Scotland sees ‘significant increase’ in complaints about lawyers

There has been a “significant increase” in the number of complaints about lawyers made to the profession’s complaints body, particularly in relation to conveyancing and will writing, with the number of complaints having risen to 1,132 – up from last year’s figure of 1,009. The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) has published its Annual Report which was laid before the Scottish Parliament, and covers the period from July 2015 to June 2016. It reports on complaints made to the SLCC, Scotland’s gateway for complaints about lawyers. SLCC Chairman Bill Brackenridge said: “There was a significant increase in the number of complaints made to the SLCC in the year (from 1009 to 1132). “This may represent a small number considering there are now around 11,000 working lawyers in Scotland, but we know that these complaints have often arisen out of stressful times in people’s lives. “I’m pleased that our Annual Report shows that we’re delivering effective redress - over £320,000 in compensation, refunds and fee reductions - when people have been provided an inadequate professional service by their lawyer. “It demonstrates that the legal sector will put mistakes right, while the 13 per cent of complaints rejected as ‘frivolous, vexatious or totally without merit’ at our first stage shows that lawyers can be reassured that complaints with no substance won’t proceed against them.” In addition to its role as a gateway for complaints, the SLCC’s work in the year included outreach and audit work to support improving complaint handling in the legal profession. There were also other achievements, including becoming a 50:50 by 2020 partner and gaining Living Wage accreditation. Chief executive Neil Stevenson (pictured) said: “We focus every day on the delivery of a fair, efficient and effective complaints service for consumers and lawyers. “However, it is right we also look at how that work is sustained and improved in the future, and the publication of the four year strategy and our proposals for legislative reform are big steps we have taken in evolving our work.” Angela Grahame QC, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, said: “Complaints against advocates remain a tiny proportion of complaints to the SLCC. When one considers the number of advocates and the amount of work they do on a daily basis, it is heartening to find only two complaints were deemed eligible for consideration by the SLCC. “Complacency can never be allowed, however, and the Faculty continues to work closely with the SLCC on improving our own procedures and assisting the SLCC where possible. “We are committed to providing an extremely high level of service to the public and would wish to reassure them of our continuous efforts to maintain and improve standards. With this in mind, the Faculty has now introduced a quality assurance scheme for all members, which leads the way among lawyers in the UK.” Lorna Jack, chief executive of the Law Society of Scotland, said: “Although there has been a rise in the number of complaints received, there has actually been a slight drop in those deemed eligible by the SLCC over the last year. “We will be looking closely at this year’s report to understand the reasons behind the complaints and work to ensure that we provide the right guidance and training for our members so that they can meet the high standards set by the Law Society and the needs of their clients.”