PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST SOLICITORS (24 May 1999)

That this House notes the increasing number of complaints against solicitors, the continuing high level of dissatisfaction with the complaints handling by the Office of Supervision of Solicitors, the conflicting roles of the Law Society as both the regulator and trade association representing the interests of its members, which undermine public confidence in the present system; is concerned by the recent survey or the Office of the Legal Services Ombudsman which found dissatisfaction with the OSS's handling of complaints (61 per cent. very dissatisfied, 13 per cent. fairly dissatisfied); and therefore calls for the establishment of a new system for investigating and adjudicating complaints against solicitors which is independent of the Law Society and is able to both decide on complaints and award appropriate compensation where a complaint is upheld, leaving any disciplinary action required and all other aspects of self regulation to the Law Society.

Sponsored by:
Austin Mitchell (Labour)