More than half of 600 complaints about solicitors and barristers allege misconduct

The Legal Services Regulatory Authority received 605 complaints in a six-month period, with 587 relating to solicitors and 18 to barristers.

The country's legal services watchdog has said it received 605 complaints during the past six-month period relating to solicitors and barristers, with more than half alleging misconduct.

The Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) published its second report under its independent complaints handling regime since it assumed responsibility for complaints about legal practitioners from the professional bodies for solicitors and barristers a year ago.

It said that between March 7 and September 6 last it received 605 complaints, with 587 relating to solicitors and 18 to barristers.

While 57% alleged misconduct, 35% of complaints alleged inadequate legal services and 8% (46 cases) related to alleged overcharging.

A total of 436 complaints remain under investigation after 169 were closed off, with 96 of these deemed inadmissible and 23 withdrawn.

However, of the closed complaints, 96 (57%) were deemed to be inadmissible, and 73 (43%) were closed pre-admissibility.

Of the 73 files in the latter category, 23 (32%) were withdrawn and 50 (68%) were resolved.

The latest raft of complaints is less than the amount lodged with the LSRA in the first five-month period of its complaints-handling operation.

A large number of cases are still under investigation and yet to be determined, but the report outlines how in relation to "complaints without substance or foundation ... many of the complaints found to be inadmissible under this category were made about solicitors who were not acting for the person who brought the complaint."

As for alleged misconduct, this can be due to specific acts or omissions by legal practitioners, but according to the LRSA: "The majority of misconduct complaints received in this reporting period were however of a more general nature, which we have classified in this report as 'other'.

"An example referred to in this report is complaints of alleged rudeness on the part of practitioners. We intend to address this in more detail in our next report."

As for the reason for complaints, poor communication and issues around wills and probate are prominent, but according to the LRSA: "We have received a number of complaints in relation to circumstances where a client’s former solicitor is refusing to hand over to them a file that is urgently required."

Non-payment of barristers fees and rudeness were also mentioned in the complaints.

The LSRA’s Complaints and Resolutions Unit were contacted by e-mail or by phone on 1,271 occasions with requests for information on the complaints process.

According to LSRA chief executive Dr Brian Doherty: "We have handled roughly the same volume of queries and complaints in the six months covered by this report as we did in our initial period. 

"This is despite not having access to our offices, and with all complaints staff working remotely due to necessary restrictions introduced in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

"It is heartening to see that consumers of legal services have continued to engage with us, raise issues and queries and submit complaints."