Our aim is to provide the highest standards of client care and legal service at all times. We are proud to say that the large majority of our clients are very pleased with the service received and never have cause for complaint. However, we are not complacent and if you feel that we have fallen below those high standards, please let us know and we will seek to resolve any problems as quickly and openly as we can. We review complaints information regularly and address any underlying issues.
What to do if you have a complaint
If you have a concern or complaint, this should be raised initially with the person who has conduct of your case, either verbally or in writing. We hope that we will be able to resolve matters at this early stage. However, if this is not possible, or you would prefer not to raise your concerns with that person, please address your complaint to their team leader, who will discuss your concerns with them and respond to you. In the majority of cases, this is successful in resolving any outstanding issues.
If in the unlikely event the fee earner or their supervisor is unable to adequately address your concerns, or if you feel the matter is too serious to raise with them or their supervisor then in the first instance you could contact our Compliance Officer Roberto Lavorini on 0161 928 3848 who will be able to assist.
We define a complaint to be an expression of dissatisfaction, which alleges that the complainant has suffered (or may suffer) financial loss, distress, inconvenience or other detriment.
If you wish to make a formal complaint please write to Roberto Lavorini at McHale Legal Limited, 19/21 High Street, Altrincham, WA14 1QP or email roberto.lavorini@mchaleandco.co.uk who will be able to assist.
If you are not or were not our client then we may be unable, for reasons of client confidentiality, to write to you unless we have the client’s written consent for you to present their complaint and correspond with you.
We will not charge you for investigating your complaint or corresponding with you.
What will happen next?
We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within three working days of receiving the complaint. Roberto Lavorini will investigate your complaint. He will review your matter file and speak to the member of staff who acted for you. Roberto will provide you with a detailed response, including any suggestions for resolving the matter where appropriate, within twenty eight days. If more than twenty eight days are required, for example where complex issues are raised, then you will be informed of the reason for the delay and a timeframe agreed.
At this stage if there are still outstanding issues or you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again and we will arrange for Andrew McHale, Managing Partner to review the decision. We will write to you within twenty eight days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final position to you on your complaint and explaining our reasons.
Legal Ombudsman
If you are not satisfied with our response you can contact the Legal Ombudsman:
Visit: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Call: 0300 555 0333 between 9am to 5pm
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Post: Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ
You must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of receiving a final response to your complaint from us. From 1 April 2023, the Legal Ombudsman also expects complaints to be made to them within 1 year of the date of the act or omission about which you are concerned or within 1 year of you realising there was a concern.
Referral to the SRA
If you are concerned that we haven’t adhered to the SRA Rules and Regulations you can report your concerns to the SRA:
Solicitors Regulation Authority,
The Cube
199 Wharfside Street
Birmingham
B1 1RN
Telephone: 0370 606 2555 inside the UK or +44 (0)121 329 6800 from overseas
Email: report@sra.org.uk
Find out more about the SRA Rules and Regulations and how to report your concerns