Set out below are our procedures for dealing with any problems.
At RMNJ we aim to provide the highest standards of service to our clients and to operate our business to the professional standards which others affected by our conduct have the right to expect.
Dealing effectively with complaints is part of that service. If you believe our service to you as a client has fallen below these standards we want you to raise the matter so that it can be thoroughly investigated and any necessary action taken to resolve it to your satisfaction.
Set out below are our procedures for dealing with any problems. They are published internally and all staff are familiar with them. They apply only to our clients. If you are not a client of the firm, then a different process applies.
In the first instance please raise any problems with the person responsible for the day-to-day conduct of the matter. Please provide us with full details of your concerns on the telephone, by email, or letter, or if you prefer, at a meeting. We will take a careful note of your concerns and will investigate the matter.
We will do all we can to resolve the matter to your satisfaction. If we fail to do so, you will be advised to contact the Department head. They will oversee an investigation and further response to you.
Most complaints will be resolved within these procedures, but if you remain unsatisfied you will be advised to contact the Client care Partner, Lianne Millen.
At each stage we will do our best to:
We will record in writing the nature of the problem, our investigation of it and the remedial action taken and you may also wish to make your own written record of events. You may be asked to confirm in writing if the problem has been satisfactorily resolved.
If after we have done everything we can to resolve matters ourselves, you are still not satisfied, or at any stage if you prefer, please contact the Legal Ombudsman at:
PO Box 6167
Slough
SL1 0EH
Tel: 0300 555 0333
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Web: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Please be aware that any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within six months of your having received a final written response from us about your complaint.
Complaints to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within one year of the act or omission about which you are complaining occurring; or within one year from when you should have known about or become aware that there were grounds for complaint.If you are not a client we will only be able to deal with your complaint if you are alleging that we have acted in breach of the Solicitors Code of Conduct. We will ask you to specify the alleged breach before we deal with your complaint. Please send your complaint for the attention of Lianne Millen. We will tell you as soon as reasonably possible if we agree there has been a breach and will apologise if so. If you are not satisfied, or at any time if you prefer, you may ask the Solicitors Regulation Authority to investigate our conduct.
Solicitors Regulation Authority
The Cube
199 Wharfside Street
Birmingham
B1 1RN
DX 720293 BIRMINGHAM 47
Tel: 0370 606 2555 (inside the UK)
+44 (0)121 329 6800 (international callers)
Web: www.sra.org.uk
08.00 to 18.00, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
09.30 to 18.00, Tuesday
In accordance with our regulatory obligations, we confirm RMNJ has professional indemnity insurance in place but at least the compulsory minimum level for users of our services in England and Wales. Details will be provided in response to any qualifying enquiry, please email us.
Please note that the terms of our indemnity cover may require us to share documents or information belonging to clients or other parties [Owners] with our insurers or our own professional advisers and the agreement of all or any Owners to our doing so, strictly on terms that their confidentiality and privilege will otherwise be respected, is presumed unless any Owner explicitly withholds it.
You may also submit complaints about our service to the EU online dispute resolution service [ODR] which can be accessed at https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/odr/
Our email address for communication with the service is partners@rmnj.co.uk
We collate and retain Equality and diversity data in relation to our staff. Should you wish to access this information please contact Lianne Millen.