It is the policy of 1 Stanley Place chambers to ensure that the needs, concerns and interests of our clients are always paramount and discharged to the best of our ability by both our administration and clerking staff and individual members of chambers.

Instructing Counsel

We aim to provide an efficient yet friendly clerking service and our clerks are always willing to advise on suitability and availability of counsel. We accept instructions by post/DX, fax or email and all briefs and instructions are acknowledged in writing by return. As a matter of course, you will be made aware by the clerk of the likelihood of chosen counsel not being available when bookings are taken. If it is anticipated that chosen counsel will be unavailable for the specified hearing you will be advised and alternative counsel will be agreed with you.

It is chambers policy to detect any potential conflict of interest as early as possible. When a potential conflict of interest arises, a clerk will inform you immediately and alternative counsel will be recommended.

Upon conclusion of a case, the brief/instructions will be returned to you with a note of the fees incurred by counsel.


Paperwork

We endeavour to turnaround paperwork within the timescales to suit our clients or where no timescale is marked on the instructions or previously agreed, we will normally complete and return all paperwork within 14 days.


Fees

We will be pleased to provide estimates of fees or any information about specific counsel’s charging rates. Members of chambers also accept instructions on a conditional fee basis in appropriate cases and also by Direct Professional Access from recognised bodies.

Our charges for publicly funded work are based upon the Graduated Fee or High Costs Case scales in force from time to time, but where those fees do not apply charges will be discussed and agreed with you prior to you sending any instructions or brief, or upon receipt of the actual instructions or brief.

In all instructions where you are responsible for payment of our fees, payment is due within three months from the date of the fee note. Payment of fees where a conditional fee agreement is in place becomes due within three calendar months of the case having been settled. In all other private cases, payment of the fee becomes due on or before three calendar months from the date upon which the fee note for the work is submitted. Any challenge to the fees must be made in writing within 3 months from when the fee note was sent.

Facilities

We offer conference facilities in Chambers and we are willing to attend solicitors’ offices for the convenience of our clients. We can also arrange telephone conferences. We also have disabled facilities in chambers.

Equal Opportunities & Non-Discrimination Policy

1 Stanley Place operates an Equal Opportunities and Non-Discrimination policy in accepting briefs and instructions from clients and in the provision of our services and in the selection, recruitment and treatment of staff, pupils and tenants.

Data Protection

All our members are registered under the Data Protection Act.

Client Feedback

We welcome your feedback on the services provided for you by our Chambers and our counsel whether they are positive or negative comments so we can continue to improve our service to you. If you have any comments, please speak to our Practice Manager, Angela Malcolmson or complete our feedback form.


Client Complaints

1 Stanley Place Chambers aims to provide the best possible service at all times. However, if at any time you have a complaint about the quality of services of our barristers or members of staff you are invited to let us know as soon as possible.

In line with our friendly and open approach, in the first instance, we would always encourage you to discuss any day-to-day concerns about the services of our barristers directly with them. Any such concerns can also always be raised with our clerking team, and, in particular, with Angela Malcolmson, our Practice Manager.

Any concerns about members of staff should be raised with Angela Malcolmson, or Gavin Reeves, our Senior Clerk, as appropriate. If the complaint is about either the Senior Clerk or the Practice Manager, please discuss the matter with the Head of Chambers.

We would very much hope that the matter can be resolved at this point, and that you will be satisfied with the outcome.

However, if you feel that the concern or matter you have raised has not been dealt with to your satisfaction, then you may wish to make a formal complaint. We set out the steps in our formal complaints procedure below.


Formal complaints procedure

Please address your formal letter of complaint to Angela Malcolmson, our Practice Manager, 1 Stanley Place Chambers, 1 Stanley Place, Chester CH1 2LU. Please give the following details:

• your name and address,
• which member(s) of Chambers (or staff) you are complaining about;
• the detail of the complaint; and
• what you would like done about it.

Within 21 days of your letter being received the Head of Chambers or his deputy in his absence will investigate the complaint him/herself in conjunction with the Practice Manager and the Senior Clerk. If your complaint is against the Head of Chambers it will be investigated by the next most senior member of our Chambers Management Committee in conjunction with the Practice Manager and the Senior Clerk. In any case, the persons investigating the complaint will be someone other than the person you are complaining about.

The person handling the investigation will write to you as soon as possible to let you know s/he has been appointed and that s/he will reply to your complaint within 21 days. If s/he finds later that s/he is not going to be able to reply within 21 days s/he will set a new date for her/his reply and inform you. Her/his reply will set out:

• The nature and scope of her/his investigation;
• Her/his conclusion on each complaint and the basis for her/his conclusion; and
• If s/he finds that you are justified in your complaint, her/his proposals for resolving the complaint.

Confidentiality

All conversations and documents relating to the complaint will be treated as confidential and will be disclosed only to the extent that is necessary. Disclosure will be to the Head of Chambers, our Senior Clerk and our Practice Manager and will include anyone else we consider necessary to involve in the complaint and its investigation. Such people will include the barrister member or staff member about whom you have complained. If such a complaint is made, we will assume that you are authorising those investigating the complaint to view all the papers or other correspondence relevant to the matter.

Our policy

As part of our commitment to client care we will make a written record of any formal complaint.

Complaints to the Bar Standards Board (professional regulatory body for barristers)

We hope that you will use our procedure. However if you would rather not do so or are unhappy with the outcome, you do have the choice of taking up your complaint with the Bar Standards Board. You must send your complaint to them within three months of date that chambers reply was sent to you, or, within 6 months from the events you are complaining about if you are complaining without first contacting chambers. You can write to the Bar Standards Board at:

Complaints Department
Bar Standards Board
289-293 High Holborn
London WC1V 7HZ
DX: 240 LDE

Tel: 020 7611 1444
Fax: 020 7831 9217