The Legal Services Complaints Commissioner has urged Chancery Lane to make complaints-handling a priority during the transition to the new structure introduced by the Legal Services Act. The new independent Office for Legal Complaints becomes fully operational in 2011.

Zahida Manzoor was speaking as she outlined new targets for the Society’s complaints-handling arm, the Legal Complaints Service, for the period 1 April 2009 to the 31 December. ‘The transition period from one complaints-handling body to another is a critical time for consumers,’ she said. ‘The LCS cannot afford for backlogs of complaints to build or for the progress it has made on the speed of handling complaints to slip at this point. Of course this needs to be achieved while retaining a focus on quality.’

The targets focus on the speed of complaints-handling - in particular ensuring that 87% of complaints are resolved within six months and all complaints are concluded within 12 months - and control of work in progress levels to avoid backlogs or unnecessary delays.

Manzoor added: ‘I have also recommended that the Law Society itself should take responsibility for ensuring that LCS provides a reasonable level of service to consumers during this transition period. During this final year of operation these targets and recommendations will help to ensure that for consumers the transition to the OLC is as seamless as possible.’

A Law Society spokesperson said: ‘The Society and the LCS Board entirely agree that it is imperative to ensure that LCS continue to handle complaints promptly and effectively in the run-up to the establishment of the new Office for Legal Complaints.’