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What is the Legal Ombudsman ?

Legal Ombudsman

The Legal Ombudsman is an independent service that handles complaints about legal services provided in England and Wales.

In order for the Legal Ombudsman to investigate your complaint, the service provider you used must be regulated. Examples of service providers they can look into are :-

The Legal Services Act 2007 and the Legal Ombudsman Scheme Rules set out very clear rules about the complaints they can and cannot accept.

  • Purpose: It investigates complaints about solicitors, legal executives, licensed conveyancers, and other regulated legal service providers. They aim to ensure that consumers receive fair treatment when using legal services.
  • Operation: The Legal Ombudsman was established under the Legal Services Act 2007. It took over from previous complaint handling bodies, aiming to provide a more unified and consumer-friendly approach to legal complaints.
  • Complaints Process:
    • Consumers must first complain directly to their legal service provider. If not satisfied with the response or if there’s no response within 8 weeks, they can then approach the Legal Ombudsman.
    • There are time limits for bringing a complaint; typically, it should be within six years from the date of the act or omission or three years from when you should have known there was cause for complaint, whichever is later.
    • The Legal Ombudsman Complaints Process is detailed in full on the Legal Ombudsman website.
  • Investigation and Resolution:
    • The ombudsman service investigates complaints, looking at the service quality rather than the legal advice’s correctness unless the advice is deemed unreasonable by common standards.
    • They can negotiate outcomes or make decisions that might include compensation, an apology, or changes in how the legal service is provided.
  • Limitations:
    • While they can look into service-related issues, for matters of legal advice negligence or where court action might be more appropriate, they might redirect complainants to other avenues like the courts, the Solicitors Regulation Authority or Bar Standards Board for potential misconduct.
  • Current Chief Ombudsman: As of October 2024, Paul McFadden holds this position.
  • Public Sentiment and Observation: There’s a mix of discussion around legal officers and ombudsmen, but none specifically criticize or discuss the operational effectiveness of the Legal Ombudsman directly. However, general sentiment regarding legal oversight in the UK sometimes touches on independence and effectiveness of legal officers, which might indirectly reflect public expectations or criticisms of the ombudsman’s role in broader legal governance.

The Legal Ombudsman plays a crucial role in maintaining trust in the legal profession by offering a free, accessible pathway for resolving disputes, focusing on fairness, transparency, and consumer protection within legal services.

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What is the Legal Ombudsman ? was last updated on the 8th July 2025

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