The Legal Services Ombudsman (LSO) this week congratulated the Law Society for improving its complaints-handling, but found that its performance against government-agreed targets has fallen.


Speaking to the Gazette on the publication of her annual report, the LSO, Zahida Manzoor, said the overall picture was of 'some improvement but still a very long way to go'.



Fresh complaints against solicitors in the year to 31 March 2004 rose 7% to 16,989, while 8,144 old complaints were unresolved at the start of the year.


Finding 'signs of appreciable improvement', Ms Manzoor found that the Society managed to close 17,678 complaints over the 12 months, up 34%, and so saw its live caseload fall 8.5% to 7,455. She ascribed this mainly to an increase in caseworkers.



Under the targets, the LSO should be satisfied with the Society's handling of 75% of cases referred to her by complainants. In 2003/4, Ms Manzoor was only satisfied in 53% of cases, down from 67%.



She added that the number of complaints referred to her fell 22% to 1,508 - the first reduction in several years. She put this down, in part, to a 'very dramatic increase in the number and value of ex gratia payments' the Society makes when there is poor service in processing a complaint.



From January to March 2004, ex gratia payments of £165,364 were made, compared with £28,414 in the same period of 2003.



The LSO reported that the Society missed four of its five targets for the time in which it deals with complaints, and that its performance actually deteriorated in relation to those four targets.


But she added: 'I personally feel insufficient attention is currently directed towards the causes of complaints.' She expressed disappointment that recruitment problems meant the Society has 'repeatedly downgraded the scale' of its plans to have the practice standards unit visit 2,000 law firms a year.


The LSO also said she was keen to see compulsory training in client care and complaints handling for all solicitors. This is currently under review at Chancery Lane.


Law Society chief executive Janet Paraskeva said closing more cases than were received 'means the major problem of delay is being overcome'. She added: 'We are pleased the ombudsman now acknowledges that the Law Society's complaints-handling is showing signs of appreciable improvement.


'The Law Society is determined that its complaints handling should be a model of excellence. The last year represents an important and decisive step towards achieving that.'