Can the Legal Ombudsman re-assess a bill that’s been assessed by a court?
My client was dissatisfied with the amount of my bill and applied to the court for a detailed assessment, which has now been determined. The client’s complained to the LeO. Could the LeO re-assess what my client owes me?
If your client has made a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman (LeO), one of the grounds for dismissing or discontinuing a complaint under the LeO’s Scheme Rules is that a court has already dealt with the same issue.
See LeO Scheme Rule 5.7:
“An ombudsman may (but does not have to) dismiss or discontinue all or part of a complaint if, in his/her opinion …
(e) a comparable independent complaints (or costs assessment) scheme or a court has already dealt with the same issue”
However, if there are additional service issues that fall under its jurisdiction, other than those already determined by the court, the LeO may consider those complaints.
Disclaimer
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this article, it does not constitute legal advice and cannot be relied upon as such. The Law Society does not accept any responsibility for liabilities arising as a result of reliance upon the information given.
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