At Shield Law, we are committed to providing the highest quality legal services. If you are unhappy about any aspect of the service you have received, or about your bill, we encourage you to let us know. Your feedback is important to us and helps us improve.
How to Make a Complaint
You can contact us to make a complaint by:
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Post: Our office at Suite 4, Alexandra Business Park, Fountain Street, Morley, Leeds, LS27 0QH
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Telephone: 0113 238 5125
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Email: [email protected]
We have a clear procedure in place to ensure your complaint is handled efficiently and effectively.
Initial Resolution
In some cases, a quick resolution may be possible. If, after investigation, the person to whom you first raised your complaint can resolve it to your satisfaction, they will confirm this in writing to you within 7 days of your initial contact. This resolution will also be recorded internally.
If your complaint is not resolved to your complete satisfaction within 7 days of your first contacting us, please notify the Client Care Manager (by letter, email, or telephone) that you require your complaint to be investigated by another Manager.
Formal Complaint Procedure
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Acknowledgement: We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within three working days of receiving it, along with a copy of this complaints procedure.
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Investigation: Your complaint will be investigated thoroughly. This will normally involve passing your complaint to one of our Senior Managers, who will review your matter file and speak to the member of staff who acted for you.
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Meeting (Optional): You may be invited to a meeting to discuss and hopefully resolve your complaint. This meeting will be offered within 14 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
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Confirmation of Resolution: Within three days of that meeting, the Manager will write to you to confirm what was discussed and any agreed solutions.
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Written Reply (if no meeting): If you prefer not to have a meeting, or if a meeting is not possible, you will receive a detailed written reply to your complaint, including suggestions for resolving the matter, within 21 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
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Internal Review: If you are still not satisfied after receiving our initial response, please contact us again. We will arrange for another Manager within Shield Law to review the decision.
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Final Position: We will write to you within 14 days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.
External Review
If you are still not satisfied with our handling of your complaint after completing our internal complaints process, you have the right to refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman.
Legal Ombudsman Contact Details:
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By Post: Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH
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By Telephone: Callers from UK: 0300 555 0333 / Callers from overseas: +44 121 245 3050
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By Email: [email protected]
Please note that the Legal Ombudsman may be prepared to investigate your complaint if you meet their eligibility criteria. You must bring your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:
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Within six months of receiving a final response from us to your complaint;
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And no more than one year from the date of the act or omission; or
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No more than one year from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.
Concerns about Behaviour
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) can assist you if you are concerned about our professional conduct. This could include issues such as dishonesty, misuse of client money, or unfair treatment based on factors like age, disability, or other characteristics. For more details, please visit the SRA website at https://www.sra.org.uk and specifically the section on reporting a solicitor: https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor.page
Changes to Timescales
If we need to change any of the timescales mentioned above during the complaints process, we will inform you promptly and explain the reasons for the delay.