Regulatory Information
Slee Blackwell is the trading name of Slee Blackwell Solicitors LLP, a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registration number OC404335 whose registered office is 10 Cross Street, Barnstaple, Devon. It also has offices in Taunton, Braunton, South Molton, Exeter, Tiverton and Bideford. The VAT number of Slee Blackwell Solicitors LLP is 144 1269 85 Slee Blackwell Solicitors LLP is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority with SRA number 00628016. On this website, and in all other contexts, the term ‘partner’ is used to refer to a member of Slee Blackwell Solicitors LLP or any employee or consultant with equivalent standing and qualification. A full list of the Members of Slee Blackwell Solicitors LLP is available for inspection at the registered office. Prior to May 2016, Slee Blackwell carried on business as a general partnership under the Partnership Act 1890. Nothing on this website or in any material referred to should be construed as indicating that Slee Blackwell Solicitors LLP is an unlimited liability business or general partnership. The professional indemnity insurers of Slee Blackwell Solicitors LLP are Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty AG.Policy No GBF001098150
Disclaimer
We have made every reasonable effort to ensure that the material contained on this site was accurate and up-to-date on the date that it was posted. However, please be aware that the law is forever developing and the current legal position may have changed since the material was written. The material here is therefore merely intended to provide general information. Nothing on this site constitutes legal advice or creates a solicitor/client relationship. Users should seek professional legal guidance before acting or relying on the contents. We disclaim all liability for loss and/or damage that may result from the use of information contained on this site. Any links to third party websites are for the user’s information. The contents of those sites are not endorsed by us and we disclaim all liability for loss and/or damage incurred as a result of using such links. By using this website you are agreeing to the terms of this disclaimer.
Copyright
The copyright and contents of this website belong to Slee Blackwell Solicitors and we reserve all rights. You may download, print and copy extracts from this website for personal use only but no right, title or interest transfers to you from such downloading. Copying any part of this website for any other use without our prior written permission remains prohibited
Investment Services
We are not authorised by the Financial Services Authority. However, we are included on the register maintained by the Financial Services Authority so that we can carry on insurance mediation activity, which is broadly the advising on, selling and administration of insurance contracts. This part of our business, including arrangements for complaints or redress if something goes wrong, is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The register can be accessed via the Financial Services Authority website.
Sometime conveyancing, family, probate or company work involves investments. We are not authorised by the Financial Services Authority and so may refer you to someone who is authorised to provide any necessary advice. However, we can provide certain limited services in relation to investments, provided they are closely linked with the legal services we are providing you, as regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
The Law Society is a designated professional body for the purpose of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 but responsibility for regulation and complaints handling has been separated from the Law Society’ representative functions. The Solicitors Regulation Authority is the independent regulatory body of the Law Society and the Legal Ombudsman is the independent complaints handling body of the Law Society.
Complaints
We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. When something goes wrong we need you to tell us about it. This will help us to put matters right where appropriate and improve our standards.
In the event of any concern about the service provided, the process you are involved in, or our costs, please contact the person dealing with your case as set out in your Case Fact Sheet and they will try to provide a straightforward answer.
We are almost always able to resolve any difficulties in this way, but our Partner Brett Lawrence has responsibility for our Complaints Procedure. If your concerns are not resolved and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact him in writing at 2 Lime Court, Pathfields Business Park, South Molton, Devon EX36 3LH or by telephone on 01769 575 981 with details of your complaint.
What will happen next?
- We will send you a letter acknowledging your complaint within 5 working days of receiving it. We may ask you to clarify or explain particular details, and may suggest a meeting at this stage.
- Brett Lawrence will investigate your complaint, examining the relevant file and speaking with the relevant members of staff.
- If appropriate, Brett Lawrence may then invite you to meet or to speak with him over the telephone to discuss and, we hope, resolve your complaint. He should be in a position to do this no longer than 28 days after sending you the acknowledgement letter.
- Within 5 days of that discussion he will write to you to confirm what took place and any suggestions we have made or solutions he has agreed with you.
- If you would prefer not to meet, or if it is not practical or appropriate, or if we cannot arrange it within an acceptable timescale, Brett Lawrence will write to you setting out his views on the situation and any suggestions we may have to resolve the complaint. He should be in a position to do this 28 days after sending you the acknowledgement letter.
- If you remain unsatisfied, please let Brett Lawrence know. We will then arrange for another partner in the firm who has not been involved in your complaint to review the position.
- We will write to you again within 28 days of receiving your request for a review. We will set out our final position on your complaint and explain our reasons.
- At the conclusion of the our complaints process or after 8 weeks of you first making the complaint, you have the right to complain further to the Legal Ombudsman.
- You can contact the Legal Ombudsman at PO Box 6167 Slough SL1 0EH or by phoning 0300 555 0333 or by email at [email protected]. You will normally need to make a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman (www.legalombudsman.org.uk) within six months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint, or within a year of the act or omission about which you are complaining occurring (or you become aware of it) Your complaint will be dealt with promptly, fairly and free of charge
We record all complaints centrally and carry out an analysis to identify the root cause and remedial action to be taken.
In addition, you may object to this firm’s bill by applying to the court for an assessment of the bill under Part 111 of the Solicitors Act 1974.
Note: If you have applied to the court for assessment, then the Legal Ombudsman may not consider a complaint about the bill.
The Legal Ombudsman only accepts complaints from individuals and small businesses, charities, or associations.
Client Monies & Interest
Slee Blackwell will accept and hold client monies only to the extent necessary to undertake professional services for you or to hold money on account of anticipated costs and expenses, including our own. All client monies held by us will be deposited in our general client account or in an individual designated client account with our bankers. All monies are held and the accounts operated in strict accordance with the SRA Accounts Rules 2011 We are required to pay you a fair sum in lieu of interest on any balance (s) we hold on your behalf in our general client account. This is subject to a de minimis amount of £20 per annum. Interest is calculated on the balance (s) held over the whole period for which cleared funds are held, and is paid at a rate not less that the rate of interest payable on the relevant amount or amounts if placed on deposit on similar terms by a member of the public at the bank where the money is held. Our Interest Policy is based on the principles of the Solicitors Accounts Rules 2011. Interest and will be paid by us without deduction of tax. It is your responsibility to declare sums so received for tax purposes. Interest will added to your account on an annual basis on 31st March each year and paid to you at the conclusion of the matter.
If you agree to instruct us outside of our Offices
If we have not met you in person, you have the right to cancel your instructions to us with 14 days of the date of our letter without charge. Please contact your lawyer detailed in your documentation if you wish to cancel your instructions in this way. If you want us to start work on your matter immediately, then please return your signed Case Fact Sheet. However, if we do start work and then you change you mind and cancel your instructions within the 14 day cooling-off period, we are able to charge you for any work we have already done. Once the 14 days have passed, we will carry on with your matter and our normal charging arrangements will apply.
Conditional fee and damages-based agreements
If you are proposing to fund your case under a conditional fee agreement or damages-based agreement we will need to assess the viability and prospects of the case before agreeing to accept it on those terms. We will endeavour to carry out our assessment as quickly as possible. A decision can usually be made within seven days. However in more complex cases it may be necessary for investigations to be carried out and should this be necessary then we will give you an indication of the likely timescale. You should also set out what (if any) cost this will lead to for the consumer. In most cases we make no charge for considering a case for this type of funding. If a charge is to be made then we will discuss this with you in advance and will only proceed if you are in agreement. The success fee charged under this type of funding arrangement will vary from case to case and will be discussed with you before you enter into the agreement.
Equality and Diversity
The firm is committed to promoting equality and diversity in all of its dealings with you, third parties and employees. A copy of our equality and diversity policy is available from our Practice Manager.
A breakdown of our staff is contained here.