How do i represent myself at an employment tribunal?

i have my case heard at the tribunal in a months time, but i cannot afford any representation. i have no idea what to do or say in the hearing. the tribunal tells me that i have to prepair a 'bundle'. a bundle of evidence maybe? my ex-employer had all the statistical 'evidence' which kept changing. all i really have is the knowledge inside my head that i was unfairly dismissed when similar employees of a similar standard were not disciplined in any way.

i'm thinking i'm screwed! anybody have any suggestions?
You are at a disadvantage if you go to the hearing without any evidence of unfair dismissal. You employer will probably have some evidence which they will present to the tribunal to justify their action.
First, are there any reasons they may have for dismissing you? E.g. have you had any disciplinary warning(s) before? Was your superior unhappy with your performance, and was this communicated to you? You mentioned 'disciplined'. Were you dismissed at the end of a disciplinary process? Were you given any reason for your dismissal and did the company follow proper procedures, e.g. length of notice, etc.
If they have no excuse for dismissing you, you will need to show that your dismissal was unreasonable and unjustified. To do this, it would help if you had records or testimonies from colleagues to show that you were a good worker. It would help if you had some figures to show how many other workers of your standard are still in their job and why picking you out of the lot was not fair.
can you not try won of these no win no pay solicitors. if you have a good case they should take it on. it just means they may take a cut but you will have a better chance because you will probably get slaughtered by a solicitor trained in employment law.

you may even be able to get legal aid so i would just go see a solicitor. usually get the 1st hour free anyway and they will tell you if you are ok with legal aid. failing that, try citizens advice


Answers:
First thing: Don't Panic.

Employment Tribunals (ET's) are used to having claimants represent themselves. An unfair dismissal claim (which is presumably what yours is) is very straightforward.
It will all turn on facts, who said what to whom and so on and the documents which you should already have.
Don't worry about the law, the Tribunal know the law and they don't expect you to.
Ordinarily, the tribunal would require the Respondent employer to prepare the bundle. If you're doing it, it is simply a chonologcial file of releavnt documents.
Start with your Tribunal application (ET1) then the ET3, then the orders made (if any) in date order.
Second section is the documents upon which you rely and the otehrside relies in chronologcial order beginning with the earliest.
Don't assume every single bit of paper is relevant to the hearing. best thing to do is make a list of the documents you think are relevant, send them to the other side and ask them to agree or amend the list and then you can prepare an agreed file (or bundle).

You will need SIX copies of the bundle (file).

The hearing itself:
1. identify the issues in the case - the tribunal may have done these for you already. i.e. were you unfailry dismissed?

2. You will exchange witness evidence you want to rely on with the otehr side before the hearing. Yours should be a comprehensive account of what you did, what happeend and why you think it's unfair. Keep it factual, keep it jargon-free and avoid hyperbole and exaggeration and opinion.

3. Make a list of the matters within their documents and evidence you disagree with and want to challenge.

4. Write out a list of all the questions you want to ask each witness. Again, do it chonologically. Keep them simple and factual and write them out in full:
e.g 'Have any other employees been sacked for the same reason?'. The tribunal will guide you if you ask something you shouldn't. Don't pussyfoot around, get stuck in!

5. Don't be intimidated and don't be put off. At the end of the evidence (they go first, then you) you have the chance to make a short submission why you should win and they should lose. Write it out and deliver it clearly.

Then sit back and wait to see what happens,

Good luck
don't get scared be positive
join a union, sharpish...they will represent you and help you all they can...

go get em, tiger!
Firstly if you are a member of a union, the your union representatives should be there to represent and help you.

You might be able to claim help through the Legal Aid scheme.

Your former employers will probably turn up with some Lawyers specialising in Employment Law, but do not freak out there are people who can help. Go and see somebody at your Local Citizens Advice Bureau, they might even offer to come to the Tribunal with you.

You need to gather as much 'physical' evdience as possible, papers, reports, if possible staements from co-workers supporting your claim.

Good luck.
A bundle is just a bundle of all the evidence you intend to present. You need a few copies.

If your worried write everything down you want to say. Including the questions you want to ask, and read them off the script. Tribunals weren't originally developed for people to need representation, but like anything where lawyers are involved it often ends up that way.
Get in touch with these people: http://www.freerepresentationunit.org.uk...
They will help you for nothing.