Complaints procedure

Complaining to us

If you wish to complain to us, please follow our Complaints Handling Procedure below:

Complaints Handling Procedure

This is Scornik Gerstein LLP's Complaints Handling Procedure.

If you are a client of Scornik Gerstein LLP and this document has been provided to you, it means that you are not satisfied with the level of services provided by the firm and that you are seriously considering putting forward a formal complaint to the firm.

Please read this document carefully and do not hesitate in contacting your Client Care Partner (Mr. Antonio Arenas), should you have any query about it.

The firm takes a high pride in providing services of a high standard and we take matters, which could potentially damage our reputation, very seriously.

We would therefore appreciate your assistance in dealing with your complaint by following the procedure below detailed, as this will ultimately help us to improve the quality of our professional services.

In accordance with the Legal Services Board’s requirements on complaint handling, we also inform all clients in writing at the outset of their engagement with the firm (or, in the case of existing clients, at the next appropriate opportunity) of their right to complain, and of how and to whom such a complaint may be made.

If we are unable to resolve your complaint through our Complaints Handling Procedure, you can refer your complaint to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) (opens in a new tab), the Legal Ombudsman (LEO) (opens in a new tab) or both.

The SRA deals with cases where firms or those they regulate have breached the SRA Principles. Most of the time, complaints about solicitors are about poor service, and therefore should be sent to the LEO. If the LEO thinks your case involves a breach of the SRA Principles, they will refer your case to the SRA. Likewise, if you report a solicitor to the SRA for poor service, the SRA will refer you to the LEO.

You may find further information and most importantly, how to contact both the LEO and/or the SRA in the footer of our website under SRA Transparency Rules.

The Procedure

1. At all material times where any firm's fee earner, member or employee appreciates that a client is dissatisfied with the level of services provided, he or she shall inform that client about his/her right to complain and if so, provide that client with a copy of this document.
2. If the client wishes to proceed further submitting a complaint, he/she should do that to Mr. Antonio Arenas in writing in the clearest possible way, pointing to the issues that considers have led him / her to complain.
3. Once Mr. Antonio Arenas receives the client's complaint, he shall open a special file for the complaint, register it in the firm's Complaints’ Registry and within 3 days inform the client that his / her complaint has been registered and that a complete investigation of the said complaint will be carried out according to this firm's complaints handling procedure.
4. Mr. Antonio Arenas shall complete the investigation and provide the client with the firm’s full & final response to the client’s complaint within a maximum of 8 weeks from the date the complaint is submitted. That final response will state prominently that, if the client remains dissatisfied, the client may refer the complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, will set out the time limit for doing so, and will provide full details of how to contact the Legal Ombudsman.
5. The firm’s response to the client’s complaint will be final and will clearly set the firm's position in respect of the complaint, together with a proposal to put things right (e.g. a formal apology, a pecuniary compensation or a specific direction to be carried out by the firm without charge, etc...) where appropriate.

Important Notice

If you do not agree with our final decision as per point 5 above, you must refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman (LEO) (opens in a new tab) within six (6) months of the date we deliver our final response to you, as otherwise you might lose your right for the LEO to consider your complaint. This six-month time limit applies specifically to referrals to the Legal Ombudsman; if you wish instead, or in addition, to raise concerns about our conduct with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) (opens in a new tab), please contact the SRA directly, as different time limits and procedures apply to the SRA.

You can find the contact details of both the LEO & SRA in the links provided in the precedent paragraph and below:

LEO:

Postal address:
Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6167
Slough
SL1 0EH

Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk (opens in a new tab)
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Telephone: 0300 555 0333
Relay UK: 18001 0300 555 0333
Overseas: +441212453050

SRA:

Postal address:
The Cube
199 Wharfside Street
Birmingham
B1 1RN (map of location (opens in a new tab))

Telephone: 0370 606 2555 (UK)
Overseas: +44 (0)121 820 2250

How & when can a complaint be made to the SRA?

Please visit: https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor/ (opens in a new tab)

How & when can a complaint be made to the LEO?

Please visit: https://www.legalombudsman.org.uk/make-a-complaint/ (opens in a new tab)