Feedback & Complaints

Chambers is dedicated to providing the highest level of service. We welcome feedback from our clients (and lay clients) and understand that it is the primary way of improving our service.

Should any of our clients feel they have cause for complaint, in the first instance they are invited to contact Jason Housden, our Chambers Director.  A full copy of our Complaints Procedure can be found here. Lay clients may complain directly to chambers or the Bar Standards Board without going through their solicitors in the first instance, professional clients are asked to convey this to lay clients.

It should be noted that it may not always be possible to investigate a complaint brought by a non-client, or if your complaint is about the professional conduct of one of our barristers rather than about the quality of our service.  This is because the ability of chambers to satisfactorily investigate and resolve such matters is limited and complaints of this nature are often better suited to the disciplinary processes maintained by the Bar Standards Board. Therefore, chambers will make an initial assessment of the complaint and if they feel that the issues raised cannot be satisfactorily resolved through the chambers complaints process they will refer you to the Bar Standards Board.

Henderson Chambers works within the Legal Ombudsman’s time limits for accepting complaints.  This is one year from the date of the act or omission complained of.  Or, one year from when one should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint. Following a complaint response from us, one may refer a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of that response. To allow time for you to complain further to the Legal Ombudsman, should that be necessary, we must receive the complaint from you no less than six months prior to the date when the Legal Ombudsman’s time limit would be reached.

Further Information:

• Legal Ombudsman website: How to Complain
• Legal Ombudsman website: Decision Data
• BSB website: Reporting a Concern
• BSB website: Barristers’ Register