Your Guide to Complaints
We aim to provide you with a consistently high standard of service. However, if at any point you are unhappy with it, or you have concerns about your bill, we have put in place the procedure below. This helps us understand as efficiently as possible the nature of the complaint, and to then take all reasonable measures to identify and fairly resolve any deficiencies in our service.
Complaints Procedure
1. If problems do arise, please first discuss the matter with your usual Abel + Imray contact. Minor issues are often resolved quickly and efficiently, with no need for escalation beyond a quick email or telephone call.
2. If your usual contact is not a Partner and you still have concerns after those discussions, get in touch with the Partner who has overall responsibility for your work. If that person is not available, or you do not know who is responsible for your work, please ask to be referred to a Partner to consider the matter on your behalf.
3. The Partner will look into the matter carefully and promptly in order to verify the nature of your complaint. Based on a written summary of their findings, if they then find the complaint to be wholly or partly justified, they will strive to resolve the issue.
4. If you still have concerns or are not satisfied with the proposed resolution of your complaint, you may request further consideration of the complaint by a partner that has, where possible, had no prior involvement in the case. Typically this would be our Senior Partner (currently Jim Denness), or if they are unable to deal with the complaint, our Managing Partner (currently Caroline Brooks). Along with conducting a full review, including any necessary investigations as set out in point 3 above, they will provide a written summary of the findings. If they then find the complaint to be wholly or partly justified, they will endeavour to resolve the matter with you in a manner that fairly reflects the relevant finding.
Objectivity
We commit to treating your complaint objectively and fairly. No person will be disadvantaged by making a complaint, and we shall continue to act in accordance with our professional and regulatory obligations.
Timeliness
We shall seek to resolve all complaints as soon as possible, and no later than eight weeks from when the complaint is first made.
Accessibility
If you have any accessibility requirements that would be best served by provision of this procedure in a different format, please let us know and we will make any reasonable adjustments that are possible.
IPREG Best Practice
We acknowledge the best practice principles as set out in the IPREG Complaints Code of Practice – First Tier Complaints Handling, and seek to comply with those principles at all times.
What to do if you remain dissatisfied
Legal Ombudsman
If, within eight weeks of making the complaint, you are not satisfied with how the matter has been resolved, you may have a right to have the complaint independently looked at by the Legal Ombudsman. They investigate complaints about poor service from lawyers up to six years from the date of the problem happening, or within three years of when you found out about the problem. If you wish to refer your complaint to them, this must be done within six months of our final response to your complaint.
To find out whether you fall within the complainant categories, and are entitled to refer a complaint, contact the Legal Ombudsman for detailed advice at:
Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Tel: 0300 555 0333
Postal: Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6167 Slough SL1 0EH
NB: Do not send original documents to the Legal Ombudsman. They will scan these to make computer copies and then destroy the originals.
IPReg
Abel + Imray is regulated by the Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg), which is responsible for maintaining rules of professional conduct for patent and trade mark attorneys. If your complaint relates to an alleged breach of the IPReg Codes of Conduct, you may refer it to IPReg within 12 months of the matter that is being complained about. Further information regarding IPReg and the nature of the complaints they are able to consider is available from IPReg at:
Website: www.ipreg.org.uk
Email: ipreg@ipreg.org.uk
Tel: 020 7353 4373
Postal: IPReg
20 Little Britain, London, EC1A 7DH
