Complaints procedure

Definitions

• "Advocaat" means an attorney at law admitted to the Dutch Bar and working for the Firm.
• "Client" is the client or the representative of the client who files a complaint against an Advocaat or against a person who is supervised by an Advocaat.
• "Complaint" means any written expression of dissatisfaction by or on behalf of a Client concerning the formation and performance of an engagement, the quality of the services or the amount invoiced, other than a complaint within the meaning of paragraph 4 of the Advocatenwet.
• "Complaints Officer" means the person designated by the Firm to handle a Complaint, who was not involved in the services to which the Complaint relates.
• "Firm" means Wals Corporate Law B.V., trading as walslaw.
• "Procedure" means this complaints procedure.
• "walslaw" means the trade name under which the Firm conducts its law practice.

Scope

• This Procedure applies to every engagement between the Firm and a Client.
• Every Advocaat is bound by this Procedure.

Purpose

The purpose of this Procedure is to:

• establish a procedure for constructively dealing with a Complaint within a reasonable period of time;
• establish a procedure for determining the cause of a Complaint;
• maintain and improve existing relationships with Clients by dealing with Complaints correctly;
• show Advocaten and other staff of the Firm how to respond to Complaints with the Client's needs in mind; and
• improve the quality of services using Complaint handling and Complaint analysis.

Information at the start of an engagement

When entering into an engagement, the Advocaat shall inform the Client that the Firm applies a complaints procedure and that this Procedure applies to the services provided to that Client. The Procedure is also available at www.walslaw.nl.

Procedure

• A Complaint is passed to the Complaints Officer as soon as possible after it is received.
• The Complaints Officer will inform the Advocaat to whom the Complaint relates of the Complaint and will give him or her the opportunity to explore the issue with the Client and to find a resolution.
• The Complaints Officer will give the Client the opportunity to explain the Complaint.
• The Advocaat to whom the Complaint relates will keep the Complaints Officer informed of his or her contact with the Client and of any possible resolution.
• The Complaints Officer will keep the Client informed of the handling of the Complaint.
• The Complaints Officer will deal with the Complaint within four weeks of receipt at the latest. If this deadline cannot be met, the Complaints Officer will notify the Client, stating the reasons and a new deadline within which the Complaint will be dealt with.
• When the Complaints Officer has completed the handling of the Complaint, he or she will inform the Client and the Advocaat in writing of his or her reasoned view on whether the Complaint is well founded, and may make recommendations.
• If the Complaint has been satisfactorily resolved, the Client, the Advocaat concerned and the Complaints Officer will record the resolution in writing.
• No fees or costs will be charged to the Client in respect of the Firm's handling of the Complaint within this Procedure.
• All those persons involved in dealing with the Complaint will maintain Client confidentiality.
• After a Complaint has been handled under this Procedure, a Client may submit a disciplinary complaint within the meaning of artt. 46 et seq. of the Advocatenwet to the dean (deken) of the Bar in the district in which the Advocaat concerned is registered; the Council of Discipline deals with the disciplinary complaint in accordance with that Act. For other disputes concerning the services or an invoice, the court in Amsterdam has jurisdiction to the extent permitted by law.

Complaints record

• The Complaints Officer will ensure that a proper record of each Complaint and its subject matter is kept by the Firm.
• He or she will periodically review the handling of Complaints and make recommendations for preventing new Complaints and for improving related procedures.
• At least once a year, the Complaints Officer's reports and recommendations will be discussed and reviewed within the Firm.