Complaints Handling Procedure

1. Our complaints policy

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.

2. Our complaints procedure

If you have a complaint, please contact either the person dealing with your matter or Alex Herbert, with the details. We have 8 weeks to deal with your complaint. We will endeavour to deal with your complaint in accordance with the timetable set out below. In the event your complaint relates to the conduct of Alex Herbert, you should contact Lynne Barlow.

3. What will happen next?

3.1 We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within three working days of us receiving the complaint.

3.2 We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally involve passing your complaint to the appropriate complaints handler, who will review your matter file and speak to the member of staff involved.

3.3 The complaints handler will then invite you to a meeting to discuss and hopefully resolve your complaint. You will be invited to the meeting within fourteen days of sending you the acknowledgement.

3.4 Within three days of the meeting, the complaints handler will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions agreed with you.

3.5 If you do not want a meeting or it is not possible, you will be sent a detailed written reply to your complaint, including suggestions for resolving the matter, within 28 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.

3.6 If you are still not satisfied, you can then contact the Legal Ombudsman at; www.legalombudsman.org.uk or PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH, telephone 0300 555 0333, email enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk about your complaint. Any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman about our service must usually be made within 6 months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint or within one year of the act or omission about which you are complaining (or if outside this period, within one year of when you should reasonably have been aware of it).

3.7 You are also able to complain directly to the Solicitors Regulation Authority at www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor or The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham B1 1RN

3.8 Alternative complaints bodies such as Ombudsman Services www.ombudsman-services.org exist which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services should both you and McGuinness Legal wish to use such a scheme

3.9 McGuinness Legal agrees to use Ombudsman Services.

4. Changes

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

September 2024