Company Complaints Scheme
Altun Corporate Law aims at providing high-quality services. In the unlikely event that you are dissatisfied with the work performed by Altun Corporate Law, or with an invoice Altun Corporate Law sent you, we would like to request you to inform us about your Complaint. We shall look into your Complaint in accordance with the Complaints Scheme set out below and we will endeavor to solve your Complaint within a reasonable period of time.
Article 1. Definitions
In this Complaints Scheme the capitalized terms below shall have the following meaning:
Complainant:
the Client who has filed a Complaint in accordance with article 5 of this Complaints Scheme;
Complaint:
a complaint from or on behalf of a Client against the Lawyer concerning the quality of the legal services provided by the Lawyer and/or the amount of (an) invoice(s), filed in accordance with article 5 of this Complaints Scheme and not being a complaint as meant in section 4 (“Van de tuchtrechtspraak”) of the Dutch Act on Advocates (Advocatenwet);
Complaints Officer:
mr. D.P.B. (Duco) Blijdenstein;
Complaints Scheme:
this company complaints scheme of Altun Corporate Law;
Client:
a natural or legal entity governed by private or public law that engages or has engaged Altun Corporate Law on the basis of an engagement letter with Altun Corporate Law; and
Lawyer:
mr. R. (Recep) Altun.
Article 2. Scope of application and the role of the Complaints Officer
1. This Complaints Scheme applies to every engagement letter between Altun Corporate Law and a Client.
2. The Complaints Officer is responsible for handling Complaints (in a timely manner) in accordance with this Complaints Scheme.
3. The Complaints Officer shall register the Complaint, open a Complaint file and keep the Complained informed on the handling of his Complaint.
Article 3. Objectives
The objectives of this Complaints Scheme are as follows:
- to establish a procedure for dealing with Complaints within a reasonable time frame and in a constructive manner;
- to establish a procedure for determining the causes of Complaints;
- to maintain and improve existing relationships by dealing well with Complaints; and
- to improve the quality of the services with the aid of the management and analysis of the Complaint.
Article 4. Information at the start of the engagement
1. This Complaints Scheme is public and available on the website www.altuncorporatelaw.nl The Lawyer shall inform the Client before the Client enters into an engagement letter with Altun Corporate Law, that this Complaints Scheme shall apply to the legal services to be performed by Altun Corporate Law and that that the Complaints Scheme is available on the website www.altuncorporatelaw.nl.
2. With reference to article 11 of the General Terms and Conditions of Altun Corporate Law, a Complaint which has not been resolved after it has been dealt with in accordance with this Complaints Scheme, can only be submitted for a binding decision to the competent Dutch civil court.
Article 5. Filing a Complaint
1. The Client is required to file the Complaint within a period of three months after the Complainant has become aware of – or should have reasonably become aware of – the acts or omissions giving rise to the Complaint. If a Complaint is filed after the expiry of the aforementioned three-month period, the Complaints Officer may decide not to consider the Complaint. In such event the Complaints Officer will inform the Complainant about his decision as soon as possible after receipt of the Complaint in writing.
2. The Complainant is required to file the Complaint in writing with Altun Corporate Law for the attention of the Complaints Officer and needs to provide at least the following information:
- the name and address details of the Complainant;
- a description of the acts or omissions of the Lawyer that gave rise to the Complaint or (if applicable) a description of the reason why the Complainant disagrees with the invoice(s) of Altun Corporate Law;
- the file number of the matter to which the Complaint relates;
- a notification that the Complaint should be handled in accordance with the Complaints Scheme; and
- the Complaint needs to be signed and needs to contain the date on which it is filed.
3. If the Complaint does not meet the requirements specified in article 5.2 above, the Complaints Officer shall inform the Complainant about this shortcoming after receipt of the Complaint. In such event the Complainant will be given the opportunity to provide the missing information. In case the Complainant does not provide the missing information within two weeks after the written request of the Complaints Officer thereto, the Complaints Officer shall not consider the Complaint and he shall inform the Complainant accordingly in writing.
Article 6. Handling Complaint
1. After receipt of the Complaint, the Complaints Officer shall give the Complainant the opportunity to (further) clarify the Complaint and he shall give the Lawyer the opportunity to respond to the Complaint.
2. The Complainant does not have to reimburse Altun Corporate Law for costs incurred as a result of the handling of the Complaint in accordance with this Complaint scheme. Both the Lawyer and the Complainant shall bear their own costs which they individually incurred as a result of the handling of the Complaint in accordance with this Complaint Scheme.
3. The Complaints Officer aims to handle the Complaint within four weeks after receipt of the Complaint by Altun Corporate Law. In case the Complaints Officer foresees that he is not able to handle the Compliant within the aforementioned four weeks period, he shall inform the Complainant timely about the delay and he will make clear when he will finish the handling of the Complaint.
4. The Complaints Officer shall inform the Complainant and the Lawyer in writing about his opinion concerning the merits of the Complaint. If deemed appropriate by the Complaints Officer, he shall provide the Complainant and the Lawyer with recommendations in order to solve the Complaint.
5. In case the Complainant and the Lawyer think that the Complaint has ben dealt with to their satisfaction, they will – together with the Complaints Officer – sign the written opinion of the Complaints Officer.
Article 7. Confidentiality and costs
1. The Complaints Officer and the Lawyer shall observe confidentiality in relation to the handling of the Complaint.
2. The Complainant does not have to reimburse Altun Corporate Law for costs incurred as a result of the handling of the Complaint in accordance with this Complaint scheme. Both the Lawyer and the Complainant shall bear their own costs which they individually incurred as a result of the handling of the Complaint in accordance with this Complaint scheme.
***
(version 1 November 2017)