Legal Services Regulation Act 2015

Referral of complaints by Bar Council, Honorable Society of King’s Inns, Law Society

52. (1) The Bar Council or the Honorable Society of King’s Inns shall refer to the Authority a complaint that is made to the body concerned—

(a) by a client, or a person acting on behalf of such a client, of a barrister, and

(b) in respect of an act or omission of the barrister to which subsection (1) or (2) of section 51 applies, that occurred on or after the date on which this subsection comes into operation.

(2) The Law Society shall refer to the Authority a complaint that is made to it—

(a) by a client, or a person acting on behalf of such a client, of a solicitor, and

(b) in respect of an act or omission of the solicitor to which subsection (1) or (2) of section 51 applies, on or after the date on which this subsection comes into operation.

(3) Where a complaint is referred to the Society under subsection (1) or (2), the Authority shall invite the person who made the complaint to make a complaint under section 51 .

(4) Nothing in this section shall be construed as preventing the Bar Council, the Honorable Society of King’s Inns or the Law Society from making a complaint under section 51 in respect of a legal practitioner.