header-logo header-logo

26 November 2021 / Veronica Cowan
Issue: 7958 / Categories: Features , Profession
printer mail-detail

What the Ombudsman says

65100
Veronica Cowan talks to the Chief Legal Ombudsman, Paul McFadden, about his plans to drive recovery & change
  • Speeding up case handling and reducing backlog.
  • The attraction of an informal solution-based approach.

The Legal Ombudsman Service, which is funded by its members (service suppliers), deals with about 7,000 disputes each year, between regulated legal firms and claims management companies and their clients. If attempts by the parties to resolve the dispute fail, the service provider must inform the client about the complaints process.

There are a number of Ombudsmen, headed by the Chief Ombudsman, Paul McFadden, who was appointed in January 2021 from the public sector, where his roles included being Deputy Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, and its Judicial Appointments Ombudsman; helping establish Scotland’s first independent Police Complaints Commission and the UK’s Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration. As the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, he headed its Complaints Standards Authority, implementing a streamlined and improved complaints-handling framework, and culture across Scotland’s public bodies.

Having previously worked in the public sector

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: Stephen Ward, The Barrister Group

NLJ Career Profile: Stephen Ward, The Barrister Group

From mowing lawns to life at the Bar: Stephen Ward reflects on an unconventional career

Clarke Willmott—Ben Loosemore

Clarke Willmott—Ben Loosemore

Commercial property partner joins Clarke Willmott in Southampton

Ellisons—Robert Tiffen

Ellisons—Robert Tiffen

Robert Tiffen joins Ellisons as Partner in growing Norwich office

NEWS
The Law Society RFC Festival of Sport returns next month, bringing together legal and financial services professionals for one of the sector’s largest annual sporting events
Legal aid deserts leave almost one in four without adequate access to justice
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned solicitors and law firms that using artificial intelligence does not alter their professional obligations, amid concerns over inaccurate legal material and client confidentiality
From forgotten interest claims to case-management appeals, a string of procedural developments offers useful—and occasionally cautionary—lessons for practitioners

Jonathan Fisher KC highlights that it now accounts for around 40% of criminal offences, with roughly 70% involving technology, and argues that the UK cannot simply prosecute its way out of the problem. Detection, investigation and prosecution all require improvement, while different fraud types demand tailored responses.

back-to-top-scroll