Legal Ombudsman

[Georgia05]

I would be interested on any comments on the following scenario.
You engage a law firm to deal with a redundancy, they dilly dally about spend six months and charge a packet. You change lawyers all settled in a couple of weeks. So far so bad, anyway, you complain to the big brand new Ombudsman who invites a response from the firm concerned. The Ombudsman specifically advises against sending bundles of documents in the first instance, so you don't. The firm concerned reply, submitting a 'bundle',justifying their fees on an unminuted first meeting at the point of engagement.
Long story short, the ombudsman then admits that he is not legally trained and is not in a position to , and unwilling to challenge a professional opinion.
If you feel done by a Legal firm and complain to the Ombudsman, staffed by legally ignorant investigators who accept the 'professional' opinion of the responding firm where do you go to get redress? or indeed a proper examination of the issues!

[TonyV]

were you making employees redundant?

[Georgia05]

I was made redundant. Whatever the rights or wrongs of the firm, after letters of complaint and witholding of a final bill I approached the ombudsman who has just received an explanation from the firm concerned. His reponse is that the explanation from the firm in not to be challenged as it is a 'Professional' opinion. I have made no submission as to why I think it's rum,so he has not seen my arguments. I just think it's a weird thing that the 'Ombudsman' accepts, without challenge, the response from the firm, to boot accepting that he is not Legally trained, and that any action or fees are justified.

[DTCwordfan]

The Times or Telegraphj - with your evidence.

[Georgia05]

What is the point of a sterile ombudsman with no teeth accepting, without any significant investigation, the word of any responding firm?

[DTCwordfan]

contact the Times and Telegraph

[factor-fiction]

I'm not sure it would have helped if you had sent in a big pile of documents. Did you provide a concise summary of your complaint though?
Can you tell us briefly what sort of charge you had to pay and for what services? What exactly is your complaint?
Thanks

[Georgia05]

Factor 30,
To get into the detail is not my point. I have made a complaint in line with all the procedures on the Ombudsman's Website, filled in the forms, not sent bundles of stuff, etc,etc. They have written to, and invited a response from the firm concerned. Following correspondence from the firm concerned, including bundles of documents, the ombudsman has decided that he is unable to counter, or challenge a 'Professional' opinion, not least because they are not legally trained. This effectively takes solicitors completely on professional trust without actually looking into, investigating and arbitrating on any complaint made. There is no attempt to ascertain another side to the story and makes we wonder. This service was launched with great fanfare last year but seems entirely fatuous if staffed by Legally ignorant people dealing with what may be quite complexl situations, and the way that Legal professionals behave.

[DTCwordfan]

Contact the Law Society for advice.

[Georgia05]

DT, that maybe the next port of call but I'll bet they tell me to go tho the Ombudsman!!
much appreciated, thanks. Not easy to find where to submit this sort of thing online to the DT or Times though!

[themas]

Many Ombudsman services are partly staffed by people without professional qualifications in the area concerned. However, they are normally set up on the basis that a complainant can ask for their complaint to be reviewed by someone more senior if they are not satisfied with the first result. If that is not the case with the legal services Ombudsman (which is the one I assume you mean) then I think it is profoundly wrong.

First make sure whether you can ask to review by the Ombudsman. If there is no provision to do so then definitely complain about it to the Law Society. What you have been told is nonsensical - very many complaint resolutions in relation to legal matters are bound to involve the Ombudsman in challenging/disputing a professional opinion.

I take it your complaint was not just about the level of the fee. If it was, there is (or at least there was until recently) a different route to complain about excessive fees. It involves paying half the demanded fee up front & then disputing the rest.

[markleech1]

The prisons and probation ombudsman is just as ineffective - http://forums.prisons...k/viewtopic.php?t=522