HARTLAW LLP COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

1. Complaints Policy

Hartlaw’s primary objective is to provide quality legal services to all clients.  This includes dealing effectively with any complaints or concerns raised.  Hartlaw has retained the services of Nick Dyson to handle complaints.  Mr Dyson is a former senior partner of Hartlaw and familiar with the workings of this practice.  The partners of Hartlaw expect Mr Dyson to deal with clients promptly and considerately, avoiding any complex legal terms.  You may communicate with Mr Dyson in whatever way you choose.  This can include a personal meeting at Hartlaw’s office, electronic or traditional postal correspondence and telephone.  Nowadays, post Covid, most clients seem to prefer communication by email.

2. How to Complain

If you feel that the service provided by Hartlaw has fallen below the standard that you would expect please raise your concerns with the fee-earner who is handling your work.  If those concerns are not resolved easily and quickly, the fee-earner will refer your complaint to Mr Dyson and he will contact you to discuss it.  Alternatively, if you would prefer to refer directly to Mr Dyson, his contact details are shown below.

3. Understanding your Complaint

As a first step, Mr Dyson will try to ensure that he understands your complaint.  He will write to you setting out his understanding, asking you to confirm that it is correct or to provide him with further information.

4. File Review

Mr Dyson will then review your file and discuss the position with the fee-earner concerned and, if necessary, their head of department.  When he has done so he will contact you again to tell you of his initial findings and ask for your reaction to them.

5. Remedies

If you and Mr Dyson agree that the service provided by Hartlaw has not been satisfactory, he will attempt to agree a remedy with you.  This can include an apology, further work at no or reduced cost, a reduction in a bill or a compensatory payment to you.  If that remedy is agreed, Mr Dyson will write to you setting out the agreement that has been reached.

6. Ombudsman

If no agreement is reached, Mr Dyson will inform you that you have the right to refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, whose contact details are shown below.  The Ombudsman has wide powers to deal with complaints of poor service by solicitors, such as those involving excessive fees, failure to follow instructions or to keep you informed or to progress the matter.  Please note that certain types of complaint, called conduct issues, such as dishonesty or other criminal activity should be referred instead to the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

7. Timing

The partners at Hartlaw expect Mr Dyson to deal with complaints promptly and reach a conclusion within 8 weeks of the date on which the complaint is raised.  This does depend on your co-operation and external factors such as staff absence through e.g., illness.

If you would prefer someone other than Mr Dyson to investigate your complaint, please let him know and he will ask one of the partners to do so.

Nick Dyson, mobile: 07711 738101, email: Nick@hartlaw.co.uk

The Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH, telephone number: 0300 555 0333, email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

The Solicitors Regulation Authority, The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham, B1 1RN, telephone number: 0370 606 2555, email: contactcentre@sra.org.uk