Before we speak
Preparation for the Consultation Call
A little preparation means we can spend your fifteen minutes on your situation rather than on gathering the basics. Nothing on this page is compulsory. If you have none of it ready, call anyway and we will work with what you have.
You are in steady hands
Whatever you tell us stays with us
Being accused of something at work is isolating, and ringing a stranger about it is not easy. So here is what you can rely on before you pick up the phone.
What you tell us is held in strict confidence and used only to assess your situation. We act solely for you. We are not connected to your employer, to a union or to any third party, and we will not contact your employer about your matter unless you ask us to. The call carries no obligation, and there are no hidden charges. If the honest answer is that you do not need us, we will say so.
You do not need to have everything worked out, to present your case neatly or to know the right terminology. Most people who call us are anxious and a little disorganised, which is entirely normal. Our job on the call is to bring order to it.
What to expect
How the call runs
We contact you at the date and time you chose on the Contact Form, using the method you chose. Before we call, we read what you have told us on the form, so we will not ask you to repeat it. The call follows four stages. The timings are a guide, not a stopwatch.
If your matter needs longer than fifteen minutes to assess properly, we will say so rather than guess.
Get ready
What to have to hand
You do not need to send us anything before the call, and you do not need to attach documents to the form. Simply have these in front of you so that you can read out a date or a line when we ask for it.
Documents
- The letter or email that started it. An invitation to an investigation meeting, a suspension letter, an invitation to a disciplinary hearing or a dismissal letter.
- Anything sent with it. An investigation report, witness statements, meeting notes or other evidence your employer is relying on.
- Your employer’s disciplinary policy. Usually in the staff handbook or on the intranet, together with your contract of employment.
- Relevant emails and messages. Particularly anything that shows what you were told, when and by whom.
- Any outcome or appeal letter. If a decision has already been made, the letter that confirms it and the appeal window it gives you.
- Previous warnings. Any live or expired warnings on your record, and the dates they were issued.
Dates and details
- Your next deadline. The date and time of any hearing, meeting or appeal deadline.
- If you have been dismissed. The exact date your employment ended, because it affects your time limits.
- The people involved. Names and roles of your manager, the investigator, the person chairing the hearing and anyone from HR.
- Your employment basics. Job title, start date and the notice period in your contract.
- What you have already said or signed. Any statement, interview notes, written response or agreement you have given your employer.
Optional, and worth ten minutes
Write your timeline
Memory is the first casualty of stress. A rough timeline written before the call lets you tell your account in order, and it helps us see quickly where the gaps and the pressure points are. One page of notes is plenty. Put facts first and opinions second, and mark anything you are unsure of with a question mark.
| Date | What happened | Who was there or involved | What evidence exists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Example: 12 March | Invited by email to an investigation meeting the following week. | My line manager and an HR adviser. | The email, which I have saved. |
| Your first entry | |||
| Your next entry |
The example row is invented to show the format. Use your own dates and words.
Make the call count
Questions you may wish to ask us
The call is yours as much as ours. Write down the questions that matter to you, and keep them in front of you. These are the ones people most often find useful.
About your situation
- Where do I stand at the moment, and what is the most important thing to do next?
- Has my employer followed a fair process so far, and where might it have fallen short?
- What are the realistic outcomes, and what are the risks to me?
- Are there any time limits I need to protect?
- Could I handle this myself, and if so, what should I prepare?
About working with us
- Which service fits my situation, and what is the fixed fee for my salary band?
- What would you do for me, and what would you ask me to do?
- What can you do in the hearing, and what can you not do?
- Can you be ready in time for my date, and what happens if my employer will not move it?
- When is payment due, and what are my cancellation rights?
Questions to ask yourself first
Clear from the start
What we can help with, and what we cannot
Telling you early what we do and do not cover saves your time and ours. It also means that nothing on the call will come as a surprise.
| Where you are | Our position |
|---|---|
| Disciplinary hearings and appeal hearings | This is our core service. We prepare your case and attend as your chosen companion under Section 10 of the Employment Relations Act 1999. |
| Investigation interviews | We will attend where your employer allows it. There is no statutory right to be accompanied at an investigation meeting, so it depends on your employer’s procedure. |
| Grievance hearings | We do not attend grievance hearings. Our guides explain the process, and the call can still help if your grievance is tied to a disciplinary or a dismissal. |
| Settlement and employment tribunal stages | Supplementary services are available. Scope and fee are set out on our Services & Fees page and confirmed in writing before any work begins. |
| Legal advice | Zhan Associates is not a firm of solicitors and does not provide legal advice or carry out reserved legal activities. Our assessment on the call is delivered verbally. If your matter needs a solicitor, we will say so. |
| Outcomes | We cannot promise any. We can tell you honestly where your case is strong, where it is exposed and what it would take. |
At the hearing itself, your companion may put your case, sum it up, respond to views expressed and confer with you. Your companion may not answer questions on your behalf. We explain this properly on the call so that your expectations match what the hearing allows.
Practicalities
On the day
- Find a private, quiet place. Not a workplace where you could be overheard, and not a shared room if you can avoid it.
- Keep your phone charged and nearby, with a pen and paper for notes. Writing down what we say helps more than you might expect.
- Be candid, including about the unhelpful facts. We can only assess what we know, and it is far better to hear a difficult fact from you now than from your employer at the hearing.
- It is fine to say “I do not know” or “I cannot remember.” That tells us what needs checking.
- If you need to pause, say so. A situation like this can be upsetting to talk about, and a moment to gather yourself is never a problem.
- Need an adjustment? If you would like a text before we call, or need anything else to help the call work for you, put it in the contact instructions on the form or email support@zhanassociates.co.uk.
Your decision
After the call
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
The questions people ask most often about the consultation call.
Yes. The 15-minute consultation is free and carries no obligation to proceed. If you later choose to instruct us, our fees are fixed, set by salary band and confirmed in writing before any work begins. Every service and fee is on our Services and Fees page.
You will speak to Shakil Dixon, the founder and principal representative of Zhan Associates.
We contact you at the date and time you chose on the Contact Form, using the method you chose. If your matter is urgent and you would rather speak sooner, telephone us on 07550 030156, Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm.
Let us know as soon as you can by telephone, WhatsApp or email at support@zhanassociates.co.uk, and we will arrange another time. If your hearing or deadline is close, tell us so that we can keep it in view.
No. You do not need to attach or send anything beforehand. Have your documents in front of you so that you can read out a date or a line when we ask. If we need to see something, we will tell you how to send it.
Call anyway. Knowing what you do not have is useful, because it tells us what to ask your employer for. Many people come to us with only the first letter, and that is enough to begin.
Yes. What you tell us is held in strict confidence and used solely for assessing your situation, in line with our Privacy Policy. We act solely for you and are not affiliated with your employer, a union or any third party.
Not unless you ask us to. Nothing is done on your behalf until you have chosen to instruct us.
No. There is no obligation to proceed and no charge for the call. Many people use it to understand their position and then decide to handle the matter themselves, and that is a perfectly sound choice.
We cannot promise an outcome, and you should be cautious of anyone who does. What we can do is tell you honestly where your case is strong, where it is exposed, what the process requires of your employer and what your realistic options are.
We can tell you where you stand in your disciplinary process, what your employer is required to do, and what support we can offer. Zhan Associates is not a firm of solicitors and does not provide legal advice or carry out reserved legal activities, so our assessment is delivered verbally. If your matter calls for a solicitor, we will tell you.
We do not attend grievance hearings, so we cannot represent you at one. If your grievance is linked to a disciplinary process, a dismissal or a possible claim, a call can still be worthwhile, and we will say plainly if it is not the right service for you. Our grievance guide explains the process in the meantime.
Say so in the first line of your message on the Contact Form and telephone us on 07550 030156. We prioritise urgent instructions and can start the same day upon receipt of the completed Rapid Instruction Confirmation. We will also tell you honestly and quickly if the time left is not enough to do the job properly.
While you wait for the call
Useful reading before we speak
You do not need to read any of it. These are here if you want to get your bearings first.
See every service and its fixed fee
Every service we offer, with fixed, salary-banded fees and no hourly billing, so you can see the cost before we speak.
View services and fees → Your DocumentsThe two documents you would be asked to sign
The Letter of Engagement and the Authority to Act explained in plain English, before you are asked to sign either.
Read Your Documents → Disciplinary HubWhere you stand in a disciplinary process
The stages of a disciplinary, what your employer must do at each one, and free tools to test your position.
Go to the Disciplinary Hub → Guides HubPlain-English guides to every stage
Investigation and suspension, gross misconduct, hearings, appeals, grievances and the 2026 and 2027 employment law changes.
Browse the guides →Confidential · Free 15-minute consultation
Ready when you are.
If you have not yet requested your call, the Contact Form takes a few minutes. If you have, you are already set, and we look forward to speaking with you.