Our Complaints Procedure
Our formal complaints procedure is available to clients of Cornell Solicitors Limited.
If you are not a client of Cornell Solicitors Limited, we are not obliged to respond to your complaint. In such cases, we recommend seeking independent advice or contacting the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
We are committed to providing a professional service to all our clients. If you are unhappy with any aspect of the service we have provided, please contact us. We view complaints as an opportunity to improve our service and aim to resolve any issues to your satisfaction.
We treat all complaints seriously and will investigate them promptly and fairly. Making a complaint will not affect how we handle your case.
Resolution of Your Complaint
1. Initial Contact
In the first instance, please contact the person handling your case, this can be done either in writing or by email. Your complaint will be acknowledged.
2. Response Times
In most cases, the person dealing with your matter will resolve your concerns immediately.
If this is not possible, we aim to provide a full response within 14 business days.
For complex matters, we will update you within 14 business days and provide an estimated timescale for a full response.
3. Escalation
If you are not satisfied with the reply from the person handling your case, please refer the matter in writing to their supervising solicitor or manager, explaining your concerns in detail.
If you do not know the supervising solicitor’s name, contact us on 0115 697 7613 and we will provide the details.
4. Further Review
The supervising solicitor or manager will investigate and provide a proposed solution within 14 business days. If the matter is complex, we will update you within 14 business days with an estimated timescale.
5. Final Escalation
If you remain dissatisfied, you may escalate your complaint to our Risk and Compliance Officer at:
Email: Peter.cornell@cornellsolicitors.com
Telephone: 0115 697 7613
If you have difficulty making a complaint in writing, please contact us and we will assist you.
If We Cannot Resolve Your Complaint
If we are unable to resolve your complaint, you can refer it to the Legal Ombudsman, who will review your complaint independently. This will not affect how we handle your case.
You must contact the Legal Ombudsman:
• Within six months of receiving our final response; and
• No more than one year from the date of the act or omission being complained about; or
• No more than one year from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.
Legal Ombudsman Contact Details:
Website: https://www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Telephone: 0300 555 0333 (Mon–Fri, 9am–4pm)
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Address: Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH
Concerns About Our Behaviour
If you are concerned about our behaviour (e.g., dishonesty, misuse of funds, discrimination), you can contact the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
Visit: https://www.sra.org.uk for details on how to raise your concerns.