When everything is on the line, defend with conviction.

1. Talk to us first

In many cases, the quickest way to sort out a concern is to raise it directly with the solicitor or fee earner handling your matter. We would encourage you to do this in the first instance, as we may be able to resolve the issue straight away.

2. Making a formal complaint

If you would prefer to make a formal complaint, or if your concern has not been resolved informally, please put it in writing, setting out what happened and what outcome you are looking for. You can contact us as follows:
Complaints Handling Partner
ASL Solicitors
35 Bull Street, Birmingham, B4 6AF
Telephone: 0121 507 1030
Email: reception@aslsolicitors.co.uk

3. What happens next

1. We will acknowledge your complaint in writing within 5 working days of receiving it. If you have any particular communication needs, please let us know and we will do what we can to accommodate them.

2. Your complaint will be passed to a partner who was not personally involved in the matter, who will investigate it. This will usually involve reviewing your file and speaking with the member of staff concerned.

3. Within 14 working days of our acknowledgement, the partner investigating your complaint will contact you, either in writing or by telephone, to discuss it and, where possible, agree a way forward. Where a call takes place, we will confirm what was discussed and agreed in writing within 7 working days.

4. Where matters cannot be resolved on that call, we will send you a full written response within 21 working days of our acknowledgement, setting out the outcome of our investigation and any proposals for resolving your complaint.

5. If you remain dissatisfied, you may ask us to review the matter further. Please let us know your reasons, and we will consider these carefully.

6. We will write to you within 14 working days of receiving your request for a review, setting out our final position and the reasons for it.

7. If you are still not satisfied at that point, you have the right to refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman (see below).

These timescales may need to be adjusted for more complex complaints. If this is necessary, we will let you know and explain why.

4. The Legal Ombudsman

If we are unable to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, you can ask the Legal Ombudsman to look into it independently, free of charge. Doing so will not affect how we handle your case.
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The Legal Ombudsman will normally expect you to have completed our internal complaints process first. You must generally refer your complaint to them within:

• Six months of receiving our final written response, and

• One year of the date of the act or omission you are complaining about, or one year of when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.

Contact details
Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Telephone: 0300 555 0333 (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday)
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Post: Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH

5. Before you contact the Legal Ombudsman

1. If your complaint relates specifically to our bill, you also have the right to apply to the court for an assessment of the bill under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974. Using this right may limit your ability to use the Legal Ombudsman service in relation to the same bill.

2. If you are complaining in a business capacity, you may only be able to use the Legal Ombudsman service if your organisation meets the definition of a "micro-enterprise" or falls within certain other limited categories. Please check the current guidance on the Legal Ombudsman's website.

3. If you are complaining as a personal representative or beneficiary of an estate on behalf of someone who has died and had not referred a complaint themselves, different time limits may apply.

4. The Legal Ombudsman has discretion to extend the time limits above in exceptional circumstances, such as serious ill health.

6. The Solicitors Regulation Authority

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) can help if you are concerned about our professional conduct — for example, issues involving dishonesty, discrimination, or the handling of client money. Concerns about the quality of service or the outcome of your case should be raised with us, or with the Legal Ombudsman, rather than the SRA.
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You can find out more, or raise a concern, at sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor.