Complaints Procedure (received prior to 7/10/19)
Complaints received by the Law Society prior to 7 October 2019 are investigated by the Law Society's Complaints and Client Relations Section (CCRC) which is staffed by experienced solicitors.
The complaints procedure is as follows:
- On being notified of a complaint, it is assigned to an investigating solicitor in the Law Society's Complaints and Client Relations Section. The investigating solicitor first decides whether the Law Society can deal with your complaint. If so, a copy of your letter will be sent to the solicitor and the solicitor will be asked to comment. The Complaints and Client Relations Section must always ask for the solicitor’s response before expressing any views.
- You will be sent a copy of the solicitor’s response to the Law Society. If the Law Society is satisfied that the solicitor’s explanations are reasonable, you will be informed that the Law Society will not intervene. Alternatively, the investigating solicitor will continue to investigate the complaint and may ask you for more information.
- If your complaint cannot be resolved, the investigating solicitor may refer it to the Law Society's Complaints and Client Relations Committee. You do not have to attend the Committee meeting, but if you want to be there, let the investigating solicitor know so that arrangements can be made for your attendance.
- The Committee will consider the documents and correspondence compiled by the Complaints and Client Relations Section and, if appropriate, having interviewed the solicitor and sought any other information which it thinks relevant, may again try to resolve the matter as between the complainant and the solicitor.
- If the complaint cannot be resolved, the Committee will make a formal decision, based on the facts before it, whether to uphold or reject the complaint, direct the solicitor to take certain steps, require the solicitor to waive/refund fees, impose a reprimand, refer the solicitor to the Disciplinary Tribunal or direct the solicitor to pay compensation not exceeding €3,000.
Please note, if you are dissatisfied with the manner in which your complaint has been dealt with by the Law Society, you can refer the matter to the Independent Adjudicator of the Law Society.
More information regarding CCRC
- Guidelines for attendance at CCRC meetings
- Guidelines for CCRC members
- Conflict of Interest Protocol for CCRC members
- CCRC Rules of Procedure (Conduct)
- CCRC Rules of Procedure (Sections 8 and 9)
