Lines of communication

[sidecar]

Hi,

 

despite personal financial problems I am looking to employ a legal professional for my ET hearing. There are still a number of issues that the respondent has not resolved (missing documents etc) which still need chasing up.

 

Once I have a solicitor can I still continue to chase up the respondent about these pre-hearing issues (at relatively little expense to me) or can the respondent insist on only dealing with my appointed legal representative (at considerable expense to me)?

[transient]

Hi,

 

despite personal financial problems I am looking to employ a legal professional for my ET hearing. There are still a number of issues that the respondent has not resolved (missing documents etc) which still need chasing up.

 

Once I have a solicitor can I still continue to chase up the respondent about these pre-hearing issues (at relatively little expense to me) or can the respondent insist on only dealing with my appointed legal representative (at considerable expense to me)?

 

Any reason why you are unable to do this yourself?

[becky2585]

Really, if you have a legal representative on record, that's who correspondence should go through. It's difficult to pick and choose what they do and don't do.

 

If they don't go on record, you won't have any more weight by employing a solicitor, but if they do and you want that weight, you'd have to pay to go through them.

[sidecar]

Thanks becky2585,

 

I have asked around and I simply can't afford the five figure sums asked for - I didn't think it would be inexpensive, but the way the charges are structured was a surprise - and more expensive than I had thought.

 

Can the Tribunal insist that a claim has to be supported by legal representation rather than the claimant simply representing her/him self?

[monkeychicken]

many cases at ET are self represented. in my experience ET judges tend to guide and help litigants in person.

[becky2585]

Tribunals are highly sympathetic and very helpful towards unrepresented claimants. It's perfectly normal and you don't need representation.