We are fully committed to providing a legal service of the highest quality to all of our clients. If something goes wrong, you have a right to complain about our services and/or associated fees. Please do tell us about the problem. This will help us address your dissatisfaction and improve our standards.
If you do have a complaint, then please let us know about it promptly. In many cases, misunderstandings or complaints of a minor nature can be dealt with informally over the telephone or via email. We will document every complaint and our handling of it and, if desired we will send you a copy of our file relating to it, free of charge. If you feel that your complaint is more serious or has not been resolved satisfactorily informally, then you should set it out in writing and send it to Jason Boakes (jboakes@secerna.com) at our York office.
If you decide to write to us, then we will send you an acknowledgement of receipt of your complaint within three working days of receiving it, enclosing/attaching a copy of this procedure. We will then investigate your complaint and will write to you to give you the option to meet with us to discuss, and hopefully resolve your complaint. Alternatively we can deal with your complaint in writing. Where you choose to discuss the matter in person, we will try to arrange a meeting with you promptly. Promptly after the meeting, we will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions we have agreed with you. If you do not want a meeting or if it is not possible to arrange such a meeting, we will endeavour to send you a detailed written reply to your complaint, including our suggestions for resolving the matter, within a reasonable period of time. We should resolve your complaint to your satisfaction within eight weeks of notification.
If at this stage you are still not satisfied and our complaints procedure has been exhausted, we will explain why we are not able to settle the complaint. We may also agree to the opportunity to involve an independent mediator to assist with resolving the complaint.
If your complaint has not been resolved to your satisfaction, you have the right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman. You also have the right to raise your concerns with the appropriate regulatory body (usually the Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg)) for any perceived misconduct.
We note that ordinarily, a complainant must refer a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within one year from the act/omission complained of; or one year from when the complainant should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint without taking advice from a third party, whichever is later; and generally within six months of the firm’s response providing it. Please note that the Legal Ombudsman generally handles complaints only by individuals, very small businesses, charities, trusts and clubs and associations.
You can contact the Legal Ombudsman at PO Box 6167 Slough SL1 0E or by telephone on 0300 555 0333; via the website www.legalombudsman.org.uk or by email at enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Alternatively, if the complaint concerns a matter of professional misconduct rather than poor service and if you remain dissatisfied, you can contact the Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg) about your complaint. Any complaint to the IPReg must usually be made within twelve months of the date of the professional misconduct alleged or your discovery of it but for further information you should contact the IPReg on 020 7353 4373 or via their website www.ipreg.org.uk or by email to ipreg@ipreg.org.uk
Please note
Your complaint will be investigated separately from ongoing work matters we handle for you. These work matters will not be affected by the Complaints procedure, assuming no conflict of interests has arisen and that you continue to comply with the terms of our engagement as set out in our engagement letter and terms of business.
Our terms of business provide that our invoices remain payable under agreed terms for payment regardless of the investigation of any complaint. However, please be assured that should the outcome of the Complaints process be that an adjustment in costs should be made, any reimbursement will be paid promptly at that time.