The Legal Ombudsman has revealed which lawyers and firms have had the most complaints for poor service made against them in its annual 'name and shame' list.

While the SRA deals with solicitors' failures to comply with professional obligations, the Legal Ombudsman investigates client complaints of inadequate service, which can include poor communication, excessive fees and losing documents. It can order firms to apologise, refund fees, return documents or pay compensation.

In its release covering 2015, the worst offender is Rock Law, a PPI miss-selling claims handling company which received 165 complaints last year (which is 120 more complaints than anyone else). A massive 162 of those 165 complaints were upheld, almost all of which concerned the firm's refusal to refund fees. Rock Law was separately fined £570,000 by the Claims Management Regulator for pressuring clients into signing contracts, and subsequently collapsed.

The biggest individual offender is Tariq Rehman, a barrister against whom 39 complaints were made and upheld. Rehman was found guilty of almost every customer service failure possible, including delays, deficient costs information, excessive costs, incorrect advice, and multiple failures to keep clients informed, reply to them, progress their matters, investigate their complaints or follow their instructions. The Birmingham-based direct access barrister attempted to have all the complaints overthrown in a High Court action last year. However his case was ruled "totally without merit", and thrown out.


  Not a superpleaser

London-based Keppe & Partners and Bradford-based immigration specialist Allerton Kaye top the naughty list of law firms, with each earning 13 upheld complaints. Slater & Gordon also fared poorly, with seven out 15 complaints for poor service upheld. While PI rival Irwin Mitchell attracted 16 complaints, only one was upheld, while Parabis clocked up 11 complaints, three of which were upheld.

Even exonerated lawyers and firms are named on the list, meaning that several well-known firms are revealed to have successfully fended off complaints by awkward squad clients. Overwhelmingly arising from private client matters such as wills, family law and residential conveyancing, the list shows that Osborne Clarke, Speechly Bircham and Pennington Manches all beat off one complaint. Macfarlanes and Pennington Manches dealt successfully with two, while Withers faced down four and DWF seven. However, the one complaint against Mishcon, for excessive costs, was upheld, with the firm ordered to pay a refund and compensation.
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