How We Handle Complaints

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After you make a complaint

Once we receive your completed Complaint Form, we will review it.

As part of this process:

  • We will notify the solicitor or barrister who you have made a complaint about
  • We will provide the solicitor or barrister with a copy of your written complaint and ask them for a response
  • We may contact you to request your comments on the solicitor’s or barrister’s response
  • We may also contact you if we need to ask you for additional information.

We will then review all the documentation submitted to us and decide if your complaint is admissible. We will review your complaint as quickly as possible, but please be aware that this process can take time.

If your complaint is admissible

If we decide that your complaint is admissible, there are two different avenues it may take depending on the type of complaint.

Informal Resolution
If your complaint relates to inadequate legal services or excessive costs, we will invite you and the solicitor or barrister to try to resolve the complaint informally. We call this process Informal Resolution and it involves a trained mediator speaking to you and the solicitor or barrister.

You can read more about the LSRA’s Informal Resolution process here:

LSRA determination on your complaint
If your complaint about inadequate legal services or excessive costs cannot be resolved through informal resolution, the LSRA will make a determination on your complaint. This means the LSRA will decide to either:

  • Uphold your complaint and make directions, or
  • Reject your complaint.

If your complaint is upheld
If your complaint about inadequate legal services or excessive costs is upheld, the LSRA may make certain directions or recommended actions. The direction or recommended action will depend on the type of complaint and how you have been affected. Examples of directions or recommended actions that we may issue include:

  • Directing the solicitor or barrister to take action to resolve the issue;
  • Directing the solicitor or barrister to give you a refund;
  • Payment of up to €3,000 as compensation for any financial or other loss you have suffered.

Review of LSRA determination on your complaint
If you are unhappy with the LSRA’s determination, you can request a review of the decision by the Review Committee. The solicitor or barrister that you have complained about can also request a review by the Review Committee.

Read more about the work of the Review Committee here: Review Committee.

If your complaint relates to misconduct, we will generally refer it to the LSRA’s Complaints Committee. The Complaints Committee will investigate the complaint and contact you directly.

The Complaints Committee may ask you to provide additional information or documents. In some cases you and the solicitor or barrister may also be requested to appear in person before the Committee. Committee meetings are not held in public.

Read more about the work of the Complaints Committee here: Complaints Committee.

If your complaint is not admissible

If the LSRA decides that your complaint is not admissible, we will notify you and explain the reasons why we have made this decision. We will also notify the solicitor or barrister. It is not possible to appeal this decision.

If you are unhappy with the administration of your complaint by the LSRA you may make a complaint to the Ombudsman.

You can read more about making a complaint to the Ombudsman here: www.ombudsman.ie

Complaints information guide

Please read our Complaints Information Guide for full details of what you can complain about, how to make a complaint and how we will handle your complaint.

This page was last updated on Thursday, 20th October 2022