The Register Regulatory Committee (RRC) can hear complaints in regards to conduct only for those Paralegals who are Registered with the PPR but do not hold a Paralegal Practicing Certificate (PPC). For those Paralegal Practitioners who hold a Paralegal Practising Certificate (PPC) the Register Regulatory Committee can hear complaints in regards to both conduct and the Legal Services that they offer. The Compensation Fund is only available for consumers/clients of Regulated Paralegals and not Registered Paralegals.
The Register Regulatory Committee shall consider such complaints and evidence that shall be bought or come to its attention.
- Decide that no further action or investigation is required against a Member;
- Decide to issue a written caution or reprimand;
- Decide to institute further investigation in such manner and instructing appropriately qualified investigator(s);
- Impose a fine in respect of relatively minor matters not exceeding £500;
- Order the Member in question to pay compensation to the complainant which must not exceed £500);
- Order the Professional Paralegal Practitioner to repay some or all of the costs paid;
- Order the Professional Paralegal Practitioner to rectify any error at their own expense;
- Refer the matter (whether before or after receipt of investigators report(s)) to the Adjudication and Appeals Panel for determination.
All decisions of the RRC shall be promptly notified in writing to both the complainant(s) and the Member(s) involved such notification providing reasons for the decision.
Hearings before the Adjudication and Appeals Panel
The Adjudication and Appeals Panel may on determining a hearing:
If a complainant complains about a Regulated Paralegal, the Committee may make one or more of the following decisions:
- dismiss the complaint;
- order a Registered Paralegal to repay some or all of the costs paid;
- order a Registered Paralegal to pay compensation of up to £500 for loss suffered, which may include compensation for distress and inconvenience (guidance at the end of this procedure explains how this is determined);
- impose a penalty of up to £500 on the Registered Paralegal ;
- order a Registered Paralegal to rectify any error at their own expense;
- issue a written caution or reprimand to the Registered Paralegal;
- suspend the Registered Paralegal, pending further enquiries;
- institute further investigation;
- refer the matter to the Adjudication and Appeals Panel;
- publicise any sanction or fine on the Register.
If a complainant complains about a Regulated Paralegal, the Committee may make one or more of the following decisions:
- dismiss the complaint;
- order the Regulated Paralegal to repay some or all of the costs paid;
- order the Regulated Paralegal to pay compensation of up to £500 for loss suffered, which may include compensation for distress and inconvenience (guidance at the end of this procedure explains how this is determined);
- impose a penalty of up to £500 on the Regulated Paralegal;
- order a Regulated Paralegal to rectify any error at their own expense;
- issue a written caution or reprimand to the Regulated Paralegal;
- suspend the Regulated Paralegal, pending further investigation;
- institute further investigation (including appointing appropriately qualified investigator(s));
- refer the matter to the Adjudication and Appeals Panel;
- access the compensation fund;
- publicise any sanction or fine on the Register.
The Adjudication and Appeals Panel may:
- order any of the sanctions above that the Complaints Committee can order in respect of Registered or Regulated Paralegals, and
- order that a member be suspended as a member for a defined period or order that membership be terminated permanently;
- order a Regulated Paralegal to pay compensation of up to £5,000 for loss suffered which may include compensation for distress and inconvenience (guidance at the end of this procedure explains how this is determined);
- impose a penalty on a Regulated Paralegal up to £5,000;
- order that the Regulated Paralegal pays the costs involved in the hearing of the Adjudication and Appeals Panel.
All decisions of the RRC shall be promptly notified in writing to both the complainant(s) and the Member(s) involved such notification providing reasons for the decision.
Recent Decisions
There are currently 0 matters waiting a decision.