Office complaints procedure De Boorder Advocaten (pertaining to article 6.28 of the Bar Association Regulations)

Article 1 Definitions

In these office complaints regulations the following terms are understood to mean:
* complaint: any written expression of dissatisfaction by or on behalf of the client towards the lawyer or the persons working under his responsibility regarding the conclusion and performance of a contract of assignment, the quality of the services provided or the amount of the invoice, not being a complaint as referred to in section 4 of the Dutch Lawyers Act;
* complainant: the client or his representative who makes a complaint known;
* complaints officer: the lawyer responsible for handling the complaint;

Article 2 Scope of application

1. This office complaints procedure applies to every contract of assignment between De Boorder Advocaten and the client.
2. Each lawyer at De Boorder Advocaten is responsible for handling complaints in accordance with the office complaints procedure.

Article 3 Objectives

The purpose of this office complaints procedure is:
a. establishing a procedure to handle client complaints within a reasonable period of time in a constructive manner;
b. establishing a procedure to determine the causes of client complaints;
c. maintaining and improving existing relationships through good complaint handling;
d. to train employees to respond to complaints in a client-oriented manner;
e. improving the quality of service provision through complaint handling and complaint analysis.

Article 4 information at the start of service provision

1. This office complaints procedure has been made public. Before entering into the contract of assignment, the lawyer will point out to the client that the office has an office complaints procedure and that it applies to the services provided.
2. De Boorder Advocaten has included in its general terms and conditions the independent party or body to which a complaint that has not been resolved after handling can be submitted in order to obtain a binding decision and has made this known in the order confirmation.
3. Complaints as referred to in Article 1 of these office complaints regulations that have not been resolved after handling may be submitted to the court.

Article 5 Internal Complaints Procedure

1. If a client approaches the office with a complaint, the complaint will be forwarded to Mr. MR de Boorder, who will act as complaints officer.
2. The complaints officer shall inform the person against whom the complaint has been made of the submission of the complaint and shall give the complainant and the person against whom the complaint has been made the opportunity to provide an explanation of the complaint.
3. The person against whom the complaint has been made will attempt to find a solution together with the client, with or without the intervention of the complaints officer.
4. The complaints officer will handle the complaint within four weeks of receipt of the complaint or will inform the complainant of any deviation from this term, stating reasons and indicating the term within which a decision on the complaint will be made.
5. The complaints officer shall inform the complainant and the person against whom the complaint has been made in writing of the decision on the validity of the complaint, with or without recommendations.
6. If the complaint has been handled satisfactorily, the complainant, the complaints officer and the person against whom the complaint has been made shall sign the decision on the validity of the complaint.

Article 6 confidentiality and free complaint handling

1. The complaints officer and the person against whom the complaint has been made shall maintain confidentiality during the complaint handling process.
2. The complainant is not liable for any compensation for the costs of handling the complaint.

Article 7 Responsibilities

1. The complaints officer is responsible for the timely handling of the complaint.
2. The person against whom the complaint has been made shall keep the complaints officer informed of any contact and a possible solution.
3. The complaints officer will keep the complainant informed about the handling of the complaint.
4. The complaints officer maintains the complaint file.

Article 8 Complaints registration

1. The complaints officer registers the complaint, including the subject of the complaint.
2. A complaint can be classified into multiple topics.
3. The complaints officer shall periodically report on the handling of complaints and make recommendations for preventing new complaints and for improving procedures.
4. At least once a year, the reports and recommendations will be discussed at the office and submitted for decision-making.