Complaints Handling Procedure

We are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).  We are committed to high quality legal advice and client care and aim to offer all our clients an efficient and effective service.   However, if our clients would like to discuss how the service to them could be improved, the level of their bill, or should there be any aspect of our service with which they are not satisfied, we ask them to please contact the person in our firm responsible for Complaints Handling: Emma Mitchell, Director.  Emma Mitchell can be contacted on 0116 2554855, emma.mitchell@johnsonastills.com or by post to 1 New Walk Place, Leicester, LE1 6RU.

We are committed to high quality legal advice and client care and are keen to resolve any concerns as soon as possible and in order to do this, will follow our complaints handling procedure. 

Our complaints procedure is as follows:

Step One:

If they have not already done so, we ask our clients to let us know the full nature and detail of the problem.

Step Two:

Our Complaints Handling Representative will write to the client acknowledging their complaint within five working days.  If more information is required about the complaint it may be requested at this stage.

Step Three:

Our Complaints Handling Representative shall then investigate the matter by reviewing the matter file and speaking to the member of staff concerned within ten working days of acknowledging receipt of the complaint.  If, for some reason, the matter cannot be investigated in this timeframe, then we will write to the client notifying them of this together with the reason why and giving a revised timescale.

Once the investigation has been completed, our Complaints Handling Representative shall write to the client with their initial findings and to invite the client to a meeting to discuss the issue(s) raised and hopefully resolve the complaint.  In advance of this meeting the client will be asked to respond to the initial findings and to set out the remedy they seek. A meeting will be offered as soon as it is mutually convenient but no less than within ten working days. Following the meeting, our Complaints Handling Representative shall write to the client within five working days to confirm the discussion and the solution agreed upon.

If the client does not wish to or is unable to attend such a meeting (or the meeting is not necessary), the Complaints Handling Representative will consider any response from the client and will then send a response including a proposed solution. This will be sent within fifteen working days of the response being received from the client.

Step Four:

If the client is satisfied with the response following the above steps, that will be the end of the matter.  However, if the client is not satisfied, they will be invited to contact our Complaints Handling Representative again and she will arrange for another Partner to review the decision.   They will write to the client within ten working days of receiving the request with confirmation of the firm’s final position in relation to the complaint, outlining the reasons and any final redress that is offered.

Step Five: Other Avenues

Clients must always try complaining to us first. In most cases they will not be able to take their complaint further without allowing us the opportunity to put things right.

Legal Ombudsman

We are permitted a minimum of eight weeks to consider the complaint. If for any reason we are unable to resolve the problem between us within that timeframe, then our clients are advised that they may ask the Legal Ombudsman to consider the complaint.

Clients are free to refer any complaint about our work, fees or level of service but there are some conditions and time limits.  Please be aware that any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within six months of the client having received a final written response from us about their 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, please contact the Legal Ombudsman on 0300 555 0333 or visit www.legalombudsman.org.uk. The Legal Ombudsman may be contacted at PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH. 

Solicitors Regulation Authority

If someone thinks a solicitor might be dishonest or you have concerns about their ethics or integrity, they have the right to notify our regulator, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).  There are no time limits for making a report but there are limits on what the SRA will consider. Please note that the SRA is not able to deal with issues of poor service (complaints of this nature should instead be referred to the Legal Ombudsman).  For further information about the SRA’s role, please contact the SRA or visit:

https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor.page#report

Further Information

For further information about our complaints handling procedures, please do not hesitate to contact Emma Mitchell on 0116 2554855, emma.mitchell@johnsonastills.com or by post to 1 New Walk Place, Leicester, LE1 6RU.