1. Our Policy
Although we aim to give all our clients the best possible service we recognise that we may not always manage to do what our clients expect of us, That complaints may arise form time to time. We have a procedure in place for investigating complaints and, so far as possible, resolving them to our clients' satisfaction. We review our procedure periodically, to ensure that it meets the requirements of changing circumstances, and we rely on results of our investigations to show us how we can best improve our services and reduce the risk of future complaints.
2. Who can complain
We accept complaints from anyone who is a client of Chambers. clients include:
(a) Solicitors who have instructed a barrister in these Chambers;
(b) Intermediaries who have instructed a barrister under the Licensed Access Rules;
(c) members of the public for whom a barrister in these Chambers has acted.
if you are a member of the public who is unhappy with the services provided for you by a barrister in these Chambers you can complain directly to us; these is no need for you to go through a Solicitor.
3. How to make a complaint
We will accept a complaint in whatever form is most convenient for the client. You can complain:
(a) by letter addressed to the Complaints Officer at the Chambers address;
(b) by telephone to 0151 236 4421 or 0151 236 8240 or 0151 236 6757;
(c) by fax addressed to the Complaints Officer on 0151 236 1559 or 0151 227 3005;
(d) by e-mail to infor@atlanticchambers.co.uk.
Whichever way you contact us, if you explain that you want to make a complaint the staff will ensure that the Complaints Procedure is operated.
4. How the procedure works
(a) We have a Complaints Officer, who is a barrister in these Chambers with responsibility for ensuring that the Complaints Procedure operates satisfactorily. Most complaints are investigated by the Compliants Officer, although in exceptional circumstances the Chambers Management Committee may appoint some other barrister to carry out the investigation.
(b) When you tell Chambers that you wish to make a complaint the Complaints officer will be told about it and given any details of your complaint which you have supplied.
(c) The Complaints Officer will then write to you, acknowledging receipt of your complaint, asking for further information eeded to process it, and explaining te steps that will be taken to investigate it.
(d) The complaints Officer will then carry out a full investigation into your complaint, getting any necessary information from you, from the person complained about and from any other person involved. All aspects of the complaint will be considered, to ensure that it is dealt with to your satisfaction and that the root cause of the complaint is properly identified. If the investigation is lengthy the Complaints Officer will keep you informed as to its progress.
(e) Once the investigation has been completed the Complaints Officer will write to tell you whether your complaint has been found to be justified. If is has been found to be justified, you will be told what action will be taken to put matters right. If it has been found not to be justified you will be told the reason for this.
5. Records of complaint
(a) Written records are kept of all complaints, including all communications and documents produce during the course of their invesitgation;
(b) These records are confidential, and will only be disclosed (with dequate safeguards ro preserve confidentiality so fas as possible) for the purpose of (i) investigation the complaint, (ii) internal Chambers review to assist in improving standards, and (iii) to comply with any requirement of the Bar Standrads Board.
6. Complaining to the Bar Standards Board
Instead of making you complaint to Chambers you can complain directly to the Bar Standards Board. The Board's contact details are:
Complaints Department, Bar Standards Board
289-293 High Holborn, London WC1V 7HZ
Tel: 0207 611 1444
Fax: 0207 831 9217
E-mail: complaints@barstandardsboard.org.uk
Internet: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk
You can download a complaint form and notes as to how to complete it from http://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/compaintsandiscipline/complaintsform/.
You should note that thre is a time limit for making complaints to the Board, which is 6 months from the happening of the events comlained of.
Although you have the right to complain directly to the Board, the Board encourages the use of Chambers Complaints Prcedure first. You will not duffer any disadvantage from using our Complaints Procedure first. If you are not happy with the way we deal with your complaint you can complain to the Board at that stage. You should note that the time limit for doing this is 3 months after you have been told of the result of your complaint to Chambers.
7. Further information
If you would like any further information about our Complaints Procedure, or a complete copy of thw written terms of the procedure, please contact us in any of the ways described above and we will be happy to supply it.