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Office complaints regulations CLINT | Littler Lawyers

Article 1 definitions

These office complaints regulations will be defined as:

  • complaint;  every written declaration of complaint from or on behalf of the lawyer or the contracted employee about the agreement and performance of a contract for services, the quality of the services or the amount of the invoice, not being a complaint as referred to in paragraph 4 of the Lawyers Act;
  • complainer;  the client or the representative who has made the complaint
  • complaints officer;  the lawyer who is responsible for the handling and processing of complaints.

Article 2 range of applicability

  1. These office complaint regulations are applicable for every agreement of assignment between CLINT | Littler and the client.
  2. ‘CLINT Lawyers & Mediators’, ‘CLINT B.V. and ‘CLINT | Littler’ are registered CLINT trademarks.
  3. CLINT | Littler is responsible for complaint processing whilst abiding by the conditions of the complaint procedures.

Article 3 objectives

These office complaint regulations have the following objectives:

  1. Establishing a procedure for handling or processing client complaints in constructive manner within a reasonable time period.
  2. Establishing a procedure which adequately researched and files the causes of complaints by the clients
  3. Maintaining and improving existing relationships through good complaint handling;
  4. Training employees in client-focused response to complaints;
  5. Improving the quality of services by means of complaint management and complaint analysis.

Article 4 information request for the start of employment

  1. These office complaint regulations have been made public. The lawyer emphasises that when the client agrees with the contract or assignment, the office will abide by the office complaint regulations and that these are applicable to the employment contract.
  2. CLINT | Littler has included in its general terms and conditions to which independent party or body a complaint that has not been resolved after treatment may be submitted in order to obtain a binding decision and has made this known.
  3. Complaints as transcribed in article 1 of this office complaint regulations which have not been resolved after having been processed will be presented to the Disputes Committee for the Legal Profession (Geschillencommissie Advocatuur).

Article 5 Internal complaints procedure

  1. In the event that a client approached the office with a complaint, then this will be assigned to Mr D.G. Veldhuizen, who would then be known as the complaints officer.
  2. The complaints officer shall notify the person complained about of the lodging of the complaint and shall give the complainant and the person complained about the opportunity to explain the complaint.
  3. The person who has been the subject of complaints is expected to reach an agreement with the client whether or not the complaints officer has been involved.
  4. The complaints officer will process the complaint within 4 weeks after having first received the complaint or shall give notice within a reasonable period of time in case the processing will exceed the initial agreed upon time whilst providing an initial reason for the complaint.
  5. The complaints officer will notify the complainant and the person complained about in writing of the opinion on the merits of the complaint, whether or not accompanied by recommendations.
  6. If the complaint has been dealt with satisfactorily, the complainant, the complaints officer and the person who is the subject of the complaint sign off on the decision as to whether the complaint is well-founded.

Article 6 disclosure of confidentiality during complaint procedures

 

  1. The complaints officer and the person who has been complaint about will have signed a disclosure of confidentiality.
  2. The complainant will not be charged for the costs of the complaint processing.
  3.  

Article 7 responsibilities

  1. The complaints officer is responsible for the timely processing of the complaint.
  2. The subject of the complaint will keep the complaints officer updated with any further contact or solutions/ amendments.
  3. The complaints officer will keep the complainant updated on the processing of the complaint.
  4. The complaints officer will keep the complaints file updated.

Article 8 registration of complaints

  1. De complaints officer registers the complaint and the subject of the complaint.
  2. A complaint can be divided into multiple categories.
  3. De complaints officer will periodically report the final processing of the complaints and will provide recommendations on how to avoid new complaints as a way to optimise the handling of the procedures.

The recommendations of the process results will be discussed and presented minimally once per year.