Fiona Bruce LLP Complaints Handling Policy
(updated September 2023)
We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it. This will help us to improve our standards.
If you have a complaint, please contact either the Fee Earner handling your matter or Richard Bruce, our Practice Development Manager, with the details. If they can resolve it by speaking with you then this “first tier” complaint will be marked as resolved and no further action will be taken. If your complaint cannot be resolved by this means or has not been resolved by this means within 5 working days of receiving your complaint then the following procedure will apply.
We will send you a letter/email acknowledging receipt of your complaint within 10 working days of receiving it. The acknowledgement letter should contain the following information:
A statement of your understanding of the complaint
A request for any further information that you believe may assist you and a time frame for providing such information
Invite the client to outline the remedy they seek and a time frame for informing you
The contact details of the person handling the complaint
When you will next contact the client and the information you will provide at that time
Contact details for the Legal Ombudsman
Advise that the Legal Ombudsman can review the matter at the end of the complaint process undertaken by the practice
Time limits for complaints to the Legal Ombudsman
That you may request a copy of our Complaints policy by contacting Philip Porter
We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally involve passing your complaint to our Managing Partner, Philip Porter, who will review your complaint and speak to the member of staff who acted for you. He will then either write to you with a detailed response including his suggestions for resolving it, or invite you to a meeting to discuss and hopefully resolve your complaint. Our response should contain the following:
Restate the details of the case
Outline the investigations undertaken
State the findings of the investigation
Any appropriate offers of remedy and explain how the client can accept those remedies
Explain any improvements the practice has made as a result of the complaint and investigation
Reaffirm the client’s value to the practice and our continued commitment to good client care
If still not satisfied outline appeal details and addresses set out below
Your complaint must be resolved within 8 weeks of receiving it unless you agree any extension with Philip Porter. If we request any extension we will explain why and will confirm the extension in writing with you.
If you are still not satisfied, you can then contact the Legal Ombudsman at PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH or via enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk. Any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within six months of the date of our final decision on your complaint. Complaints to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within one year of the act or omission about which you are complaining or within one year from when you should have known about or become aware that there were grounds for complaint.
For further information, you should contact the Legal Ombudsman on 0300 555 0333.
All complaints received against the firm, as recorded in the complaints register, will be reviewed annually by the Managing Partner. The purpose will be to ascertain any emerging patterns that will be addressed by the Partners to help improve service levels. Details of any upheld complaint, defined as any complaint the Partners have determined to be justifiable regardless of the stage reached, even if First Tier, will also be recorded on the individual Fee Earners record.
What to do if you are unhappy with our behaviour.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help if you are concerned about our behaviour.