WHY C A S I A?
Last updated 11/06/09 14:41
What is C A S I A?
CASIA is a nation-wide, voluntary organisation established as a Company Limited by Guaranty with liability limited to £ 1 per member and led by a committee of unpaid directors.
CASIA is an action group, which will press Parliament to effect the reform of the present complaints and compensation system.
What is C A S I A’ s Objective?
CASIA wishes to establish a complaints adjudication system, which is independent of the Law Society, with power to investigate and compensate (where appropriate) for inadequate professional service and misconduct of solicitors.
Who are C A S I A’ s Members?
Individuals and interested organisations (including lawyers) who share CASIA’s aims and who believe the provision of legal services can be improved through consumer involvement and consultation.
Why is C A S I A necessary?
The continuing high level of complaints to the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors (OSS) about solicitors.
The public’s perception of the OSS’s inability to deliver consistently fair, impartial adjudication of clients complaints.
The inadequacy of the current mechanism for compensating solicitor – caused losses.
The need to redress the imbalance of power in the complaints process where solicitors are advantaged over the lay person by their knowledge of the rules and procedures, access to papers and information and insurance protection.
To persuade the Government of the need to execute urgent change and to demonstrate why solicitors should no longer be investigators, judge and jury in their own court.
Why was C A S I A established?
To assess the nature and cause of dissatisfaction surrounding the O S S’s operation. to make and support proposals for change.
To hasten the execution of reforms recommended by informal parties that have so far been ignored or resisted.
To provide customers with a unified voice to pursue the reforms and redress the imbalance of power between the individual consumer and the Law Society.
To assist the Law Society’s avowed desire to re-establish the public’s confidence in the profession through the establishment of a credible, independent complaints and compensation procedure.
How will C A S I A achieve its objective?
Extend the nation-wide membership to demonstrate the strength of demand for change.
Continue to collect and analyse data on the present complaints and compensation system.
Lobby politicians to change the law to ensure the future independence of the complaints adjudication.
Why is Independent Adjudication Essential?
Despite the introduction of a statutory independent legal service ombudsman in 1991 and repeated "changes", the complaints system run by the Law Society has failed.
The recently increased power of the Ombudsman in "The Access to Justice Act" still does not ensure that matters are thoroughly investigated.
Private legal advice is extremely expensive and can have a dramatic impact on peoples’ lives if handled inadequately or in breach of the code of conduct.
Ordinary consumers need real protection from dishonest and incompetent pratictioners of legal services. Sound solicitors operating under clear regulatory guidelines should have nothing to fear from an independent system.
C A S I A is not looking to take away self-regulation except in the matter of complaints.
C A S I A’ s purpose is to use individuals’ collective experience to identify the systematic failures of the past and ensure that they are overcome in the future.
C A S I A cannot take up individual complaints and cannot advise in legal matters.
C A S I A may not be able to help you directly with your problem, but we can certainly direct and encourage you from experience that has been gathered.
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