OLD COURT CHAMBERS COMPLAINTS AND POLICY PROCEDURE

We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. We hope therefore that clients will have no need to complain however, should a client have a complaint we wish to deal with it. The purpose of our complaints procedure is to ensure that the client:

  • Gets a prompt response
  • Is satisfied that the complaint has been dealt with seriously
  • Gets the assurance that the matter is being reviewed
  • Is notified as soon as possible of the outcome.

If a complaint is received, it will be dealt with in line with Chambers complaints procedure. A copy of Chambers’ complaints procedure is set out below. Clients may complain direct to Chambers and do not need to go through their Solicitors.

Our complaints procedure

First Stage

  1. Where a client is dissatisfied with some aspect of the service provided by a Barrister or by Chambers, he/she should be invited to contact the barrister concerned or where the complaint is about a member of staff, the client should contact Head of Chambers. The client should be told at this stage that, if he/she prefers, he/she should make the complaint in writing and Chambers complaints procedure should be sent to him/her unless it has already been provided.
  2. On receipt of the complaint, a note should be made on Chambers standard complaints record form. A copy of the completed form will be provided to the Senior Clerk and to Head of Chambers.
  3. In many cases, a complaint can be resolved fairly quickly. When that occurs, the person dealing with the complaint will record the outcome on the complaints record form. The client should be asked if he/she is content with the outcome. If he/she is, the fact will be recorded.
  4. If the client is not content with the outcome of the first stage, he/she should indicate that fact and the matter will proceed to the second.

Second Stage

  1. All complaints, other than those resolved at stage one, should be put before the Head of Chambers or in his absence, the Deputy Head of Chambers.
  2. The Senior Clerk will write to the client immediately. He should inform the client that Head of Chambers is to investigate the complaint and that he will report to the client within 14 days. If it becomes plain that a response cannot be sent within 14 days, a realistic time frame should be set and the client informed accordingly.
  3. Head of Chambers will investigate the complaint and will speak to the person complained against and any other people identified as having something to contribute. Head of Chambers will review all relevant documents. If necessary, he should revert to the client for further information and clarification.
  4. Within 14 days of receiving full details of the complaint, Head of Chambers will prepare a report to the client (with a copy to the person complained against and a copy to the Senior Clerk for placing on the complaints file). The report shall set out:
    • The name and address of the complainant
    • The person against whom the complaint was made
    • The details of the complaint
    • What the complainant believes should be done about the complaint
    • The nature/scope of investigations carried out
    • Conclusions arrived at
    • Basis for conclusion
    • Proposals for resolution (if complaint is justified)
    • Details of the Legal Ombudsman complaints procedure.
  5. If after the investigation set out in paragraph is completed and the client is still not satisfied the lay client should be aware that he/she has a right to make a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman whose address is:
    The Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 15870, Birmingham, B30 9EB or www.legalombudsman.org.uk, such reference to the Legal Ombudsman should be made no later than 6 months following the close of the original case.