Complaints procedure

Bowman Abraham Litigation Solicitors provides personalised legal support across family and civil litigation matters. With over 20 years of experience, we give each case our full attention and provide clear advice based on the circumstances involved. Whether you need assistance with divorce  and separation, contentious child issues, property litigation, professional negligence claims, employment and partnership disputes, contested probate or injunctions, we can help you understand your options and the legal process. We serve clients across North London and elsewhere, with a focus on practical advice and representation.

Bowman & Co. Litigation Solicitors t/a Bowman Abraham Solicitors is committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all of our clients.

We hope that you will be satisfied with the service that you receive from us. However, if at any stage you are unhappy or concerned about our service, our charges, or any other aspect of the way in which your matter has been handled, we encourage you to tell us as soon as possible.

We take complaints seriously. Raising a complaint will not affect the way in which we handle your matter and there is no charge for dealing with your complaint.

Complaints also provide us with an opportunity to address concerns, put matters right where appropriate, and improve the service we provide.

If you have a concern about any aspect of our service, it will often be helpful to raise it in the first instance with the person dealing with your matter. They will do their best to understand the issue and, where possible, resolve it promptly and informally.

You are not required to attempt informal resolution before making a formal complaint.

If your concern cannot be resolved informally, or if you would prefer the matter to be dealt with formally from the outset, you may make a formal complaint to either of the partners of the firm.

A complaint may be made in writing, by email, by telephone or at a meeting. If we are unable to reach a resolution at an early stage, we would ask you to provide further details in writing to assist us in investigating your complaint.

If the partner to whom the complaint is made is the subject of the complaint or was substantially involved in the matter giving rise to it, the complaint will ordinarily be dealt with by the other partner.

Where both partners have been substantially involved in the subject matter of the complaint, or there is some other reason why neither partner should investigate it, we will make appropriate arrangements for the complaint to be considered fairly and objectively by another suitably experienced person.

We will tell you who is responsible for dealing with your complaint when we acknowledge it.

4.1 Acknowledgement

We will acknowledge your formal complaint promptly and normally within five working days of receiving it.

We will tell you who is dealing with the complaint and, if necessary, ask you for any further information that will help us understand and investigate your concerns.

Your complaint will be recorded in our complaints register, and a separate record of the investigation will be maintained.

4.2 Investigation

The person dealing with your complaint will investigate it fairly and objectively.

Depending upon the nature of the complaint, this may include:

1. reviewing your file and relevant correspondence and documents;
2. discussing the matter with the fee earner or other members of the firm involved;
3. obtaining further information or clarification from you;
4. reviewing relevant attendance notes, advice, correspondence, bills or other records; and
5. considering what, if anything, can appropriately be done to resolve your concerns.
   

4.3 Meeting to discuss your complaint

Where we consider that it may assist in resolving the complaint, we may offer to meet with you, either in person or remotely, to discuss your concerns.

You may also ask us for a meeting.

We believe that, where appropriate, a discussion can provide a useful opportunity to understand the issues more fully, clarify any misunderstandings and explore whether the complaint can be resolved without the need for a lengthy formal process.

You are not required to attend a meeting and declining a meeting will not prejudice the investigation of your complaint.

4.4 Our response

We aim to provide you with a substantive written response within 21 days of acknowledging your formal complaint.

Our response will explain the outcome of our investigation and the reasons for our conclusions. Where we consider that action should be taken to resolve the complaint, we will explain what we propose to do.

Some complaints may take longer to investigate, particularly where they involve complex issues, substantial files, absent individuals or information which needs to be obtained from you or a third party.

If we are unable to provide our substantive response within 21 days, we will explain the reason for the delay and tell you when we expect to respond.

In all cases, we will endeavour to conclude our complaints process within eight weeks of receiving your complaint.

If you are dissatisfied with our response, please tell us why.

Where appropriate and reasonably practicable, we will arrange for our decision to be reviewed by the other partner or by another suitably experienced person who has not previously been involved in investigating the complaint.

Where a further independent internal review is not reasonably practicable because of the size or structure of the firm, we will consider whether another appropriate means of reviewing or resolving the complaint is available.

Where appropriate and with your agreement, we may also consider whether mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution may assist in resolving the complaint.

Following any review, we will write to you confirming our final position and explaining our reasons.

6. Legal Ombudsman

If we are unable to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, the Legal Ombudsman may be able to consider your complaint independently.

Ordinarily, you must allow us the opportunity to resolve your complaint before the Legal Ombudsman will investigate it.

You can normally ask the Legal Ombudsman to consider your complaint if:

1. We have provided our final response, and you remain dissatisfied; or
2. Eight weeks have passed since you made your complaint, and it has not been resolved. Generally, a complaint must be referred to the Legal Ombudsman:
3. within six months of receiving our final written response to your complaint; and
4. no more than one year from the date of the act or omission about which you are complaining; or
5. no more than one year from the date when you should reasonably have known that there was cause for complaint.

The Legal Ombudsman may exercise discretion in relation to these time limits in certain circumstances.

The Legal Ombudsman's contact details are:



Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6167
Slough
SL1 0EH

Telephone: 0300 555 0333
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) regulates solicitors and law firms in England and Wales.

The Legal Ombudsman is generally responsible for complaints about the service provided by a solicitor or law firm.

The SRA deals with concerns about professional conduct and regulatory breaches. This can include, for example, concerns about dishonesty, misuse of client money, discrimination or other serious breaches of the SRA's professional standards.

Further information about when and how to report a solicitor or firm to the SRA is available at:

www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor/

8. Our approach to complaints

We will deal with complaints fairly, promptly and free of charge.

We will not treat you adversely because you have raised a concern or made a complaint.

We will keep a record of complaints received and their outcomes and will use complaints, where appropriate, to identify any improvements that can be made to our systems, procedures or service.