Client engagement letter

When you first meet with a lawyer you should be given a letter which explains how your lawyer will carry out work for you. This letter is called either a client engagement letter or a client care letter.

This letter should contain:

  1. the name of the lawyer, or other person, carrying out work for you,
  2. the name of any person who supervises their work,
  3. a summary of the information you gave to your lawyer and what you want your lawyer to do for you,
  4. a summary of your lawyer’s advice and the work your lawyer has agreed to carry out for you,
  5. notes of any action you need to take,
  6. an idea of the length of time it will take for your work to be carried out,
  7. an explanation of the way that the costs will be worked out,
  8. costs information should also explain:
    - how you will be charged, for example, a fixed fee or for the time the lawyer spends on each activity such as a meeting, letter or telephone call,
    - if there will be additional costs, for example, court fees or a fee for a report,
    - if VAT will be charged on top of costs,
    - if interest will be charged for late payment of costs,
    - if there will be an extra charge fo paying with a credit card.

Complaints procedure

You should also be given details of the firm’s complaints procedure. This will tell you how to complain and:

  1. explain that complaints should firstly be made to the Firm,
  2. give the name of the person to contact about a complaint,
  3. allow for reasonable ways for you to complain, for example, by email, telephone and letter,
  4. state the number of days within which the Firm will let you know they have received your complaint,
  5. state how long it will take for your complaint to be investigated and a decision sent to you,
  6. explain that if your complaint is not resolved after 8 weeks, or if you are not satisfied with the decision, you can refer your complaint to:
    - the Legal Ombudsman, or
    - an Alternative Dispute Resolution provider,
  7. If the firm has not resolved your complaint to your satisfaction within 8 weeks or you are not satisfied with the firm’s response to your complaint, you must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:
    1. within six months of receiving a final response to your complaint, and
    2. no more than one year from the date of the act or omission being complained about; or

    3. no more than one year from the date when you should have realised that there was cause for complaint. If you do not complain to the Legal Ombudsman within these time limits, they may not be able to investigate your complaint. You can find out more about the Legal Ombudsman and how they may be able to help you on their website.

      If you do not complain to the Legal Ombudsman within these time limits, they may not be able to investigate your complaint.

      You can find out more about the Legal Ombudsman and how they may be able to help you on their website.

  8. provide contact details for the Legal Ombudsman, which are: 
    Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk 
    Address: Legal Ombudsman, Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH
    Telephone 0300 555 0333
    Minicom call 0300 555 1777 
    Email enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
  9. provide the name and website address of an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider and whether the Firm is prepared to use ADR,
  10. provide contact details for the Firm’s Regulator and timescales for complaining to them,
  11. provide details of the Firm’s Professional Indemnity Insurance.