Best practices in first tier complaints handling and responding to subject access requests
A virtual panel event helping to improve barristers' and chambers professionals’ handling of complaints from clients.
Find out more about this session below.
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This seminar will help barristers, clerks and chambers management staff to gain a better understanding of the reasons complaints are made by clients, how to try and avoid them - and when they do arise, how to manage them.
Why attend
- Gain insight into common service complaints about barristers received by chambers and the Legal Ombudsman and how to avoid them
- Receive practical advice on how to support clients and barristers through the complaints process
- Learn about managing subject access requests
Programme
Jason Chapman, Ombudsman at the Legal Ombudsman, will provide insight into the different trends and areas of complaints received against barristers, and how the Ombudsman deals with service complaints. An update will also be provided on the scheme rule changes that took effect in April 2023.
Marie-Christine Willis, Chambers Director of 1GC, will discuss the complaint handling process from a chambers management perspective. From the acceptance of the complaint to communications with the client, and how to support barristers in chambers who are the subject of a complaint.
Under the Data Protection Act 1998 and UK GDPR you had an obligation to comply with Subject Access Requests (SARs). A subject access request is a request from an individual which seeks to discover certain information you hold about them. This session will focus on how to identify and process SARs and what to do if they are manifestly unfounded or excessive.
Following the presentations from our three panel members, they will discuss the key challenges around complaints handling and will respond to questions from the audience.
Chair
James Whiting, CEO of Doughty Street Chambers
Doughty Street Chambers is a leading set promoting access to justice, civil liberties and human rights. James has been CEO here since 2022. He is Co-Chair of the LPMA, a forum for chambers directors, as well as a board director of Travalyst an organisation founded by the Duke of Sussex, bringing together the foremost global travel companies to deliver authoritative sustainability information for consumers.
James was a solicitor with Penningtons in the early 1990s before working on the international deinstitutionalisation of childcare at a start-up charity, Hope and Homes for Children. Thereafter he was a director at the New Economics Foundation, MD at Friends of the Earth, and CEO of Malaria No More UK.
Speakers
Abigail Bright, Doughty Street Chambers
Abigail has served as an elected member of the Bar Council since 2021. In her role as a frequent Ethics Committee helpline volunteer, she assists barristers to consider and navigate a barrister’s duties when giving effect to the BSB Handbook. Abigail is on the Bar Council’s IT panel.
Abigail teaches ethics at her Inn. She taught law and ethics in 2023 at the LSE.
Jason Chapman, Ombudsman at the Legal Ombudsman
Jason joined the Legal Ombudsman in 2011 as an investigator and was appointed as an ombudsman in 2013. Since then, he has determined more than 3,500 complaints and is now senior ombudsman lead on external stakeholder relations. Prior to joining the Legal Ombudsman Jason worked as a Commercial Manager in a number of sectors including consumer finance, leasing, travel and facilities management.
Marie-Christine Willis, Chambers Director of 1GC
1GC Family Law is one of the foremost specialist family law barristers’ chambers in London. Marie-Christine joined 1GC in January 2019 as Chambers Director. Marie-Christine ensures that Chambers operates efficiently and productively, for the benefit of both clients and members. Her strategic skills allow Chambers to continue to build on its reputation for excellence. She has extensive experience of the commercial world, both hands on and as a consultant, advising companies on strategy, organisation and management. She holds an MBA from INSEAD.