Complaints procedure Ovidius Law

How our complaints procedure works

Room for improvement?

Ovidius Law B.V. (“Ovidius”) ensures good service. Knowledgeable, pragmatic, easily accessible and a pleasure to work with. This is what we stand for. Ovidius wants to continuously improve itself. Therefore, if you are unhappy with our services, wish to make a suggestion, or file a complaint, please do let us know. This enables us to solve the matter together with you whilst continuously improving our services. To this extent, we have drawn up this office complaints procedure.

Please address your suggestion or complaint to secretariaat@ovidius.law. Ovidius will confirm its receipt as soon as possible.

Applicability

This complaints procedure applies to every engagement between Ovidius and its clients.

How does the complaints procedure work?

1.

Are you reaching out with a suggestion? Thank you for supporting us in improving our services.

2.

In case you are unhappy with our services, please first submit your complaint to the lawyer involved. However, if desired, you may also directly submit your complaint to the complaints officer.

3.

The complaints officer notifies the person involved of the complaint, and offers both you and the person involved the opportunity explain or respond to the complaint.

4.

The complaints officer, or the person involved, will try to resolve the matter together with you. All parties involved will act reasonably and should accept any invitation to a face-to-face meeting.

5.

The complaints officer informs you within four weeks upon receipt of the complaint if the complaint will be confirmed. This notification can include recommendations. Should it take more than four weeks to respond to the complaint, the complaints officer will inform all parties involved.

6.

If one or more of the parties involved are happy with the complaint being dealt with, this will be communicated to all parties involved by the complaints officer.

7.

If one or more of the parties involved are unhappy with the complaint being dealt with, a complaint can be submitted to the competent (civil) court or to the Dean of the Dutch Bar Association (Deken van de Orde van Advocaten) (sub district Amsterdam).

8.

Ovidius’ will not charge for handling a complaint, unless determined otherwise by the complaints officer.

9.

All parties involved will observe strict confidentiality as to the complaint and the complaints procedure. Parties may never divulge any information about the complaint and the complaints procedure, also not via social media.

10.

Ovidius may at all times, also during the complaints procedure, file a claim with the competent court with regard to unpaid, outstanding invoices.

Definitions

The following defined terms are used in this office complaints procedure:

(i)Person involved: the person against whom the complaint has been filed;
(ii) Complaint: any written expression of dissatisfaction from or on behalf of a client of Ovidius directed at a lawyer or the people working under their responsibility regarding the establishment of an engagement, the quality of the services, or the amount of an invoice, not being a complaint as referred to in Section 4 of the Advocatenwet (Counsel Act);
(iii) Complaint officer: the lawyer in charge of handling the complaint. In principle, this will be one of Ovidius’ partners.
(iv) klachtenfunctionaris: de advocaat die is belast met de afhandeling van de klacht. In de regel zal dit één van de partners van Ovidius zijn.