Society seeks complainers' experiences
6 Jul 05
Law Society of Scotland writing to all users of new system to inform response to consultation
The Law Society of Scotland is sending out a leaflet to the 6,000 people who have complained about their solicitors since 2003, encouraging them to have their say on how complaints are handled.
More than 1,200 law firms will also receive a copy of the leaflet about the Scottish Executive's consultation on reforms of the current regulatory regime.
Caroline Flanagan, the President of the Society said: "Over the next few days every firm of solicitors and every client who has had a complaint handled by the Society since its new complaints system was introduced in September 2003, will receive a copy of the leaflet about the consultation. The Society offered to assist in publicising the consultation and will bear the costs."
The President continued: "It's important that people in Scotland have their say on this consultation, and fitting that the Society, which has a duty to promote the solicitors' profession in the interests of both the public and the profession, is assisting in this way. The improvements are already showing positive results and producing some very encouraging feedback from both the Scottish solicitors' profession and their clients.
The Society is also working on its response to the consultation, which reflects the recommendations made in the report by the Scottish Parliament's Justice 1 Committee in November 2002.
The report endorsed the Society's regulatory systems, of which handling complaints forms a part. The Committee made various recommendations to the Society, which have been acted on, such as ensuring that non-solicitors have 50 per cent of the decision-making responsibility on complaints committee, and speeding up the complaints process.