Our Complaints Policy
Introduction
We are committed to providing a high quality service.
We acknowledge that we may not always get it right, so if something has gone wrong, including in relation to our charges, we need you to tell us. This will help us to improve our standards of service.
Clearlake Law LLP is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) as a licensed body (alternative business structure) under SRA Number 8000451 and provides regulated commercial legal services under the laws of England and Wales.
Clearlake International LLP and Clearlake Technology Limited are not regulated entities and provide unregulated international consultancy and technology services.
How to raise a complaint
In relation to any complaint (for regulated or unregulated services), you should first raise your concern by contacting the advisor handling your matter (as set out in your engagement letter).
If not resolved, you may escalate your complaint to our COLP (Compliance Officer for Legal Practice) — contact details are also provided in your engagement letter.
Complaints may be submitted by email, post or telephone.
Acknowledgement and initial assessment
We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 5 working days of receiving it.
We will log your complaint in our internal complaints register.
We will carry out an initial assessment to confirm whether the complaint concerns regulated legal services or unregulated services, and whether it is eligible for escalation.
Investigation and response timeframe
We aim to provide a full written response addressing your complaint within 20 working days of acknowledgement.
If we are unable to provide a full response in that period (for example because we need to seek more information), we will write to you explaining the delay, giving a revised target date, and updating you on progress.
If we do not hear from you during the process, but cannot conclude our internal assessment, we may close the file, but we will inform you and explain next steps.
What happens in the response?
Our response will:
- summarise the complaint points you raised
- describe the internal assessment undertaken
- provide our findings
- set out any remedial offer, apology, explanation or other outcome
- explain your options if you remain dissatisfied
No charge for complaint handling
We will not charge you for making or pursuing a complaint under this procedure.
If you remain dissatisfied
If you are eligible under the Legal Ombudsman’s current criteria, you may refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman if we are unable to resolve your complaint ourselves. The Legal Ombudsman will usually expect you to have tried to resolve your complaint with us first.
You must usually refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of receiving our final response to your complaint.
In addition, you must usually refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman no more than one year from the date of the act or omission being complained about, or no more than one year from the date when you should reasonably have known that there was cause for complaint.
The Legal Ombudsman may also be able to consider a complaint if it has not been resolved to your satisfaction within eight weeks of being made to us.
Eligibility is determined by the Legal Ombudsman’s rules, which are subject to change. As most of our clients are business, corporate or institutional clients, many will not be eligible to complain to the Legal Ombudsman. For example, a business client will generally need to fall within the Legal Ombudsman’s eligible categories, such as being a micro-enterprise at the relevant time. You may check eligibility using the Legal Ombudsman’s online complaint checker or contact them directly:
Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough SL1 0EH
Telephone: 0300 555 0333
Website: https://www.legalombudsman.org.uk
The SRA does not usually deal with complaints about poor service. However, you may raise a concern with the SRA if you are concerned about our professional conduct, including matters such as dishonesty, taking or losing client money, or treating you unfairly because of age, disability or another protected characteristic. You can raise a concern with the SRA at https://www.sra.org.uk/raise-concern.
Record-keeping and review
We will maintain a confidential complaints register logging: date complaint received, client name, summary, steps taken, outcome and date closed.
We will review complaints periodically to identify systemic issues and consider service-improvement measures.
This policy will be reviewed at least annually and updated when firm structure or regulation changes.
