25 February 2020
Law Society Welcomes Positive Lay Observer's Report
The Law Society welcomes the
publication of the Annual Report of the Lay Observer for Northern Ireland
2018/2019 and her acknowledgement of the commitment of the Society to provide
an open, accessible and timely complaints system.
This is the second Annual Report
published by the current Lay Observer for Northern Ireland charged with overseeing the
Society’s complaints handling system.
In her report the Lay Observer
identifies a positive trend in how complaints are registered and handled by the
Society as well as the significant steps the Society has taken to make the
complaints process more accessible.
This has included the development
of a focused training programme and support resources for solicitors as well as
developing and improving the process for complainants.
The Lay Observer recognises that whilst the number of category complaints has
risen this year this is in part a response to a more open system.
Commenting on the publication of
the report the Society’s Chief Executive, David A Lavery CB said:
“The Society welcomes the
publication of the Lay Observer's report which will allow us to build on the
good work which has been undertaken and to make further improvements to the
Society’s service complaints process.
In
the year ahead, the Society will be preparing for the new arrangements provided
for in the Legal Complaints & Regulation Act (NI) 2016 coming into
operation. The Society will be providing further details of this in due
course.”