Complaints Procedure

Our Complaints Procedure

We take all complaints against our firm very seriously and we hope to be able to assure you that all complaints are handled promptly, fairly and effectively in accordance with the provisions of this procedure.

You may have already discussed your concerns with the person who has the conduct of your case or their supervisor. If you have not, an initial discussion with them may successfully put things right. Alternatively, you may wish to discuss your concerns with a partner. If so, please telephone our office to speak to a partner, and if a partner is not available one will return your call as soon as possible and you will be invited to a meeting with that partner.

If you have already had all the discussions you think are necessary and you are still dissatisfied we need to know the nature of your complaint and what action, if any, we can take to put it right.

Please put details of your complaint in writing and explain what action you would like us to take. Please give us as much information as possible and enclose copies of any documents which may assist. Please keep a copy for yourself and send the original to Colin Byrne, the Partner who manages all complaints on behalf of the firm.

Receipt of your complaint in writing will be acknowledged and you will be advised when you can expect a substantive response after the investigations have been carried out.

The investigations may include among other things, interviewing members of staff or others, obtaining documents, writing to third parties etc. If it appears that the investigations will not be concluded within the timescale first given we will keep you informed as to progress, the reasons for any delay and give you alternative timescales.

Once we have concluded our investigations into your complaint we will write to you fully setting out the result of our investigations. We may not agree that your complaint has any validity, we may agree with some elements of your complaint but not others or we may support your complaint in full. In any of these circumstances we will set out in full our reasons for reaching our conclusions.

If all or part of your complaint is upheld we will set out what we see as suitable proposals to remedy your complaint and proposals to correct any underlying problem or unsatisfactory procedure or process that may be identified.

If you wish you may respond in writing to our substantive response and you will be invited to meet with Colin Byrne or another Partner to discuss the complaint and the proposed action.

If you are satisfied with our substantive response whether we uphold your complaint or not, and you are happy with our proposed action if any, we will confirm this in writing and undertake the proposed actions to remedy the situation.

If you attend the meeting a full note of that meeting will be made and this will be confirmed in writing. If any action is to be taken again we will undertake those proposed actions to remedy the situation.

If you are not satisfied with our substantive response and do not want to meet, or you do attend the meeting but remain unsatisfied, you will be reminded that you have the right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman within a year of the date of the act or omission about which you are concerned, or within a year of realising there was a concern, on 0300 555 0333, by email at enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk, or at PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ.

Alternative complaints bodies (such as Ombudsman Services ombudsman-services.org or Small Claims Mediation small-claims-mediation.co.uk) exist which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services where both you and our firm wish to use an alternative scheme. We do not agree to the use of any alternative scheme to the Legal Ombudsman.

There may be a right to object to our bill rendered for services by applying to the court for an assessment of the bill under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974. However if all or part of a bill remains unpaid we may be entitled to claim interest.

If you are uncertain of any of these procedures or you wish clarification of any particular point please do not hesitate to telephone Colin Byrne or any Partner.