Guidance issued on complaints handling

Guidance on the handling of complaints has been issued to advocates.

The Faculty has worked with the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission to formulate guidance for members on best practice in complaint handling.

"As the SLCC indicated in its most recent annual report, there are very few complaints about advocates. As a result, it is helpful to have been able to produce a guidance document for those members who may not have had to deal with a complaint," said Gordon Jackson, QC, Vice-Dean of Faculty.

"The Faculty is and always has been committed to promoting the provision by its members of the highest quality legal services. It is important that the public should know that if an advocate receives a complaint, it will be handled properly and in accordance with standards approved by the SLCC.

"We have therefore been pleased, in the course of revising our complaints and disciplinary procedures, also to have worked very closely with the SLCC to prepare guidance for our members on complaints handling."

The document was launched at an event in the Mackenzie Building, where a more general discussion about good complaint handling practices also took place.

Matthew Vickers, the SLCC's chief executive officer, welcomed the guide. He said: "Improving standards of complaint handling and service is an important part of our work. We're pleased to see the interest shown by members of the Faculty of Advocates in the guide we've produced."

The guide can be found at https://www.scottishlegalcomplaints.org.uk/media/2162/slcc-best-practice-in-complaint-handling-for-advocates.pdf