The new legal ombudsman service set up to investigate and resolve complaints made by users of legal services will open on 6 October this year.

Established by the Office for Legal Complaints and based in Birmingham, the service will replace the Law Society-run Legal Complaints Service based in Leamington Spa.

Adam Sampson, the chief ombudsman, said: The Legal Ombudsman is vital in simplifying the current system. When we open people will be able to seek help from an independent and impartial body. Our priority now is to work with the legal profession, the advice sector and consumers to make sure people understand how we will work and how they can find us.’

He added: ‘I believe that lawyers in particular should feel relieved that we are on track to open in October. Bringing together redress for legal services within one independent body represents good value for money for the profession as well as giving everyone – consumers and lawyers – greater confidence in the system.’For more information see: www.legalombudsman.org.uk/news/.