Best options for legal advice on value/meritd of claim

[Clcp77]

Hello,

I'd be grateful if someone could please help me to find an affordable option for obtaining legal advice with regard to the strength of my claim.

My claim is for disability discrimination and comprises loss of earnings and injury to feelings. The claim has been ongoing for the past two years and is listed for a four day final hearing in a few week's time.

Until now the respondent has not been interested in engaging in any form of conciliaton or mediation and I have been acting as a LIP.

I have received a costs warning letter this morning, which included a settlement offer of just over 1% of the valuation I have placed on my claim.

Whilst I have no intention of accepting the offer, in view of the amounts involved I do think that it would be a good time to discuss the details of my claim with someone who would be able to provide advice about my likely chances of success and what a reasonable settlement might look like.

Money for this is tight, but I would rather pay extra if necesssry to be assured of reliable, good quality advice.

If someone could please point me in the right direction I'd be much obliged.

Many thanks in advance

[ULA]

If you are looking for "reliable, good quality advice" then you have the following options:

1. Engage an employment law solicitor who has experience of Employment Tribunals and disability discrimination claims. This will be charged on an hourly rate basis and depending on where you are in the UK this could range from £250 +VAT upwards. The other issue is that at this stage in the proceedings they are likely to want to review the hearing bundle which, depending on its size, may take a few hours for the solicitor to review and then the time it will take for them to draft and discuss the merits of your claim, potential outcome and what may be a reasonable settlement if you were to try and negotiate a settlement prior to the hearing.
2. You could try and engage with a "no win, no fee" employment lawyer. However they would only take the case if there is a high probability of success as they will take a percentage of whatever award you are given, should you win and they would reasonable want to ensure this covers, as a minimum, their costs.
3. Have you checked whether you have legal expenses insurance that you have forgotten about? Some people get legal expenses insurance as part of their car or home insurance policy, it's worth checking, However, like point 2 the insurer would only take the case on if there was a reasonable prospect of success.
4. There is a pro-bono organisation I am aware of Law Works https://www.lawworks.org.uk/legal-advice-individuals who may be able to assist or if not they have some useful signposting.
5. There is also direct access to a barrister https://www.barcouncil.org.uk/bar-co...ss-portal.html which allows an individual to appoint a barrister directly without a solicitor and you could engage them to review your claim and provide you with legal advice about the merits and potential outcomes of your case.

Posting the link below to your previous thread which I think is related to this thread - for context.

https://legalbeagles.info/forums/for...discrimination