MCRP launched to improve legal sector complaint handling

The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has today published its final Model Complaints Resolution Procedure (MCRP), a new framework and supporting guidance designed to help legal service providers resolve complaints faster, more consistently and with greater confidence, while giving consumers a clearer route to resolution.

The MCRP is a voluntary, evidence-based procedure that any legal service provider in England and Wales can adopt in full or in part. It replaces lengthy and often inconsistent complaints processes with two clear stages: Early Resolution, focused on resolving concerns quickly and informally wherever possible, and Full Investigation, for cases requiring more detailed review.

The model, developed in line with international best practice and with input from all legal regulators, was tested through a three-month pilot involving providers across the areas of law generating the highest volumes of complaints to LeO.

During the pilot, providers handled 631 complaints using the MCRP, delivering clear benefits for both providers and consumers:

• 57% of complaints were resolved at the Early Resolution stage, often through a simple explanation, prompt action or constructive conversation.
• The average resolution time at Early Resolution was seven days, compared with 21 days for complaints requiring Full Investigation.  This is less that the average resolution time (25 days) based on data provided by our Pilot firms.
• Only 19 complaints from pilot firms were escalated to LeO in the three-month pilot. Of these, 92% were considered suitable for LeO's Early Resolution process and 77% have already been resolved. Overall we saw lower rates of escalation to LeO than for previous non-Pilot complaints.

The MCRP has been shaped directly by the sector. Following the pilot, LeO ran an eight-week Call for Input between March and May 2026, gathering feedback from legal service providers, regulators, professional bodies and consumer organisations.

Feedback strongly supported the model's structure and emphasis on early resolution. In response to sector suggestions, LeO strengthened the process and guidance and developed a significantly expanded set of resources, including guidance on supporting vulnerable consumers, handling complaints involving AI correspondence, and tailored guidance for barristers and chambers. New toolkits have also been created to help organisations learn from complaints and improve services.

Chief Ombudsman, Phil Cain, said:

"The publication of the MCRP is a major milestone, and marks an important step forward in our ambition to improve complaint handling across legal services.

The evidence from the pilot was compelling. More than half of complaints were resolved at an early stage, often within days, helping consumers receive quicker answers while reducing the need for complaints to progress further.

“By combining a clear process, practical guidance and a comprehensive set of resources, the MCRP gives providers the tried-and-tested tools they need to resolve complaints quickly, save time, and deliver a more consistent and consumer focused complaints experience. We are grateful to everyone who helped shape the model and look forward to seeing the positive impact it can have across the sector."

Consumer-facing guidance and template letters have been developed and tested with a consumer organisation to help members of the public raise clear and effective complaints.

The full MCRP, supporting guidance, toolkits and templates are available on our MCRP resources page.

Consumer resources are also available here.

Notes to editors

• The Legal Ombudsman scheme was established by the Office for Legal Complaints under the Legal Services Act 2007. LeO resolves complaints about legal service providers in England and Wales that have not been resolved to the consumer's satisfaction, and shares learning and insight to drive higher standards in legal services.
• Ten service providers took part in a three-month pilot of the MCRP, selected to reflect a range of business sizes, regulators and areas of law, including two sets of chambers. All GDPR-compliant data and experience from the pilot was shared with LeO, participating regulators and other pilot participants.
• The MCRP does not replace or override regulatory requirements. Instead, it provides a practical framework that can sit alongside existing rules, helping providers strengthen complaint handling while remaining compliant with their regulatory obligations.
• Consumer-facing guidance and template letters have been developed and tested with a consumer organisation to help members of the public raise clear and effective complaints.