Firm Complaint Information
At AC Gilead Solicitors, we are committed to providing high-quality legal services to all our clients. However, when something goes wrong we need you to tell us about it. This will help us t improve our services.
We hope that you will initially be able to resolve any problem or complaint that you have with the solicitor / fee earner with the conduct of your case on informal basis.
If you have raised your concern with the person handling your case or their supervisor and not satisfied, we will apply the following procedure.
Formal Complaint:
If the issue remains unresolved, you may submit a formal complaint in writing to our Complaints Handling Manager, Mr. Olusegun Thompson at segun@acgilead.com.
Mr. Olusegun Thompson will deal with a complaint under our complaints procedure as follows:
How a complaint is dealt with
- i. The Complaints Handling Manager will send a letter acknowledging a complaint and may ask the person making the complaint to confirm or explain details of the complaint.
- ii. The Complaints Handling Manager will record the complaint in our central register and open a file for the complaint.
- iii. The Complaints Handling Manager will then start to investigate the complaint. This may involve one or more of the following steps.
- – The Complaints Handling Manager will ask the relevant solicitor or fee earner in charge of the client’s matter to comment on the complaint.
- – The Complaints Handling Manager will examine the response of the relevant solicitor or fee earner and details of the client’s complaint. The Complaint Handling Manager may ask the relevant solicitor of fee earner for more information, if necessary.
- – The Complaints Handling Manager will examine the client’s case file, then prepare and send an initial response to the complaint. This should be done within 21 days from the date of receiving a client’s original complaint.
- iv. At this stage, if the client is still not satisfied they can write to the Complaint Handling Manager again. The Complaints Handling Manager will then review the initial response in light of any further concerns raised by the client and send a letter confirming our final position on the complaint with reasons.
- v. We aim to complete the different stages set out above well within reasonable timescales. However, some complaints take longer than others to resolve.
If you are still not satisfied, you can then contact the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) at PO Box 6167, Slough SL1 OEH about your complaint. You can also e-mail the Legal Ombudsman (LeO) at enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk or telephone them on 0300 555 0333 or +44 121 245 3050 if calling from overseas. For further information, please access the Legal Ombudsman (LeO)’s website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk.
Normally, you will need to bring a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman on the expiry of 8 weeks of you bringing your complaint to us or within six months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint and no more than one year from the date of the act or omission being complained about; or no more than one year from the date when you should reasonably have known that there was cause for complaint.
Complaints about Professional Conduct issues
If you are concerned about our professional conduct (behaviour), then you can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority. This could be for things like dishonesty, taking or losing your money or treating you unfairly because of your age, race / ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, marital status or other characteristic.
Contact Details: SRA Address: Solicitors Regulation Authority, The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham, B1 1RN. Website: www.sra.org.uk. Phone: 0370 606 2555.Email: contactcentre@sra.org.uk
Feedback
If you would like to provide any other feedback, please email: info@acgilead.com