Brouwer Legal B.V. Office Complaints Procedure

Definitions
The following definitions apply in this Office Complaints Procure:
- Complaint: any written expression of dissatisfaction by or on behalf of the client towards the lawyer or the persons working under his or her responsibility regarding the formation and performance of an engagement letter, the quality of the services provided, or the amount of the invoice, not being a complaint within the meaning of §4 of the Lawyers Act;
- Complainant: the client or his/her representative who makes the complaint known; and
- Complaints Officer: the lawyer in charge of handling the complaint.
Scope
This Office Complaints Procedure governs all engagement letters between Brouwer Legal B.V. and the client. Every lawyer working at Brouwer Legal B.V. will arrange for the handling of Complaints in accordance with this Office Complaints Procedure.
Purpose
The purpose of this Office Complaints Procedure is:
1. to establishing a procedure to deal constructively with Complaints of clients within a reasonable period of time;
2. to establishing a procedure to identify the causes of Complaints of clients;
3. to maintain and improve existing relationships through proper complaint handling;
4. to train staff in client-centred response to Complaints; and
5. to improve service quality through complaint handling and complaint analysis.
Information at the start of the engagement
1. This Office Complaints Procedure has been made public. Before signing an engagement letter, the lawyer informs the client that the firm has an Office Complaints Procedure that governs the engagement.
2. Brouwer Legal B.V. states in its engagement letter to which independent party or body a Complaint that is not resolved after handling may be submitted in order to obtain a binding decision, and makes this known in the engagement letter.
3. Complaints as referred to in Article 1 of this Office Complaints Procedure that are not resolved after handling will be submitted to the District Court of Overijssel in Almelo.
Internal Complaints Procedure
1. If a client contacts the firm with a Complaint, the Complaint will be passed on to Mr Bastian Honerbom (honerbom@brouwerlegal.com), who will thereby act as the Complaints Officer.
2. The Complaints Officer will notify the person to whom the Complaint relates of the filing of the Complaint and will give the Complainant and the person to whom the Complaint relates an opportunity to explain the Complaint.
3. The person to whom the Complaint relates will attempt to reach a solution together with the client, possibly through the agency of the Complaints Officer.
4. The Complaints Officer will settle the Complaint within four weeks after receiving the Complaint or will notify the Complainant of any deviation from this time limit, stating the period within which an opinion on the Complaint will be given.
5. The Complaints Officer will notify the Complainant and the person to whom the Complaint relates in writing of the opinion on the merits of the Complaint, possibly accompanied by recommendations.
6. If the Complaint is dealt with satisfactorily, the Complainant, the Complaints Officer and the person to whom the Complaint relates will sign the opinion on the merits of the Complaint.
Confidentiality and free-of-charge complaint handling
The Complaints Officer and the person to whom the Complaint relates will handle the Complaint confidentially. No fee is payable by the Complainant for the costs of handling the Complaint.
Responsibilities
1. The Complaints Officer is responsible for the timely resolution of the Complaint.
2. The person to whom the Complaint relates will keep the Complaints Officer informed about any contact and possible resolution.
3. The Complaints Officer will keep the Complainant informed about the handling of the Complaint.
4. The Complaints Officer will keep the complaint file.
Recording of the Complaint
1. The Complaints Officer will record the Complaint and the subject of the Complaint.
2. A Complaint may be classified in several categories.
3. The Complaints Officer will report periodically on the handling of the Complaints and will make recommendations to prevent new Complaints and to improve procedures.
4. At least once a year, reports and recommendations will be discussed at the firm and will be submitted for decision-making.