Complaints policy

• • 1.1 At our firm, we are dedicated to delivering exceptional legal services to all our clients.However, we recognise that occasionally issues may arise. If you feel dissatisfied, we encourage you to raise your concerns. This allows us to address the matter promptly and work towards improving our standards.
  • 1.2 For the purposes of this policy, a complaint is defined as any dissatisfaction with the service you have received or any identified areas for improvement.
  • 1.3 Complaints are addressed promptly, fairly, and free of charge.
    • 1.3.1 We are committed to addressing all complaints in a timely and efficient manner. This policy outlines clear timeframes within which we aim to provide an initial response, as well as conduct a thorough review and investigation into the matter raised.
    • 1.3.2 There will be no charges incurred in relation to addressing the subject matter of a complaint. However, we reserve the right to levy additional fees, with prior notice, should further work unrelated to the complaint itself become necessary during the process.
    • 1.3.3 All complaints will be investigated and managed independently of any ongoing legal matters. This ensures that your legal case will continue to progress as usual, provided no conflict of interest arises and you remain in compliance with the terms of our engagement, as outlined in our engagement letter and terms of business.

• 2.1 If you have a complaint, in the first instant please first raise your concern with the staff member handling your case. If they are unable to resolve the issue or if the complaint relates to their conduct of the file, we kindly ask that you, where appropriate, escalate the matter to the file supervisor (as outlined in the client care letter).
• 2.2 Should you still have any questions or concerns after this, please contact our Complaints Partner, Parvien Akhtar, at:

• 2.3 We request that all complaints be submitted in writing (email is acceptable) to ensure clarity and provide a detailed record for investigation. If this is not possible, we can assist in recording the details during a telephone discussion and confirm them with you.
• 2.4 If there are any changes to the responsibilities or timeframes outlined below, we will inform you and provide an explanation.

• 3.1 Within 7 days, we will acknowledge receipt of your complaint and may ask you to confirm or clarify any details. We typically request that all complaints be submitted in writing (email is acceptable), so if your complaint was initially made verbally, we may ask you to provide the details in writing for clarity
• 3.2 We will then log your complaint in our central register and proceed with an investigation by reviewing the relevant file and consulting with the staff member who handled your case.
• 3.3 Upon completing our investigation, we will provide you with a written response regarding your complaint. Our aim is to resolve all complaints through written communication, and we aim to provide an initial response within 28 days of acknowledging your complaint. Should we require additional time to investigate the matter, we will inform you accordingly. At this point, we will outline any proposed actions or outcomes, which may include an apology, a reduction of fees, or a refund of any payments made. If necessary, we may also invite you to a meeting to discuss the details of the complaint and our investigation further.
• 3.4 If you are not satisfied with our response, we ask that you provide us with your views on the matter and any proposed resolution you believe is appropriate. We will then review your concerns and provide a further response.
• 3.5 If you remain dissatisfied at this stage, please inform us. We will provide our final position on your complaint, along with an explanation of our reasoning. We will also confirm that our internal complaints process has been concluded, and should you wish to pursue the matter further, you may contact the Legal Ombudsman.
• 3.6 The Legal Ombudsman expects complaints to be made to them:

• 3.7 The Legal Ombudsman’s can be contacted in the following ways:

1. within one year of the date of the act or omission about which you are
   concerned; or
2. within one year of you realising there was a concern.

You are still required to refer your concerns to the Legal Ombudsman within six
months of our final response to you.

If your complaint relates to our bill, in addition to referring the matter to the Legal Ombudsman, you may have the right to request the court to assess your costs under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974. However, please note that if you pursue this route, the Legal Ombudsman may no longer be able to consider a complaint regarding the same issues.

The Legal Ombudsman addresses complaints regarding the quality of legal services provided. However, if you have more serious concerns about professional misconduct by a solicitor or the firm, it may be appropriate to refer the matter to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

If you have concerns regarding our conduct and believe it may be in violation of the SRA’s Code of Conduct, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) can assist you, and you can find information on how and when to raise a concern with them on their website. While we do not anticipate such issues, should you have any concerns, please notify the supervising solicitor immediately. For further details about the SRA, including contact information and the regulations that govern the conduct of solicitors and law firms, please visit their website at www.sra.org.uk.