issues, copy grievances, correspondence, letter of dismissal if appropriate, appeal documents etc) and a detailed account from you which will later form the basis of your statement to the Employment Tribunal. We need these documents and information to prepare and submit your claim, initially by letter to your employer and then the Claim Form (ET1) to the Employment Tribunal within applicable time limits.

Another reason we need copies of all documents which may be relevant to your case is that during the proceedings the tribunal is likely to order you to disclose any documents that you have in your possession or control which are relevant to your claim.

WITNESSES

We will need to know who might be able to give relevant information to the Employment Tribunal as we may wish to call them as witnesses. This might include current members of your employer’s staff (who may need to be the subject of witness orders to ensure their attendance at tribunal).

We will need to speak to your witnesses during the preparation stage and, in due course, we will need to prepare witness statements for them. You should obtain details of any dates on which they cannot attend a tribunal hearing in the following six - nine months.

CONFIDENTIALITY

You should ensure that you keep knowledge of, and discussion about, your case limited to those who have to be involved. In particular, you do not want information about your claim or our advice to get back to your employer / the other side.