Complaints

We value our good relationships with our clients. As a firm we are committed to providing high quality, professional IP advice and services to our clients. Therefore, when a client tells us that something has gone wrong, we take every step possible to ensure a thorough investigation to establish the full position so that, if at all possible, we can put it right and resolve it to the client’s satisfaction.

We hope that you never have reason to complain about our service or your bill. If, however, any problems do arise, we would very much like to work with you to resolve them informally and quickly. Please raise any such issues initially with the attorney or solicitor with whom you have been dealing, as such a conversation can often reveal, as with any relationship, misunderstandings, which can be easily dealt with. If this is not the partner who is responsible for your affairs and if satisfaction has not been obtained, then the matter should be raised with that partner.

If for any reason this is not possible, or such an informal discussion does not resolve the issue to your satisfaction, please write to our Group General Counsel by email or letter so we can fully understand the precise details.

His contact details are:

andrew.argyle@potterclarkson.com

or The Group General Counsel, Potter Clarkson LLP, Belgrave Centre, Talbot Street, Nottingham NG1 5GG.

Our Group General Counsel shall, with those involved within the firm, investigate the complaint.

We shall investigate the complaint without delay and endeavour to ensure that you receive a response by the fourth working day after receipt of the complaint.

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of our internal complaints procedure and the complaint concerns professional misconduct, then you may contact the appropriate regulator:

  • the Intellectual Property Regulation Board, known as IPReg, (https://ipreg.org.uk/), which is the body that regulates the conduct of our Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys in the UK, as well as Potter Clarkson LLP and all its group companies, under the Legal Services Act 2007.
  • The Solicitors Regulation Authority, known as the SRA, in respect of our UK Solicitors (https://www.sra.org.uk/)
  • SPOF (Svenska Patentombudsföreningen) in respect of our Authorised Swedish Patent Attorneys (spof.se).
  • Regarding Potter Clarkson A/S, complaints about our Danish patent agent’s conduct or fees may be made to The Danish Bar and Law Society (Advokatsamfundet), while complaints about non-compliance with ADIPA’s ethical rules may be made to ADIPA (Association of Danish Intellectual Property Attorneys).

Alternatively, if (i) the complaint alleges poor service and (ii) you are an individual, a personal representative of a person’s estate, a (residual) beneficiary of a person’s estate, a small business, association, club, charity or trust, then you may complain to the Legal Services Ombudsman.

Details of the Legal Ombudsman (LeO), who can use its services and the relevant procedures can be found at www.legalombudsman.org.uk.

Additional contact details are:

Please note that the LeO states the following timelines regarding a complaint to them:

Ordinarily, you can ask the LeO to look at your complaint if it meets ALL three of the steps below:

  1. The problem or when you found out about it, happened after 5 October 2010; and
  2. You are referring your complaint to the LeO no later than one year either from when the problem (the act or omission complained about) occurred or from when you should reasonably have become aware of the problem; and
  3. You are referring your complaint to the LeO no later than six months from our final response.”