Stakeholder Concerns

At Bellevue Law, we aim to work in a fair, respectful and ethical way with all of our stakeholders. We welcome feedback and take concerns seriously, as part of our commitment to acting responsibly and continuously improving how we operate.   

This process explains how certain external stakeholders can raise concerns with us, and how we will respond.  

Who can raise a concern?  

This process is intended for:  

•  Suppliers; 
• Charity,communityand legal sector partners; and  
• Work experience participants.

We are also open to hearing concerns from other third parties where appropriate.  

However, we are unlikely to be able to consider concerns raised by (and/or provide remedies to) counterparties or others involved in matters on which we are advising our clients. In those circumstances, concerns may instead be raised with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), where appropriate.  

Clients can raise concerns via our Client Complaints procedure Click here, and we have internal grievance and whistleblowing procedures for members of our team. 

What can a concern relate to?  

Concerns raised under this process may include, but are not limited to, the following issues:  

• How we have treated a stakeholder, including concerns about fairness, respect or failure to meet agreed commitments; 
• Potential breaches of legal or regulatory obligations; and/or 
• Conduct that appears inconsistent with our values, ethical standards or commitments relating to environmental, social or governance issues.  

This process does not replace any contractual dispute resolution mechanisms that may apply to any situation. In case of conflict, the relevant contractual procedure will apply.  

How to raise a concern  

You can raise a concern in writing (by email or in hard copy addressed to Bellevue Law, 9 Dallington Street, London EC1V 0LN), or by telephone (020 3432 2110).  You can raise your concern to your Bellevue Law contact or, if you prefer, to the firm’s Chief Operating Officer, Kay Osborne (kay@bellevuelaw.co.uk) and/or Principal, Florence Brocklesby (florence@bellevuelaw.co.uk).  

We ask that concerns are raised in good faith and include enough detail to help us understand the issue and consider it properly.   

How we will respond  

We aim to handle concerns in a proportionate, fair and transparent way, following the steps outlined below:  

1. We will acknowledge receipt of your concern in writing, usually within three working days of receipt.  
2. Kay Osborne will usually investigate your concern. 
3. Kay will consider whether the issue falls within the scope of this process and, if not, explain why and (where appropriate) suggest alternative routes.  
4. Kay may ask for further information to help her to understand and assess the concern fully, and where appropriate she will then invite you to a meeting to discuss your concerns, with a view to ensuring we understand it fully, and to agreeing a resolution if possible.  She will usually do this within 14 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.  
5. Kay will write to you to confirm the discussion which took place,  any solutions proposed by each party, any resolution agreed and/or the firm’s formal response to your concerns, usually within 7 days of the meeting. 
6. If you do not want a meeting or it is not possible to meet, Kay will send you a formal response to your concerns, including suggestions for resolving the matter, usually within 21 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter. 
7. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should inform Kay, stating the reason(s) for your dissatisfaction.  Kay will arrange for her response to be reviewed, usually by another senior member of our team not directly involved in the matter in question.  They will normally conduct a review by reviewing the concerns raised, the notes of any meeting, and the written response provided. 
8. The reviewer will write to you, usually within 21 days of receiving your request for a review, confirming the outcome of the review and explaining the reasons. 
9. Where appropriate, we may vary this process including (without limitation) by having the investigation and/or review conducted by a different member of our team (or an external investigator) or by making reasonable adjustments to ensure the process is accessible to anyone raising concerns. 

Protection from retaliation  

We will not tolerate retaliation of any kind against individuals or organisations who raise concerns in good faith. Any concerns about retaliation will be treated seriously and appropriate action will be taken as applicable.  

Oversight and record-keeping  

We keep a confidential record of concerns raised and how they are addressed. A summary of concerns is prepared and outcomes are reviewed periodically as part of our wider governance and compliance processes.