Complaints

If you unhappy with the service provided by your lawyer, you must first try to resolve the problem with the lawyer or firm concerned. if this is not successful, the Legal Ombudsman handles complaints about poor service provided by lawyers.

The Legal Ombudsman opened its doors in November 2010. Once a signficant volume of complaints have entered the new system, it will start to be possible to judge whether the design of the scheme is fit for purpose.

The Chief Ombudsman has already highlighted issues relating to the scheme’s jurisdiction and in 2011, the Consumer Panel will return to the issue of complaints that are excluded when the person affected by the lawyer’s actions is not the client.

The LSB has stated first-tier complaint handling will be a subject of scrutiny in 2011-12. This will be a priority for the Panel as well, given Ministry of Justice research shows that only one in five consumers who are unhappy with their service complain to the provider.

Key documents