Complaints against the legal profession fell by five per cent last year, according to the annual report of the Law Society ombudsman released today.
However, the report points to a high level of multiple complaints against a small number of solicitors. It found 71 solicitors attracted 290 complaints between them, one-quarter of the total.
During the period from September 2001 to August 2002 the office of the Independent Adjudicator of the Law Society handled 1039 complaints, 724 of which were processed within that time.
Of these, 270 were resolved, 33 were withdrawn, 277 were rejected and 46 complaints were upheld. Of the 1039 complainants, 258 were solicitors and the remainder "other than solicitors".
There was a sharp rise in the number of people complaining about being charged excessively. The office received over 100 complaints alleging overcharging; a 23 per cent increase on the previous year.
Meanwhile, 484 complaints alleging misconduct showed a drop of 11 per cent on the previous year. There was a two per cent drop in the number of complaints about inadequate professional services.
The Independent Adjudicator, Mr Eamon Condon, was critical of the poor level of attendance of solicitors at investigations arising from complaints. Out of 225 solicitors requested to attend Registrar's Committee meetings, 72 were excused, while in almost one-fifth of cases, there was "a no show without an excuse".
Mr Condon said the failure of solicitors to co-operate was "most regrettable". "It can be classified as an exhibition of appalling bad mannder and brings the profession into disrepute," he said.
He warned that in future, there could be fines of up to €3,000 for failure to attend meetings.
The office of the Independent Adjudicator of the Law Society was established in 1997, as an independent forum to which the public can apply if dissatisfied with the way the Law Society has dealt with complaints made against a solicitor. It has the power to recommend changes in the society's complaints procedures.