DMS
Chambers

1. OBJECTIVE

My aim is always to give you excellent service.  However, if you have a complaint or concern, you are invited to let me know as soon as possible.  It is not necessary to involve solicitors to make your complaint but you are free to do so should you wish.

Please note that I will only consider complaints that are raised within six months of the act or omission about which is complained.

2. SCOPE

My policy is available to clients, solicitors and anybody else who instructs me to provide legal services.

3. POLICY AND PROCEDURE

3.1     Complaints made by telephone

In the first instance, please contact me by telephone to discuss your complaint. If you do not have my telephone number, please email me and I will provide it.  I will make a note of the details of your complaint and will discuss your concerns with you with an aim of resolving them.  If the matter is resolved I will record the outcome, check that you are satisfied with the outcome and record that you are satisfied.  You may also wish to write down the outcome of the telephone discussion.

3.2     Complaints made in writing

If your complaint is not resolved on the telephone you will be invited to write to me about it within 14 days so that it can be investigated formally.

I recommend that you use my Complaints Form as this will ensure that you provide me with all the relevant information to enable me to investigate the complaint.  I will provide a copy of this to you, which can be filled in electronically. Please email this form to me at dms@dmschambers.com.  I will, where possible, acknowledge receipt of your complaint within two days and provide you with details of how your complaint will be dealt with.

3.3     Response

Within 28 days of a complaint in writing being received I will reply to your complaint in writing.  If I find for whatever reasons that I cannot reply within 28 days, I will set a new date for me reply and inform you of that date.

My reply will set out:

• The nature and scope of the investigation;
• My conclusion on each complaint and the basis for my conclusion(s); and
• If I find you are justified in your complaint, my proposals for resolving the complaint.

3.4     Confidentiality

All conversations and documents relating to the complaint will be treated as confidential and will be disclosed only to the extent that is necessary.  So you are aware, my regulator, the Bar Standards Board, is entitled to inspect any documents and to seek information about a complaint when discharging its auditing and monitoring functions.

3.5     Records

As part of my commitment to client care I make a written record of any complaint and retain all documents and correspondence generated by the complaint for a period of not less than seven years. For further information please see my privacy policy: www.dmschambers.com/privacy-notice.

3.6     Complaints to the Legal Ombudsman

I hope you will use my procedure. If you would rather not do so, or are unhappy with the outcome, you may take up your complaint with the Legal Ombudsman at any time.  Please note the Legal Ombudsman has a time limit of no later than one year within which to make your complaint from the date (i) of the act or omission about which you are complaining or (ii) when you should have realised that there was cause for complaint.  However, should you raise your complaint with me first, there is a six-month time limit from the conclusion of the investigation by me in which to raise your complaint with the Legal Ombudsman.

You can write to them at:

Complaints Team, Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6806
Wolverhampton
WV1 9WJ

Telephone: +44 (0)300 555 0333
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk