A Solicitor's Guide to Complaints Avoidance and Handling

Second EditionMichael Frith, LlB, Solicitor, former Compliance Officer, The Law SocietyNever before, in the legal profession, have the issues of client care and client complaints assumed such a high profile as it does at present. It is, therefore, surprising that, at a time when the subject is receiving constant publicity and the profession are being continually urged to become ever more client, or customer, focused, there is no text on those subjects to which a solicitor can turn for guidance. This publication seeks to remedy the defect. The new edition covers recent reforms to the system, including the new complaints authority, as well as a thorough review of the text.Contents include:· Avoiding Complaints:o Characteristics of a complainto Causes of a complaint - managing expectations and o Use of jargono Costs Informationo Delay and failing to keep the client informedo Poor communicationso Complaint in individual disciplines: civil litigation, family, conveyancing, probate, crime· Handling complaintso Identifying the problem o Why bother? The reasons why.o Service or negligence avoidance?o First stepso Practical stepso Golden rules· Client careo Preliminary issues and practical stepso Implementing a policy· Practice Rule 15 and other issues· Specimen complaints procedures: small, medium and large firms