09.08 Exploring the Publication of Solicitors’ Complaint Records

The above consultation by the Legal Complaints Service (LCS) sets out for consultation the LCS’s proposals for publication of solicitors’ complaints records in order to:

• Inform consumers by educating and empowering them to make the right decisions at every stage of the legal process; and improve standards amongst solicitors by supporting them to provide a better service.

The consultation paper sets outs the LCS’s desired option to publish the following:

Summaries of complaints (general and firm specific) that have been up-held; Complaints recorded against the name of the firm acting at the time the complaint arose and retained on record for three years from publication; Publication on the internet, with paper copies available via email or telephone request; and Publication at quarterly intervals.

Notwithstanding the above, the LCS will have the discretion not to publish the record of a particular case having regard to individual factors.

The consultation can be accessed on the following LCS web link:

http://www.legalcomplaints.org.uk/consultations/solcomplaintdata.page

The consultation closes on the 24^th April 2008.

ILEX is inviting comments/observations before close of the consultation in April 2008.

If you would like to add your views on this paper please email [email protected]

View the response.