Client Relations Partner
If you are having problems with a solicitor, you need to raise your concerns with the
firm in the first instance. Solicitors' firms have a client relations partner or officer who
will listen to your problem and try to resolve it. This is usually the quickest and most
effective way of sorting out the problem.
You could contact the firm and ask for the name of the client relations partner or
contact the Registrars Department of the Society on: 0131 226 7411 for that
information.
The client relations partner has an important role in clarifying and explaining any
possible misunderstandings from an objective point of view at an early stage. It may
be that a second or reserve client relations partner could step in if the problem relates
to the client relations partner.
Sole practitioners must operate a different system and a possible solution is for a sole
practitioner to agree to "swap" such problems with another sole practitioner although
it is understood this may not be acceptable. Another possibility may be for the
solicitor to seek assistance in resolving the concerns through the local faculty, or
other colleagues.
All firms should inform clients about their internal complaints procedure when issuing
the “Terms of Business” letter at the start of a transaction or series of transactions.
client relations partners are also required to keep written records of how they deal
with any queries or problems and how these are resolved, where this occurs.
Where a complaint is received in writing, the client relations partner should write back
quickly to acknowledge the complaint. They will then speak to the person or persons
within the firm handling the transaction and will carefully read the file in order to gain
an up to date understanding of the particular situation.
You may then be invited to a meeting with the client relations partner at which your
concerns can be discussed and perhaps resolved.
If you do not prefer to attend a meeting, the client relations partner will set aside time
to speak to you on the telephone. In that case a note of all that was discussed and
agreed will be taken and sent to you for your records. In addition, after any meeting
or telephone discussion the client relations partner will write to you to summarise
what was discussed and agreed as the way forward.
Before considering making a complaint to the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission,
(SLCC), please make sure that you have done everything you can to resolve the
matter directly with the firm. Contact details for the Commission are noted below.
Updated February 2014
If you have not done so, the SLCC will refer you back to the client relations partner to
follow the firm’s internal complaints procedure before it will consider your complaint.
Note referred to:
The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission,
The Stamp Office
10-14 Waterloo Place
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG.
(LP-86 Edinburgh--2)
Tel: 0131 201 2130
Fax: 0131 201 2131
enquiries@scottishlegalcomplaints.com
http://www.scottishlegalcomplaints.org/
Updated February 2014