Complaints Handling Procedures

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 us with the details.

What will happen next?

1. We aim to resolve your complaint within eight weeks of your notification. We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within three days of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this procedure.
2. We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally involve passing your complaint to our client care Partner, Pedro Kika, who will review your matter file and speak to the member of staff who acted for you. Catherine Abu our business continuity partner will be responsible for handling complaints about Pedro Kika.
3. Pedro Kika will then invite you to a meeting to discuss and hopefully resolve your complaint. he will do this within 14 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
4. Within three days of the meeting, Pedro Kika will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions he has agreed with you.
5. If you do not want a meeting or it is not possible, Pedro Kika will send you a detailed written reply to your complaint, including his suggestions for resolving the matter, within 21 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
6. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again and we will arrange for another someone unconnected with the matter at the firm to review the decision.
7. We will write to you within 14 days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.
8. If you are still not satisfied, you can then contact the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) at PO Box 6167, Slough SL1 OEH about your complaint. You can also e-mail the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) at enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk or telephone them on 0300 555 0333 or +44 121 245 3050 if calling from overseas. For further information, please access the Legal Ombudsman (LeO)’s website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk.

Normally, you will need to bring a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman on the expiry of 8 weeks of you brining your complaint to us or within six months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint.

Please, also note that, as of 1st of April 2023, the Legal Ombudsman has made the following changes to when a client can now bring a complaint against a Law Firm:

The time limit for referring a complaint to LeO will be not later than one year from the date:

• of the act or omission being complained about; or
• when the complainant should have realised that there was cause for complaint

You also may have a right to object to a bill by making a complaint to the Legal Complaint Ombudsman or the Office of Legal Complaints, and /or by applying to the court for an assessment of the bill under part III of the Solicitors Act 1974. If all or part of a bill remains unpaid, the firm may be entitled to charge interest.

If we must change any of the timescales above, we will let you know and explain why.