October 2008
Commissioner's response to LCS withdrawal of proposal to publish solicitor's complaints records
Zahida Manzoor CBE, Legal Services Complaints Commissioner, has noted the Legal Complaints Service (LCS) decision not to proceed with the proposal to publish solicitors' complaints records, saying:
“I have always believed that, in principle, the publication of solicitors' complaints records is the way ahead. Consumers should be able to access a wide range of information on firms and individuals before they appoint a solicitor. This means providing the whole picture – solicitors that are excelling as well as those that have complaints lodged against them.
However, I have had reservations from the outset on the approach LCS selected to publish complaints. Information about adjudicated complaints on its own could never have been meaningful to the consumer as it represents such a small proportion of the complaints made against solicitors.
The decision not to progress will enable LCS to focus on reducing the backlog of complaints which is good news for consumers.
I hope that in the future, the Legal Services Board (LSB) and Office for Legal Complaints (OLC) in conjunction with the Law Society will broaden the scope of this work and look at how to help consumers make informed decisions on the solicitor they appoint and also how the overall service solicitors provide consumers can be improved – of which complaints is only part of the picture.”
July 2008
Appointment of Legal Service Board members
Zahida Manzoor CBE, Legal Services Complaints Commissioner, welcomed the appointment on July 17 2008 of the first nine members of the Legal Service Board (LSB). The Commissioner said,'' I am pleased to see another step forward has been taken in the development of the Legal Services Board. The changes to the legal system heralded in the Legal Services Act are fast becoming a reality and I welcome this. ''The formation of the Office for Legal Complaints - the new and independent legal complaints handling organisation - is now on the horizon. I look forward to engaging with the members of the LSB as they move this from the statute book and into a working organisation that will be of benefit to consumers and the legal profession alike.''
Legal Services Complaints Commissioner's 2007/08 Annual Report published on 9 July
The Commissioner, Zahida Manzoor CBE, has released her fourth Annual Report, 'A Work in Progress' covering the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008.
Press notice 9 July 2008 [PDF 35 kb 2 pages] 
June 2008
Improvement in performance saves Law Society from further fine
The Commissioner announces her decision that the Law Society's complaint handling arms, the Legal Complaints Service and the Solicitors Regulation Authority have not acted in accordance with their complaints handling Plan for the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008. However, the Commissioner has decided that she will not impose a financial penalty on the Law Society for this failure.
Press notice issued 23 June 2008 [PDF 42Kb 5 pages]
Law Society fined as a result of complaints plan
The Commissioner announces that she is imposing a penalty of £275,000 on the Law Society, following her decision to declare its complaints handling Plan for the period 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 inadequate to secure the effective and efficient handling of complaints.
Press notice issued 3 June 2008 [PDF 56Kb 7 pages]
April 2008
OLSCC response to the appointment of David Edmonds CBE as the first Legal Services Board Chair
Zahida Manzoor CBE, Legal Services Complaints Commissioner, welcomes the appointment of David Edmonds CBE as the first Legal Services Board Chair.
The Commissioner said, ''The Legal Services Act 2007 will bring momentous changes to how legal services are delivered and regulated and I am delighted that David Edmonds has been appointed to this pivotal role.
I give David Edmonds my full support as he works to establish the Legal Services Board.''
March 2008
The summary of the Law Society's performance and progress against its targets and Plan for 2007-2008, up to February 2008 [PDF 88Kb, 10 pages] is now available.
February 2008
The summary of the Law Society's performance and progress against its targets and Plan for 2007-2008, up to January 2008 [PDF 85Kb, 11 pages] is now available.
The summary of the Law Society's performance and progress against its targets and Plan for 2007-2008, up to December 2007 [PDF 130Kb, 10 pages] is now available.
January 2008
The OLSCC research and investigations indicative target audit report is now available.
Download the report [PDF 119Kb, 20 pages]
A special report from the Legal Services Complaints Commissioner has now been published:
Investigation into the handling of Coal Health Compensation Scheme complaints by the Legal Service and the Solicitors Regulation Authority [PDF 339Kb, 44 pages]
Press notice [PDF 119Kb, 9 pages]
The summary of the Law Society's performance and progress against its targets and Plan for 2007-2008, up to November 2007 [PDF 130Kb, 10 pages] is now available.
