1. How to complain
Email contact@thelegaldesk.co.uk with “Complaint” in the subject line, or write to:
The Legal Desk
Office 1, 14-16 Swan Street
Manchester
M4 5JN
United Kingdom
If you need a reasonable adjustment or cannot complain in writing, email or telephone using the contact details previously given for your order and explain the assistance required.
There is no fixed contractual time limit for making an initial internal complaint. You should nevertheless raise it as soon as reasonably possible so that the relevant work, communications and records can be investigated effectively.
2. What to include
Please provide:
- your name, email address and order or matter reference;
- the service you bought and the date it was supplied;
- a clear description of what you say went wrong;
- the relevant document, communication or event;
- the effect on you; and
- the outcome you would like us to consider.
Do not resend the entire case file unless requested. Identifying the relevant items will usually allow a quicker review.
3. Response times
We will normally:
- acknowledge the complaint within five business days;
- ask for any essential clarification as soon as reasonably possible; and
- provide a substantive written response within 20 business days after receiving the complaint or the clarification reasonably required to investigate it.
If more time is reasonably needed because the issues are complex, information is unavailable or another person must be consulted, we will explain why and give a revised response date.
4. How the complaint is reviewed
The review will consider the accepted Order Summary, applicable terms and status information, material correspondence, the work supplied and the points raised. The response will summarise the conclusion and reasons.
Depending on the circumstances, a proportionate outcome may include an explanation, correction, completion of omitted work, apology, process change, partial refund or full refund. No particular outcome is guaranteed, and any remedy remains subject to legal rights and responsibilities.
5. If you remain dissatisfied
You may ask for one internal reconsideration within 14 days of the substantive response. Explain briefly which point or evidence you believe was overlooked. The reconsideration will normally be answered within ten business days.
Because The Legal Desk is an unregulated provider, the Legal Ombudsman does not have jurisdiction over services supplied directly by The Legal Desk.
Ezrick Evon Saunders has been called to the Bar but does not hold a practising certificate and is not acting as a barrister when providing these services. The Bar Standards Board may consider a report only in relation to the Core Duties and rules that apply to an unregistered barrister. It does not act as a general service ombudsman, determine an ordinary fee complaint or award compensation for poor service. Information about reporting a concern is available from the Bar Standards Board.
If your complaint concerns a separately instructed solicitor, practising barrister or other regulated professional, use that provider’s complaints process. Their retainer will identify the relevant regulator or ombudsman.
6. Data-protection complaints
If the complaint concerns personal information, label it “Data protection complaint”. You may also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. We would appreciate the opportunity to address the issue first.
7. Fair treatment and records
Making a complaint will not result in unfair treatment. We may decline new work or cease work only for a legitimate reason under the Service Terms, such as a conflict, regulatory boundary, breakdown of necessary cooperation or inability to continue safely and lawfully.
The complaint and outcome are ordinarily retained for six years after closure, as explained in the Privacy Notice.