Complaints Procedure

Consensus Law Limited is committed to providing legal services of a high standard. If you are not satisfied with the service we have provided, this procedure tells you how to complain to us and what we will do.

Our commitment

Consensus Law Limited is committed to providing legal services of a high standard. We take any expression of dissatisfaction seriously. If you are unhappy with any aspect of the service you have received, we want to know so that we can investigate and, where appropriate, put things right.

This procedure applies to complaints about our service, our fees, or the conduct of any person providing services on our behalf. It is published in accordance with the Bar Standards Board Handbook (in particular rC99–rC110 and the guidance at gC174–gC176) and the Provision of Services Regulations 2009.

How to make a complaint

You may complain orally or in writing, but we prefer complaints in writing so that we can investigate accurately.

Your complaint should include your full name and contact details, the matter on which you instructed us (case reference if known), the persons involved, the nature of the complaint with relevant dates, how the matter has affected you, and what outcome you are seeking.

How we will deal with your complaint

1. Acknowledgement. We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint in writing within five working days.
2. Investigation. Your complaint will be investigated by Matei Clej, Director and Head of Legal Practice. Where the complaint concerns Mr Clej personally, we will arrange for the complaint to be reviewed by an independent practitioner of equivalent seniority. We will tell you who is investigating.
3. Substantive response. We will send you a substantive written response within twenty-eight days of acknowledging your complaint. If the matter is sufficiently complex that we require longer, we will explain why and tell you when you can expect a response. We will, in any event, send you a final substantive response within eight weeks of the date on which you first raised the complaint with us.
4. Possible outcomes. Following investigation we may offer an apology, an explanation, remedial action, a fee reduction or refund, or financial redress where appropriate. If we do not uphold the complaint, we will explain why.

Confidentiality, records and cost

We will treat your complaint as confidential. Information will be disclosed only where necessary to investigate the complaint or where required by law, by our regulator, or by our insurers. We keep a record of every complaint for at least six years from closure. We do not charge you for handling your complaint, and raising a complaint will not affect the work we are doing for you.

The Legal Ombudsman

If you are not satisfied with our final written response, or if more than eight weeks have passed since you first raised your complaint with us, you may refer the matter to the Legal Ombudsman.

You must refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:

• within six months of the date of our final written response; and
• no later than one year from the date of the act or omission about which you are complaining; or
• no later than one year from the date on which you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.

Most individuals are eligible, as are micro-enterprises, small charities, small clubs, and small trusts. Full eligibility details are at www.legalombudsman.org.uk. The Legal Ombudsman publishes decisions on complaints involving named legal services providers at www.legalombudsman.org.uk/raising-standards/data-and-decisions/.

Bar Standards Board — professional misconduct

The Legal Ombudsman deals with service complaints. If your complaint is about professional misconduct — for example, a breach of the BSB Handbook — you may refer the matter to the Bar Standards Board:

If we are at fault

If our investigation concludes that we provided a service below the standard you are entitled to expect, we may agree (or be required by the Legal Ombudsman) to provide redress, including an apology, work being redone, a fee reduction or refund, or compensation. Any liability for negligence will be addressed through our professional indemnity insurance.

Last reviewed: 11 May 2026.