Complaints Procedure

My aim is to give all my clients a good service at all times. However if you have a complaint please let me know as soon as possible, by telephone or in writing. I will deal with your complaint promptly and I will treat your complaint as confidential, although I may discuss it with other barristers or officials from the Bar Standards Board for their advice. I will not reveal your name to others, unless I am setting up mediation or arbitration.

If you indicate that you are not happy with my telephone or written response you may ask for mediation or arbitration or, if you fall within their jurisdiction, 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 time limits in which a complaint must be raised with them.

Time limits:

a) Six years from the date of the act/omission

b) Three years from the date that the complainant should reasonably have known there were grounds for complaint (if the act/omission took place before the 6 October 2010 or was more than six years ago)

c) Within six months of the complaint receiving a final response from their lawyer, if that response complies with the requirements in rule 4.4 of the Scheme Rules (which requires the response to include prominently an explanation that the Legal Ombudsman was available if the complainant remained dissatisfied and the provision of full contact details for the Ombudsman and a warning that the complaint must be referred to them within six months).

The Ombudsman can extend the time limit in exceptional circumstances. I will not usually deal with complaints that fall outside of the Legal Ombudsman’s time limits.

How to get in touch:

Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6806,
Wolverhampton
WV1 9WJ

T: 0300 555 0333
E: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Website: https://www.legalombudsman.org.uk/

 

If you are not my client and are unhappy with the outcome of my investigation then please contact the Bar Standards Board at:

Bar Standards Board
Professional Conduct Department
289-293 High Holborn
London
WC1V 7JZ

T: 0207 6111 444
Website: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk