1. About JSH Law

JSH Law Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales under company number 16870438.

JSH Law provides non-reserved legal services, litigation support and McKenzie Friend assistance, particularly to litigants in person.

JSH Law Ltd is not a firm of solicitors and is not authorised or regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

This Complaints Procedure should be read alongside our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, Disclaimer, Safeguarding Statement and, where applicable, your Client Agreement, Task Confirmation, invoice or other written terms.

2. What you can complain about

You can raise a concern about matters including:

• the quality of the service provided;
• communication;
• unreasonable delay;
• failure to follow an agreed instruction;
• the scope of work;
• fees or an invoice;
• time recorded against your matter;
• a document or draft prepared by JSH Law;
• court attendance or McKenzie Friend support;
• professional boundaries or conduct;
• confidentiality;
• the handling of your personal information;
• safeguarding concerns;
• accessibility or reasonable-adjustment concerns; or
• another aspect of the service you received.

3. A complaint about our service is different from dissatisfaction with the case

We will consider concerns about the service JSH Law provided.

However, an unfavourable development in proceedings does not by itself establish that JSH Law provided a poor service.

This includes, for example:

• a judge making an order you did not want;
• the court refusing an application;
• the court not accepting an argument;
• Cafcass or another professional taking a position you disagree with;
• the other party behaving unreasonably;
• a hearing being adjourned or delayed;
• a court limiting McKenzie Friend participation;
• evidence being given less weight than expected; or
• litigation producing an outcome different from the one hoped for.

Those matters may still be relevant to a complaint if you say that JSH Law did something specific that contributed to the problem. If so, please explain what you say we did or failed to do.

4. How to make a complaint

Complaints should normally be made in writing so that there is a clear record of the issues raised.

Please send your complaint to:

Please put Complaint in the email subject line where possible.

If writing is difficult because of disability, vulnerability, language, trauma or another accessibility need, please contact us and we will consider a reasonable alternative way for you to communicate your complaint.

5. What to include

You do not need to use legal language. It helps if you tell us:

• your name and contact details;
• the matter concerned;
• what happened;
• what you believe went wrong;
• approximately when it happened;
• which document, communication, task, invoice or hearing is involved;
• any documents or messages you think we should consider; and
• what you would like us to do to resolve the complaint.

If you are complaining about a bill, please identify the invoice and, where possible, the particular item, time entry or charge you dispute and explain why.

6. What happens after we receive your complaint

We will normally:

1. acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days;
2. identify the issues that appear to require investigation;
3. review relevant records, which may include the Client Agreement, Task Confirmation, correspondence, messages, attendance notes, documents, time records, invoices, payment records and work product;
4. ask you for further information if something important is unclear; and
5. provide a substantive written response within 21 days of acknowledgement where reasonably possible.

If the complaint is unusually complex or requires more time, we will explain this and give you a revised expected response date.

7. Fair investigation

A complaint will be considered against the circumstances and information available at the relevant time rather than solely with the benefit of hindsight.

We may consider matters including:

• what JSH Law was actually instructed to do;
• what was outside the agreed scope;
• the information and documents provided to us;
• when those documents were provided;
• the relevant court orders and deadlines known to us;
• advice, explanations or warnings given;
• work carried out;
• decisions made by the client;
• changes in circumstances;
• actions of the court or other third parties; and
• any relevant contractual or legal obligations.

8. Our response

Our written response may include:

• a summary of the complaint;
• the relevant factual background;
• the documents or records considered;
• our findings on each material issue;
• whether the complaint, or part of it, is upheld;
• an explanation of our reasoning; and
• any proposed resolution or further action.

9. Possible outcomes

The appropriate response will depend upon the circumstances.

Where appropriate, an outcome may include:

• an explanation;
• an apology;
• correction of an administrative error;
• correction or amendment of a document;
• completion of agreed remedial work;
• a change to our processes;
• a fee reduction;
• a credit;
• a refund of an appropriate amount; or
• another proportionate remedy.

Nothing in this section guarantees that a particular remedy will be appropriate in every case.

10. Complaints about fees

We will consider a genuine dispute about fees in the same way as any other service complaint.

A fee complaint should identify, so far as reasonably possible, which charge is disputed and why.

Undisputed sums remain payable in accordance with the applicable payment terms.

Where a specific sum is genuinely disputed, we will consider the dispute before deciding what further action is appropriate in relation to that amount.

A complaint about fees may require us to review time records, instructions, correspondence, Task Confirmations, attendance notes, invoices, Clio records, payment records and work delivered.

11. Documents prepared by JSH Law

Where a complaint concerns a document prepared by JSH Law, we may consider:

• the instructions given;
• the documents and evidence available when the draft was prepared;
• the purpose for which the document was prepared;
• whether the client was asked to check factual accuracy;
• whether later information changed the position;
• whether the document was subsequently amended by somebody else; and
• whether it was used for a purpose or proceeding outside the agreed scope.

Clients remain responsible for checking factual assertions before signing, filing, serving or relying upon a document.

12. Complaining will not prevent you obtaining independent advice

You are free to seek independent legal advice about a complaint, invoice, contractual issue or any aspect of your proceedings.

A complaint does not prevent you from exercising any legal or statutory right available to you.

Equally, seeking advice elsewhere does not by itself establish that work previously undertaken by JSH Law was defective.

13. Communication during a complaint

We expect complaint communications to remain focused on the issues that need to be investigated.

Where communications become abusive, threatening, discriminatory, harassing or unreasonably repetitive, we may set reasonable boundaries around the method or frequency of communication.

This might include requiring communication to take place by email or through another specified written channel.

Such measures will not prevent a genuine complaint from being considered.

14. Continuing work while a complaint is being considered

The existence of a complaint does not automatically mean that JSH Law can or should continue carrying out work on a matter.

Depending on the circumstances, we may:

• continue with agreed work;
• agree a restricted scope while the complaint is investigated;
• pause non-urgent work;
• decline new work; or
• end the working relationship in accordance with the Client Agreement and applicable law.

If an imminent deadline exists, the client remains responsible for protecting their position unless JSH Law has expressly agreed in writing to undertake the relevant task.

15. Safeguarding complaints

If a complaint raises a safeguarding concern, risk of serious harm or information suggesting that a child or vulnerable person may be at immediate risk, we may need to consider the safeguarding issue separately from the ordinary complaints process.

Where lawful, necessary and proportionate, this may involve disclosure to an appropriate court, local authority, police force, emergency service or safeguarding body.

JSH Law is not an emergency service. If somebody is in immediate danger, call 999.

16. Data-protection complaints

If your complaint concerns the way JSH Law has used or protected personal information, please make this clear.

We will consider the issue under this Complaints Procedure and, where applicable, our obligations under data-protection law.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office about data-protection matters.

Please see our Privacy Policy for further information.

17. Legal Ombudsman and regulatory complaints

The Solicitors Regulation Authority regulates solicitors and authorised firms. It does not regulate JSH Law Ltd as a law firm.

This does not remove any contractual, consumer, data-protection or other legal rights that may otherwise be available to you.

If you are unsure what remedy or complaint route applies to your circumstances, you may wish to obtain independent advice.

18. If you remain dissatisfied

If you remain dissatisfied after receiving our final response, you may seek independent advice about your rights and the options available to you.

Depending upon the nature of the issue, possible routes outside JSH Law may include:

• independent legal advice;
• consumer-law remedies;
• contractual or civil remedies;
• the Information Commissioner’s Office for applicable data-protection concerns;
• an appropriate safeguarding authority where safeguarding is involved; or
• another body with jurisdiction over the particular issue.

Nothing in this procedure prevents you from making a lawful disclosure, complying with a court order, giving truthful evidence or exercising a statutory right.

19. Complaint records

We may retain records relating to a complaint, including the complaint itself, correspondence, evidence considered, internal notes, findings, responses and any remedy agreed.

Complaint records may be used for purposes including:

• investigating and resolving the complaint;
• quality assurance;
• improving procedures;
• responding to legal claims;
• insurance;
• accounting or fee disputes;
• safeguarding; and
• compliance with applicable legal obligations.

Records will be retained in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable retention requirements.

20. Review and learning

Where a complaint identifies a genuine weakness in our systems, communication, documentation or service delivery, we may use the outcome to improve future practice.

This may include reviewing templates, client information, internal processes, technology, accessibility, record keeping or the way the scope of work is explained.

Related JSH Law documents

• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy
• Disclaimer
• Safeguarding Statement

Client work is also governed by the applicable JSH Law Client Agreement and Terms of Business and any matter-specific Task Confirmation.