'Naming and shaming' solicitors by publishing their complaints record will not help consumers choose lawyers and might even lead them away from competent practitioners, the Law Society's chief executive has warned.


The Legal Complaints Service (LCS) plans to publish detailed information on upheld, adjudicated complaints against solicitors and keep it on public record for three years.



In a response to the LSC's consultation on the issue which closed last week, Desmond Hudson agreed it was important that consumers had 'meaningful information' to help them instruct the right solicitor, but said the LCS plans 'may well mislead clients'.



He said: 'We want to assist solicitors to deal well with clients and are committed to devoting significant resources to enhance client service across the profession... this is more likely to achieve good service to clients than what looks like a crude exercise in naming and shaming.'



The Society compared how 62 complaints services and regulatory bodies in other common law jurisdictions handled complaints. Hudson said that, while most published the outcome of misconduct cases to protect the public from acts of dishonesty, 'they looked at more collaborative ways... to resolve matters of service'.



He added: 'The LCS has provided no evidence with its consultation on publication that naming and shaming would work... the move will apply to only a small number of firms, so will not really assist clients in picking between most firms.'



Hudson said the public would be better served by knowing which solicitors have a record of providing excellent client care.



LCS chief executive Deborah Evans told the Gazette: 'We see real value to the consumer in publishing complaints information... however, we will not take the decision to publish lightly without examining the consequences.'



Anita Rice