Manzoor flexes muscle

WATCHDOG: new Legal Services Ombudsman pledges to improve complaints handling

The new Legal Services Ombudsman spoke for the first time this week of her intention to take a 'robust stance' to ensure that the legal professions have fair, open and efficient complaints-handling systems that meet public needs.

Speaking in the week she took up the role, Zahida Manzoor said there was a lot to be done regarding the professional bodies' complaints-handling systems, especially in relation to the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors.

In the past 12 months, she said, the ombudsman's office has received 1,750 new cases from members of the public dissatisfied with the way their complaints were dealt with by the professional bodies.

She said the number of cases being referred to her office continued to rise.

She said: 'Not only is this unacceptable but it may only be the tip of the iceberg.

It is highly likely that these cases only reflect those people who are aware of their rights and have the perseverance to pursue their complaints.

'There may be many more people who are unhappy at the level of service they have received from the legal profession but are unaware of their rights to get redress.'

Ms Manzoor said improvements in processing complaints and the prompt resolution of complaints must be at the heart of the drive to raise standards in the provision of legal services.

She said: 'I see my role as threefold: to ensure that individual complaints are handled properly; to act as a public watchdog on the standards of complaints handling by the professional bodies; and to raise standards generally throughout the legal professions.'

She added that she would be closely monitoring the professional bodies to ensure that all relevant improvements are made to deliver a more efficient service.

Law Society Chief Executive Janet Paraskeva said: 'The Law Society also takes a robust stance with solicitors who do not deliver an acceptable service to their clients.

We look forward to working with Zahida in continuing to improve the way we provide an effective resolution to complaints and ensure that consumers of legal services are aware of their rights.'