Complaints Procedure

10KBW Mediators strive to provide a good a service as possible at all times. However, if in the rare event you have a complaint, you are invited to let us know as soon as possible. We treat complaints seriously and deal with them within specified timeframes, as detailed below. We are always striving to learn and to improve our service.

Please note that we will only consider complaints that are raised within twelve months of the act or omission complained of.

Informal Complaint to the Mediator via telephone

An informal telephone discussion is often the best way to deal with a complaint. Initially, we encourage you to speak directly with the Mediator with whom you have been dealing.

Alternatively, you may contact our Clerks, on 0207 353 7742 or email clerks@10kbw.co.uk.

If your complaint is about the Clerks, please contact Deputy Head of Chambers: Lisa Weston, on 0207 353 7742 or email: Lisa Weston

The person you contact will make a note of the details of your complaint and what you would like done about it. He/she will discuss your concerns with you and aim to resolve them. If the matter is resolved he/she will record the outcome, check that you are satisfied with the outcome and record that you are satisfied. You may also wish to record the outcome of the telephone discussion in writing.

We hope that your complaint will be resolved satisfactorily in this way. If your complaint is not resolved on the telephone you will be invited to write to us about it within the next 14 days so it can be investigated formally.

Complaints made in Writing

If your complaint remains unresolved, to make a complaint in writing, please address your letter or email to the Head of Chambers, Ms Lisa Weston, 10 King’s Bench Walk Chambers, Ground Floor, Temple, London EC4Y 7EB (Lisa Weston) and give the following details:

  • Your name and address;
  • Any reference number relating to your case;
  • Which Mediator or practice manager you are complaining about;
  • The detail of the complaint; and
  • What you would like done about it.

We will, where possible, acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 5 working days and provide you with details of how your complaint will be dealt with.

Sometimes a complaint may arise from a simple misunderstanding or be capable of swift resolution. Accordingly, in most cases the complaint will be referred to the individual concerned and their comments sought. Those comments will be sent to the complainant to see whether the complaint can be resolved at this juncture. If that proves impossible the following paragraphs apply.

Our Chambers has a panel made up of experienced members of Chambers and a senior member of staff, which will consider any unresolved written complaint against a Mediator or practice manager. Within 21 days of your written complaint being received the panel will appoint one of its members to investigate it. The person appointed will be someone other than the person you are complaining about.

The person appointed to investigate will write to you as soon as possible to let you know they have been appointed and that they will reply to your complaint within 28 days of their appointment. If they find later that they are not going to be able to reply within 28 days they will set a new date for their reply and inform you. Their reply will set out:

  • The nature and scope of their investigation;
  • Their conclusion on each complaint and the basis for that conclusion; and
  • If they find that you are justified in your complaint, their proposals for resolving the complaint.

Confidentiality

We will treat any complaint under this procedure as giving authorisation to those investigating your complaint the right to have sight of any papers or details that are relevant to the complaint. Such people might include the Mediator and/or ADR practice manager who you have complained about, the head or relevant senior member of the panel and the person who investigates the complaint.

All conversations and documents relating to the complaint will be treated as confidential and will be disclosed only to the extent that is necessary.

Our Policy

As part of our commitment to client care we make a written record of any complaint and retain all documents and correspondence generated by the complaint for a period of six years. Our management committee from time to time may inspect an anonymised record with a view to improving services.

Complaints Procedure Effective January 2021