I have never been a great fan of the Law Society's complaints-handling procedures and now I see that it has been fined £250,000 for its failure to satisfy the Legal Services Complaints Commissioner in relation to its future plans (see [2006] Gazette, 25 May, 1). Nowhere in the private sector could an institution be fined £250,000 and everybody just carry on in post as usual.

It is hardly helpful for the Law Society to talk about 'hitting back at the commissioner'. The obviously confrontational approach with the commissioner adopted by the Law Society is quite the wrong way to deal with it.


The future handling of the issue of the complaints procedures by the Law Society must be in the hands of, and guided by, solicitors in private practice who are better able to deal with the statutory powers and demands of the commissioner, and who also understand how to deal with persons who have these statutory powers.


Brian Wrigley, Norrie Waite & Slater, Sheffield