As we set up the Legal Ombudsman we will be consulting on our approach to many key issues. We would like to hear from you to make sure we get our approach right. Details of any current and closed consultations and how to respond are set out below.
We published a discussion draft of the scheme rules over the summer to ask for early views about how the rules were developing. We were pleased that the overall feedback was that the rules provide the correct structure to support an Ombudsman scheme that resolves disputes impartially, quickly and fairly. Following this, with our formal consultation we wanted to hear views about how we could improve the rules further to make sure the rules capture the spirit of the Act, not just the words.
The decisions about how to shape the rules remain critical to the success of the Legal Ombudsman. The public consultation on the draft scheme rules closed on 8 December 2009. We will publish our response shortly.
Scheme rules consultation paper
The discussion draft of the scheme rules is here if you would like to read the previous version.
The responses we received to the scheme rules consultation are here:
Solicitors Regulation Authority
Office for the Immigration Services Commissioner
Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys
Personal Injury Bar Association
Our draft business plan set out in more detail our approach to setting up the new ombudsman service and covers the period up to 31 March 2011. We tried to set out our assumptions, key risks and an overview of the work that needs to be done to successfully establish the Legal Ombudsman. The consultation draft of the business plan is available here:
The public consultation on the plan formally closed on 4 December 2009. We revised our plan in light of the comments we received and our finalised Business Plan 2010 is now available.
You can see the responses we received here:
The Legal Services Act specifically states that we must set a case fee for lawyers who use the ombudsman service. The Act is also specific about when it does and does not apply.
Our aim was, within the constraints set by the Act, to develop a structure for charging a fee which supports the role of an ombudsman scheme as an independent and impartial service assisting consumers of legal services and their lawyers resolve complaints. The case fee structure links to our draft scheme rules.
The public consultation on the case fee ended on 4 December 2009. You can read our response to the consultation, updated impact assessment and look at what is our proposed approach to the case fee structure here:
Setting a fair case fee consultation response
Our proposed approach to the case fee structure has been approved by the Legal Services Board. We have now written to the Lord Chancellor asking for his consent to this proposed structure.
This is the consultation paper that we published in October 2009 if you would like to refer to it:
The responses we received to this consultation are here:
Personal Injury Bar Association
The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys