Complaints Procedures
If the Society considers that your complaint can properly be dealt with under its complaints procedures, it will take the following steps:-
- Acknowledge receipt of the complaint and advise that the investigation may take 12 weeks to pursue.
- Send a copy of the complaint form to the solicitor, seeking a reply within 14 days.
- On receiving the solicitor's reply, it will be copied to you for comment. You must reply within 14 days.
- At the conclusion of 14 days, the case will be concluded by providing an opinion on the various aspects of the complaint and if appropriate, the solicitor may be directed to take certain action to assist you.
- Where the Society is of a view that it cannot be of assistance, it will inform you accordingly and you may then refer the matter to the Lay Observer for Northern Ireland, whose address is Londonderry House, 21 Chichester Street, Belfast BT1 4JJ.
- The Society has the discretion at all times to seek additional information from you or the solicitor if it is necessary to fully address the issues in the complaint.
- In the unlikely event of your solicitor failing to co-operate with the Society's
investigation, disciplinary action may be taken and you will be advised to immediately seek alternative legal advice. Should that situation arise, more detailed information will be provided.
Notes to these Complaints procedures
Please ensure that you have tried to resolve the issue with your solicitor in the first instance, using their in-house redress procedures where available. If you have contacted your solicitor in writing, it would assist us if you included a copy of your correspondence along with your complaint form.
All complaints must be in writing and signed by you, using the Complaint Form (PDF). Alternatively you can contact the Society and ask us to post you one. Details below
Our Contact details:
Law Society of Northern Ireland
40 Linenhall Street
Belfast
BT2 8BA
Email:
info@lawsoc-ni.org
Telephone: 28 90 231614
Fax: 028 90 232606
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