Client Care Policy

Wallace Robinson and Morgan was established in 1855 and offers a wide range of legal services to both individuals and companies. All our solicitors ensure that their individual expertise works to our clients’ benefit. We aim to deliver a personal, professional service and value the loyalty of our clients.

Wallace Robinson and Morgan is committed to providing a high quality service to all clients. Our services should be recognised as being expert, accurate and appropriate. We strive to ensure that its advice is cost effective and communicated in a manner that is appropriate for each client. We are also committed to providing a truly professional service, meaning that all personnel must act with integrity in all their dealings with clients. This is in part achieved by ensuring that everyone complies with the provisions of the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s Code of Conduct.

All personnel should, at all times, consider the need to perform to the ‘four Cs’, namely: competence, confidentiality, commitment and courtesy.

1. Competence

The firm will accept instructions only where it can meet its commitment to the provision of an expert and professional service to clients. Where instructions would be beyond the expertise or the capabilities of the firm they will be declined

2. Confidentiality

All solicitors are bound by the professional rules which require confidentiality to be maintained in all dealings with clients. This means that nobody may reveal to any outsider the nature of instructions provided or advice given to any client, other than in the pursuit of the client’s instructions. In most circumstances it will also be inappropriate to reveal that the firm is in receipt of instructions from any named client. This is particularly the case in litigation and divorce.

3. Commitment

Clients seek legal advice for a variety of reasons, but many approach a solicitor when they are vulnerable and in turmoil, whether in their personal lives or in their business activities. Clients are entitled to expect a genuine commitment from all personnel in handling their instructions, and for the firm to attach appropriate priority to their requirements.

4. Courtesy

All clients are entitled to be dealt with in a respectful and courteous manner. This will have many implications, from not keeping clients waiting in the reception area without explanation, to showing them the way to and from meeting rooms, to returning telephone calls and e-mails as a priority, and generally taking an interest in them and their problems. All personnel should show a genuine concern for the firm’s clients by doing their best to help them.

Service Standards

Putting this policy into practice is a shared responsibility throughout the firm and this means we all try to achieve the following service standards.

We aim to:

• Be polite, friendly but professional with clients at all times.
• Listen carefully to the client’s requests and giving an accurate and efficient response.
• Ask questions to ensure the clients request is fully and clearly understood.
• Be communicative and reply promptly to messages.
• Be punctual for appointments and ensure clients are made welcome when visiting us.
• Check that the client was satisfied with the service following conclusion of the matter.
• Develop a personal style working relationship with the client during and after the matter.

We also assure our clients that we will:

• review their matter and update them on the progress regularly.
• explain to them the legal work required as the matter progresses.
• advise them of any relevant changes in the law.
• advise them of any circumstances and risks of which we are aware or consider to be reasonably foreseeable that could affect the outcome of the matter.
• communicate with them in plain language.
• update them regularly on the costs involved.
• update them on whether the likely outcomes still justify the likely costs and risks associated with the matter whenever there is a material change in circumstances.
• update them on the likely timescales for each stage of the matter and any important changes in those estimates.
• where appropriate, continue to review whether there are alternative methods by which the matter can be funded.

We hope that by achieving these high standards our clients will come back to us next time they need legal advice and will recommend us to their friends, family and colleagues.

Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme (WIQS)

We are proud to have achieved the high standards of practice and integrity required to become accredited with the Law Society’s Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme.

This Scheme’s logo is your guarantee that our practice will provide high quality will drafting, probate and estate administration services.

We will carry out our work for you in accordance with the good practice standards of the Law Society’s Wills and Inheritance Protocol. This means that we will:

• treat you with dignity and respect
• be polite and considerate
• use clear language and keep legal jargon to a minimum
• explain what the costs are likely to be and how we charge
• advise you on the issues and the options for dealing with them
• explain what you can expect from us
• carry out our work in a timely manner
• respond promptly to your enquiries, and
• keep you informed of our progress.

Our dedicated Wills and Probate service is tailored to your needs. You can be sure that we will not pressurise you into paying for more complex advice than is in your best interests.

Further information about WIQS is on the Law Society website
http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/support-services/accreditation/wills-inheritance-quality/

The Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS)

We are proud to have achieved the standards of practice and integrity required to be accredited by the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme.

This scheme’s logo is your guarantee that our practice will provide you with a professional and quality conveyancing service.

What you can expect from us:

• when you contact us to discuss your sale or purchase we will explain clearly the steps in the process and what you can expect from your solicitor
• we will tell you what the costs will be
• we will keep you informed of progress in your sale or purchase
• we will work in line with the quality standards of the Law Society’s CQS.

We will:

• treat you fairly
• be polite and professional
• respond promptly to your enquiries
• tell you about any problems as soon as we are aware of them
• ask for your feedback on our service

Further information about CQS is on the Law Society website
http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/support-services/accreditation/conveyancing-quality-scheme/cqs-client-charter/

Law Society Accreditation

Accredited solicitors and other staff complete mandatory training on the WIQS and CQS standard and show compliance through annual re-accreditation and ongoing enforcement checks by the Law Society.

You can learn more about the benefits of using an accredited practice on the Law Society’s website at: http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/support-services/accreditation

You can check that we are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and are WIQS and CQS accredited, by searching for us on the Law Society’s Find a Solicitor website at: www.lawsociety.org.uk/findasolicitor