The Legal Complaints Service (LCS) and Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) improved in ‘most areas’ of complaints-handling in 2007/08, the Legal Services Complaints Commissioner has ruled.

Though she declared that the Law Society had not handled complaints in accordance with its plan for the year to 31 March 2008, Zahida Manzoor decided enough progress had been made to escape a fine.

The Society met or exceeded eight of its 13 targets relating to timeliness, quality and use of resources. Manzoor praised the Society for hitting the target of closing 67% of complaints within three months.

However, she warned: ‘My decision not to levy a penalty on the Law Society is not a cause for celebration, as the LCS and SRA have both missed a number of targets.’

Earlier this month, Manzoor fined the Society £275,000 for failing to deliver an adequate plan for 2008/09.

Law Society chief executive Des Hudson said: ‘Standards on complaints-handling have improved to a level which matches or exceeds other complaints-handling bodies.’

LCS board chairman Professor Shamit Saggar added: ‘The outstanding performance of the LCS... makes discussion of financial sanctions simply irrelevant.’