Legal Complaints and Regulation Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 Explanatory Notes

1. Introduction

2. Background and Policy Objectives

3. Overview

4. Commentary on Sections

   1. Section 1: The Legal Services Oversight Commissioner

   2. Section 2: General Powers of the Commissioner

   3. Section 3: Duty of certain bodies to consult Commissioner

   4. Section 4: Duty of Commissioner to review certain matters

   5. Section 5: The Levy

   6. Section 6: The levy: supplementary provisions

   7. Section 7: Payments by Department

   8. Section 8: Privilege for certain publications

   9. Section 9: Lay Observer

   10. Section 10: Interpretation of Part 1

   11. Section 11: Complaints procedures of barristers

   12. Section 12: Bar Complaints Committee

   13. Section 13: Jurisdiction of the Complaints Committees

   14. Section 14: Excluded complaints

   15. Section 15: Complainants

   16. Section 16: Orders under section 15

   17. Section 17: Procedure for complaints

   18. Section 18: Notification requirements

   19. Section 19: Determination of complaints

   20. Section 20: Alteration of compensation limit

   21. Section 21: Appeals

   22. Section 22: Information and documents

   23. Section 23: Reporting failures to provide information or produce documents

   24. Clause 24: Enforcement of requirements to provide information or produce documents

   25. Section 25: Reports of investigations

   26. Section 26: Protection from defamation claims

   27. Section 27: Consultation requirements for Bar Complaints Committee rules

   28. Section 28: Interpretation of Part 2

   29. Section 29: Complaints procedures for solicitors

   30. Section 30: Solicitors Complaints Committee

   31. Section 31: Jurisdiction of the Solicitors Complaints Committee

   32. Section 32: Excluded complaints

   33. Section 33: Complainants

   34. Section 34: Orders under section 33

   35. Section 35: Continuity of complaints

   36. Section 36: Procedure for complaints

   37. Section 37: Notification requirements

   38. Section 38: Determination of complaints

   39. Section 39: Alteration of compensation limits

   40. Section 40: Appeals

   41. Section 41: Information and documents

   42. Section 42: Reporting failures to provide information or produce documents

   43. Section 43: Enforcement of requirements to provide information or produce documents

   44. Section 44: Reports of investigations

   45. Section 45: Protection from defamation claims

   46. Section 46: Consultation requirements for Solicitors Complaints Committee rules

   47. Section 47: The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal

   48. Section 48: Recognised bodies

   49. Section 49: Interpretation of Part 3

   50. Section 50: Interpretation

   51. Section 51: Review

   52. Section 52: Further provision

   53. Section 53: Minor and consequential amendments

   54. Section 54: Repeals

   55. Section 55: Commencement

   56. Section 56: Short title

   57. Schedule 1: The Legal Services Oversight Commissioner for Northern Ireland

   58. Schedule 2: The Bar Complaints Committee

   59. Schedule 3: The Solicitors Complaints Committee

   60. Schedule 4: Minor and Consequential Amendments

   61. Schedule 5: Repeals

5. Hansard Reports