Complaints Proceedure
This firm is committed to high quality legal advice and client care and we take complaints very seriously. If you are unhappy about any aspect of the service you have received, we need to hear about it.
We do not deal with complaints which are made via reviews or social media platforms, in order to be compliant with our strict client confidentiality policy.
If there any issues or concerns, it is suggested that these are always initially raised with the fee earner responsible for your matter, or their supervisor. If you are not comfortable raising an issue with the fee earner responsible on your file, or if you are still unsatisfied speaking with them, there is a formal complaint procedure available.
Making a formal complaint
Our complaints handling procedure is for clients of the firm, where we have provided legal services either to you personally, or to your business. To raise a formal complaint, please contact Rebecca O’Donnell who is a Director at this firm, on 01457 761320, rebecca@odonnellsolicitors.co.uk or in writing via post to our Uppermill office.
Once a complaint is made and received, Rebecca O’Donnell will send you a written acknowledgment explaining the next steps. Following this, the next stage of our procedure will involve reviewing your file and discussing the concerns raised with the fee earner who acted for you.
Within 8 weeks of the date you submitted your complaint, following our investigation and review you will receive a response from Rebecca.
Whilst we aim to resolve any concerns via this process, if you are not satisfied with our handling of your complaint, you can ask the Legal Ombudsman to consider the complaint. Normally, you will need to bring a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint or within six years of the act or omission about which you are complaining occurring (or if outside of this period, within three years of when you should reasonably have been aware of it).
Normally, the Legal Ombudsman will not accept a complaint where we have not been given the opportunity to respond to you first.
Should you make a complaint about our fees (whether through internal procedure or the Legal Ombudsman scheme) please note that we are not obliged to put your account on hold and may decide to take legal action to recover any outstanding fees. The Legal Ombudsman will not consider your complaint while your bill is being assessed by a court.
A complainant to the Legal Ombudsman must be by one of the following:
- An individual;
- A micro-enterprise as defined in European Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003 (broadly, an enterprise with fewer than 10 staff and a turnover or balance sheet value not exceeding €2 million);
- A charity with an annual income less than £1 million;
- A club, association or society with an annual income less than £1 million;
- A trustee of a trust with a net asset value less than £1 million; or a personal representative or the residuary beneficiaries of an estate where a person with a complaint died before referring it to the Legal Ombudsman
Legal Ombudsman Contact Details:
Address: PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ
Telephone: 0300 555 0333
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
O’Donnell Solicitors Limited is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and as such, you have the right to complain to the SRA if you have concerns about any of our staff or the firm. Please note the SRA deals with complaints about conduct as opposed to services or fees.
The firm is committed to ensuring that all Partners, Directors, Members, Consultants and Employees give their full co-operation to the Legal Ombudsman and/or SRA in the event of any dispute or complaint against the firm.
Should you have any further queries or concerns in respect of any complaints or this policy please direct them to rebecca@odonnellsolicitors.co.uk.
