Complaints Handling Procedure

1. Our complaints policy

We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it. This will help us to improve our standards.

2. Our complaints procedure

If you have a complaint, please contact either the person dealing with your matter or to Joanne McGuinness, with the details. We have 8 weeks to deal with your complaint. We will endeavour to deal with your complaint in accordance with the timetable set out below.

3. What will happen next?

3.1 We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within three working days of us receiving the complaint.

3.2 We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally involve passing your complaint to Joanne McGuinness, who will review your matter file and speak to the member of staff involved.

3.3 Joanne McGuinness will then invite you to a meeting to discuss and hopefully resolve your complaint. She will do this within fourteen days of sending you the acknowledgement.

3.4 Within three days of the meeting, Joanne McGuinness will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions she has agreed with you.

3.5 If you do not want a meeting or it is not possible, Joanne McGuinness will send you a detailed written reply to your complaint, including her suggestions for resolving the matter, within 21 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.

3.6 If you are still not satisfied, you can then contact the Legal Ombudsman at; www.legalombudsman.org.uk or PO Box 6808 Wolverhampton WV1 9WJ telephone 0300 555 0333, email enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk about your complaint. Any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman about our service must usually be made within 6 months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint or within 6 years of the act or omission about which you are complaining (or if outside this period, within 3 years of when you should reasonably have been aware of it).

3.7 You are also able to complain directly to the Solicitors Regulation Authority at www.sra.org.uk or The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham B1 1RN

3.8 Alternative complaints bodies such as Ombudsman Services www.ombudsman-services.org exist which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services should both you and McGuinness Legal wish to use such a scheme

3.9 McGuinness legal agrees to use Ombudsman Services.

4. Changes

If we have to change any of the timescales above, we will let you know and explain why.