London . Mayfair
Complaints Procedure
1. This complaints procedure is for clients
2. It allows clients or ex-clients to make one complaint about the handling of their case. It does not permit a client or ex-client to add subsequent complaints that could and should have been raised when I first considered the client’s complaint.
3. My aim is to give all clients a good service at all times. However, if you have a complaint please let Chambers’ know as soon as possible, in writing.
4. Complaints are treated as confidential although discussion it with other lawyers or advisers or officials from the Bar Standards Board for their advice may take place.
5. Your name is not revealed to others, save for advisers, unless in the setup of a mediation or arbitration.
6. Chambers’ will endeavour to deal with your complaint promptly and within 21 days.
7. Please note that the Legal Ombudsman, the independent complaints body for service complaints about lawyers, has a time limit from the date of the act or omission about which you are complaining within which to make your complaint. It is within six years of the problem happening or three years from when you found out about it. Chambers must therefore have regard to that timeframe when deciding whether they are able to investigate your complaint. Chambers will not deal with complaints that fall outside of the time limit.
Complaints made in writing
8. If you wish to make a written complaint please give me the following details:
- Your name, telephone number an address;
- The detail of your complaint; and
- What you would like done about it.
Procedure for dealing with your complaint
9. There are a number of ways in which your complaint may be dealt with, for example:
(a) Discussion over the telephone;
(b) Dealt with by correspondence;
(c) Discussion at a meeting between us;
(d) The appointment of a mediator who will try to facilitate the resolution of your complaint;
(e) The appointment of an arbitrator whose decision we both agree shall be binding.
9. If we decide to appoint an arbitrator we both would need to agree how the arbitrator should approach his/her task and the limit of the compensation that can be awarded. The Bar Sole Practitioners Group (BSPG) or local Circuit will be approached and a barrister will be appointed to arbitrate. We will decide together whether it will be the BSPG or the local Circuit who should be approached. However, neither of us may veto the person chosen. It is expected that the BSPG and the Circuit will choose someone who has considerable experience in the area that is the subject matter of the dispute.
10. Upon receipt of a written, qualifying complaint, my solicitors or I will try to:
(a) reply in writing, normally within 48 hours, to acknowledge the complaint and inform you how it will be dealt with.
(b) reply within 21 days responding in full to your complaint. Chambers’ will offer you the opportunity to meet with you if that is appropriate. If Chambers’ find later that a reply cannot be returned within 21 days, a new date for reply will be provided. The reply will set out:
- the nature and scope of the investigation;
- my conclusion on each complaint and the basis for my conclusion; and
- if One finds that you are justified in your complaint, the proposals for resolving the complaint.
(c) If you indicate that you are not happy with Chambers’ written response you may ask for mediation or arbitration or you may make a formal complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, the independent complaints handling body for complaints about lawyers. Please note that the Legal Ombudsman has the above time limit within which to make your complaint.
They can be contacted at:
Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 15870,
Birmingham
B30 9EB
Telephone number: 0300 555 0333
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
11. Chambers’will maintain confidentiality at all times and discuss your complaint only to the extent that is necessary for its resolution and to comply with requests for information from the Bar Standards Board discharging its auditing and monitoring functions.
12. Chambers will retain all correspondence and other documents generated in the course of your complaint for a period of 7 years and I will review complaints at least once a year to ensure that I maintain good standards of service.
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