The study, commissioned by the Legal Ombudsman and the Legal Services Consumer Panel, also found that some lawyers were not handling their clients’ complaints effectively. Instead, clients are prone to file premature complaints with a complaints handling body like the Legal Ombudsman.

‘Emotional effort’

Many customers cited a lack of confidence that a complaint filed directly with a lawyer or firm could be resolved objectively, and many dropped their complaints due to the ‘emotional effort’ involved, reports The Press Association.
‘This hard-hitting report reveals why so many consumers don’t complain about poor service by a lawyer,’ said Legal Services Consumer Panel chairwoman Elisabeth Davies. ‘People are confused about what to do, get completely thrown by legal jargon, believe they won’t get a fair hearing and fear that upsetting their lawyer could have repercussions for their case.’