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About: Our Performance Standards

Our aim is to maintain the highest standards of professional excellence whilst being accessible and user-friendly.

In particular we will always:

• deal promptly with all advisory work
• meet any deadline for work which has been agreed in advance with our clerks
• notify solicitors of the outcome of any hearing as soon as possible after it has happened
• where circumstances make it necessary, only return work after consultation with our instructing solicitor
• where appropriate, fully and promptly comply with any formality required by public or other funding bodies
• send a fee note within 7 days of the completion of an item of work
• investigate and report on any problem which may arise as quickly as possible and, in any event, within 14 days of the complaint being made to us

Complaints Procedures

Our aim is to provide the best possible standard of service at all times. However if you have a complaint you are invited to let us know as soon as possible.

In the first instance complaints should be directed to the Centre's Senior Clerk, or if it relates to the Centre's Senior Clerk then to the Centre Head. This may be done by telephone at any of the centres as follows:

Alternatively the complaint may be put in writing directed as above. Please be sure to give the following details: your full name and address, which member(s) of chambers you are complaining about; the detail of the complaint; and what you would like done about it.

Telephone complaints will be logged and every effort made to resolve them at the time. If that is not possible then you will be advised of what is to happen and the timescale for a response.

Written complaints will be acknowledged within 48 hours of receipt and you will at that time be advised of the action to be taken and the timescale for a response. All written complaints will also be logged. Serious complaints will always be acknowledged in writing but more minor matters may be dealt with by telephone response.

Depending on the nature of the written complaint it will in the first instance be investigated by either the Chief Clerk or Centre Head and will always be someone other that the person you are complaining about. Once the investigation has been completed the person investigating the matter will write to you explaining how the matter has been investigated, the conclusions reached and if your complaint is justified then the proposals to resolve the complaint.

If you are not satisfied with the decision or where complaint may involve a Centre Head then you may refer the matter to the Head of Chambers, Andrew Marsden, in writing, at the Colchester address. The procedure then followed will be as above.

We hope that in the event of a complaint you will use our procedure but if you would rather not do so or if having done so you are unhappy with the final outcome you may refer the matter to the Bar Council:

Complaints Department
The General Council of the Bar
Northumberland House
303-306 High Holborn
London
WC1V 7JZ

Tel: 0207 440 4000
Fax: 0207 440 4001
E-mail: complaints@barcouncil.org.uk
Web: www.BarCouncil.org.uk

A leaflet explaining the Bar Council complaints procedure is available either from chambers or the Bar Council.

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