Performance of the Legal Complaints Service

Thank you for your email.

I am out of the office until Thursday 3 December 2009 but I will be checking emails from Thursday 26 November. If you require an urgent response before 26 November please forward your email to [email address].

Regards,
Bob Stanley
Information Compliance Manager
The Law Society
113 Chancery Lane
London
WC2A 1PL

Dear Miss Hingley

Freedom of Information Request - Our Ref: FOI/BS/318

Thank you for your email dated 29 December 2009 requesting information
under the Law Society Freedom of Information Code of Practice.

You have requested access to the following information:

'I would be most grateful if you could provide me with the
following

information, on an annual basis for the last three years:

1. The percentage of complaints against solicitors that have been
upheld by the Legal Complaints Service.

2. The percentage of complaints against large (Top 50) law firms
that have been upheld by the Legal Complaints Service.

3. The number of complaints against solicitors and law firms
received by the Legal Complaints Service.

4. The percentage of Legal Complaints Service investigations that
are considered to have been conducted satisfactorily as measured by
customer feedback forms.

5. The percentage of Legal Complaints Service investigations that
have been forwarded to the Legal Services Ombudsman for further
consideration.'

The Legal Complaints Service is a part of the Law Society but acts
independently in carrying out its complaints handling functions. As you
are aware, the Law Society is not covered by the Freedom of Information
Act (the FOIA) as it is not a designated authority, but has adopted its
own voluntary Code of Practice which closely reflects the FOIA. For more
information please read
[1]www.lawsociety.org.uk/documents/downloads/foicode.pdf

I am currently dealing with your request. Bob Stanley, Information
Compliance Manager will aim to respond formally by 26 January 2010 which
is 20 working days from the receipt of your request.

Yours sincerely

Joao Curro
Information Compliance Officer - Legal Services
The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1PL
t: 020 7320 5729 (Ext 4539)
f: 020 7320 5685
[2]www.lawsociety.org.uk
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Dear Ms Hingley

Freedom of Information Request - Our Ref: FOI/BS/318

Further to my colleague Joao Curro's email of 29 December 2009, please
find below the response to your request for information under the Law
Society Freedom of Information Code of practice.

You have requested access to the following information:

'I would be most grateful if you could provide me with the
following

information, on an annual basis for the last three years:

1. The percentage of complaints against solicitors that have been
upheld by the Legal Complaints Service.

2. The percentage of complaints against large (Top 50) law firms
that have been upheld by the Legal Complaints Service.

3. The number of complaints against solicitors and law firms
received by the Legal Complaints Service.

4. The percentage of Legal Complaints Service investigations that
are considered to have been conducted satisfactorily as measured by
customer feedback forms.

5. The percentage of Legal Complaints Service investigations that
have been forwarded to the Legal Services Ombudsman for further
consideration.'

I have compiled the data from various sources, but mainly from our monthly
"Summary of Performance Measures" reports. As well as sending you the
data in the spreadsheet you may also find useful the attached reports as
they will provide some context to the figures. These contain the year end
figures (our reporting year changed from March to December in 2008 so I
have attached both). I have also attached the December 09 report which is
the latest available.

<<Response.xls>> <<Performance Report 2009_11.pdf>> <<LCS Summary of
Performance 2007_03.pdf>> <<LCS Summary of Performance 2008_03.pdf>> <<LCS
Summary of Performance 2008_12.pdf>> <<CCS Summary of Performance
2005_01.pdf>> <<Performance Report 2009_12.pdf>>

For completeness, I have also attached a spreadsheet showing matter
outcomes for 2009.

<<LCS Closure Outcomes 2009.xls>>
You will see that there are some gaps in the data I have compiled. This
is because the way in which the figures are presented has changed over the
past couple of years.

Yours sincerely

Bob Stanley
Information Compliance Manager - Legal Services
The Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1PL
t: 020 7242 1222 (x4117)
f: 020 7320 5685
[1]www.lawsociety.org.uk
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