Best Employment Law Solicitors in Glasgow

What do employment solicitors in Glasgow deal with?

Employment law and industrial relations are reserved to the UK Parliament, so the core rules on dismissal, discrimination, redundancy and pay are largely the same in Glasgow as elsewhere in Great Britain. What is different in Scotland is the setting: claims are handled by employment tribunals sitting in Scotland, your solicitor will be regulated by the Law Society of Scotland, and legal aid is administered by the Scottish Legal Aid Board.

Unfair dismissal

At present, an employee usually needs at least two years of service with the employer to claim ordinary unfair dismissal. Some reasons for dismissal are automatically unfair, such as whistleblowing, being pregnant or on maternity leave, or asking for a legal right like the National Minimum Wage, and the two year requirement does not apply to those. The UK Government has said that, for dismissals from 1 January 2027, the qualifying period is due to fall to six months and the cap on the compensatory award is due to be removed. These dates remain subject to parliamentary processes, so check the position at the time of your dismissal.

Discrimination under the Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 protects nine characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. You can bring a discrimination claim however long you have worked for your employer.

Redundancy

Employees must be selected for redundancy fairly. Statutory redundancy pay is normally available to employees with two years or more of service. Where an employer fails to consult properly about collective redundancies, the maximum protective award rose to 180 days' pay from 6 April 2026.

Settlement agreements

A settlement agreement ends or prevents a claim in exchange for agreed terms, often a payment. For it to be valid, it must be in writing, and the employee must have received advice on its terms and effect from a relevant independent adviser, who must be insured and named in the agreement. In Scotland, a solicitor holding a practising certificate counts as a qualified lawyer for this purpose. Certified trade union and advice centre advisers can also qualify.

Advice for employers

Glasgow employers use employment solicitors for contracts, policies, disciplinary and grievance processes, restructuring and tribunal defence. Employment tribunals take Acas Codes of Practice into account and, in some cases, can adjust awards by up to 25% where a Code has been unreasonably ignored. Employers must also check a job applicant's right to work before employing them, which overlaps with the work of immigration solicitors in Glasgow. A stronger duty to take "all reasonable steps" to prevent sexual harassment is scheduled to take effect on 30 October 2026.

How does an employment tribunal claim work in Scotland?

1. Raise the issue. Many disputes start with a grievance or an appeal against a disciplinary outcome. A solicitor can help you frame this and keep a clear record.
2. Acas early conciliation. Before making most tribunal claims you must notify Acas. Early conciliation can last up to 12 weeks, and you receive a certificate with a number that goes on your claim form. Your time limit is paused while conciliation takes place, provided you contact Acas within the time limit.
3. Watch the time limit. For most claims about problems that happened on or after 1 October 2026, the limit is 6 months minus 1 day. If the problem happened before that date, the earlier limit of 3 months minus 1 day may still apply. For unfair dismissal the clock usually starts on the last day of the notice period. Government guidance states that the longer limit applies to breach of employment contract claims in Scotland from 9 November 2026.
4. Submit the claim and response. The employee submits a claim form and the employer responds. Scottish general enquiries go to the Employment Tribunal Customer Contact Centre in Glasgow.
5. Hearing. The Glasgow Tribunals Centre on York Street handles claims against employers. Your notice of hearing will confirm the venue and format for your own case.

Many cases settle along the way, through Acas or a settlement agreement. Where a dispute is about a contract rather than statutory rights, it may belong in the courts instead; see our guide to dispute resolution solicitors in Glasgow.

How do I choose an employment solicitor in Glasgow?

Look for a solicitor who regularly acts for your side (employee or employer) in your type of problem, and who can explain your time limit at the first meeting. Our general guide to choosing a solicitor in Scotland covers regulation and complaints. Useful questions to ask include:

• What is my time limit, and what do I need to do before it expires?
• Do I meet any qualifying period for the claim I am considering?
• Will you deal with Acas early conciliation, and who will attend any hearing?
• How will you charge, and is legal aid, insurance or union support available to me?
• If I am offered a settlement agreement, what does your advice cover?
• Who else in the firm will work on my case?

What does an employment solicitor cost, and is legal aid available in Scotland?

Fees vary by firm and matter, so ask for a written estimate and the basis of charging before you instruct anyone. The main funding routes are:

• Advice and assistance. The Scottish Legal Aid Board can fund advice on the Scots law aspects of UK-wide matters such as employment, subject to financial eligibility.
• Assistance by way of representation (ABWOR). This can cover representation at an employment tribunal, but only with the prior approval of the Scottish Legal Aid Board.
• Trade unions and insurance. Union membership or legal expenses insurance may fund advice, and the Scottish Legal Aid Board considers whether help is available from those sources.
• Success fee agreements. Scots law allows agreements under which the fee is payable only, or in full, if the claim succeeds. Ask exactly what you would pay in each outcome.
• Fixed fees. Some solicitors offer fixed fees for defined work such as advising on a settlement agreement.

Legal aid is not available to companies and other organisations, so employers usually fund advice privately or through insurance.

How should I read the employment solicitor rankings on this page?

Our rankings reflect the published evidence we have assessed about each firm, such as the employment work it describes and any independent recognition it holds. They are not a guarantee of service or outcome. Always check a firm's current details directly, and read how we rank to understand our method. If your matter also involves company or contract issues, our page on commercial solicitors in Glasgow may help.

Employment Law solicitors in Glasgow: questions and answers

How long do I have to make an employment tribunal claim in Scotland?

For most claims about problems that happened on or after 1 October 2026, you have 6 months minus 1 day. Problems before that date may still be subject to the earlier 3 months minus 1 day limit. You must normally notify Acas before claiming, and the clock pauses during early conciliation. Do not leave it until the deadline approaches: take advice from an employment solicitor in Glasgow as early as possible.

Is employment law different in Scotland from England?

Mostly no. Employment law is reserved to the UK Parliament, so the main rules on dismissal, discrimination and redundancy apply in Scotland as in England and Wales. The differences are practical: claims are handled by employment tribunals sitting in Scotland, solicitors are regulated by the Law Society of Scotland and legal aid is run by the Scottish Legal Aid Board.

Where are employment tribunals held in Glasgow?

The Glasgow Tribunals Centre at 20 York Street, Glasgow G2 8GT, handles claims against employers, along with other tribunal business. General enquiries about employment tribunals in Scotland are handled by the Employment Tribunal Customer Contact Centre, which uses a Glasgow postal address. Your notice of hearing will confirm the venue for your own case.

Do I need a solicitor to sign a settlement agreement?

You need advice from a relevant independent adviser for a settlement agreement to be legally valid. In Scotland a solicitor holding a practising certificate qualifies, as do certified trade union officials and certified advice centre workers. The adviser must be insured and must be named in the agreement, which must also state that the statutory conditions are met.

Can I claim unfair dismissal if I have worked somewhere for less than two years?

Usually not at present, unless the dismissal is for an automatically unfair reason, such as whistleblowing, where no qualifying period applies. Discrimination claims also need no minimum service. The UK Government has scheduled a reduction in the qualifying period to six months for dismissals from 1 January 2027, subject to parliamentary processes, so check the rules at the date of your dismissal.

Can I get legal aid for an employment tribunal in Scotland?

Possibly. The Scottish Legal Aid Board can fund advice and assistance on employment matters if you are financially eligible. Representation at an employment tribunal can be covered through assistance by way of representation, but this needs the Board's prior approval. Companies and other organisations cannot receive legal aid, so employers fund advice in other ways.