WHAT IS POOR SERVICE?
Poor service is any aspect of service that fails to meet a customer’s expectations.
Examples include:
- failure to give costs or rising costs information.
- failure to carry out a “cost-benefit and risk” analysis at the outset and appropriately during the conduct of the case.
- failure to respond to communications such as letters, emails, and telephone calls.
- not doing something the lawyer agreed to do.
- not treating the client with fairness and respect.
- failure to provide written evidence of advice given.
- failure to inform of progress – even where there has not been any.
- failure to update clients on a reasonable basis.
- failure to follow instructions or to explain why instructions have not been followed.
- not abiding by a quote on costs.
- varying substantially from an estimate without prior notification.
- deceiving or misleading a client.
- breaching client confidentiality.
- ignoring conflict of interests
WHAT CAN I DO IF I RECEIVE POOR SERVICE?
- Complain to the lawyer to see if you can resolve your complaint.
- Tell others about your experience on Google Reviews and TrustPilot to save others from having a similar bad experience. The Spanish Constitution allows you to express your opinion.
- Verify the lawyer is registered (lawyers registered with the Colegio de Abogados will have mandatory Professional Indemnity Insurance which can be claimed upon for negligence or malpractice).
- Contact the local Colegio de Abogados and lodge a formal complaint.
- In more serious cases, civil or criminal proceedings may be called for.
For more information visit The General Council of the Spanish Lawyers.The General Council of the Spanish Lawyers is the representative, coordinating and superior executive body of the 83 Bar Associations of Spain and among its fundamental missions is the organization of the professional practice of lawyers, ensuring the prestige of the profession, demanding that the Bar Associations and their members comply with professional and deontological duties and working to achieve a more agile, modern and effective Justice: https://www.abogacia.es/conocenos/consejo-general/
For details about the lawyers ethical obligations to their client in accordance with the Spanish and European Code of Conduct, visit: https://buenosabogados.es/the-lawyers-obligations-to-their-client-in-accordance-with-the-spanish-code-of-conduct/
Also look at our article about the most common complaints made about lawyers at https://buenosabogados.es/common-complaints-about-lawyers/
