That comment is broadly accurate in practical terms.
An SRA complaint on its own rarely produces a direct outcome for an individual complainant. The SRA’s role is regulatory, not remedial—it doesn’t intervene in your case or award compensation, and it won’t compel BW Legal to reply to you. What it can do is record the conduct concern. If multiple, consistent complaints build a pattern about the same firm or individual, the SRA may open an investigation into systemic issues such as poor supervision, misleading conduct, or misuse of non-authorised staff.
So, while a single complaint may not appear to “achieve” much, it still serves several purposes:
• it creates a regulatory record;
• it pressures the firm’s Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP) to report and respond internally; and
• it demonstrates to the court (if raised later) that you acted proportionately by referring the matter to the appropriate regulator.
In short, it’s about accountability and building a paper trail, not about revoking licences after one complaint.
In which case send the following to them:
Subject: Final Notice – Settlement Authority Confirmation and Conduct Concerns – [Claim Ref / Case No.]
Dear Sirs,
I refer to my email of [date] (no response received).
This is a final 7-day notice. Please provide by return:
1. Confirmation whether Ms Sanah Haleem attended the SCMS mediation on [date]; and
2. Confirmation that the individual who attended for the Claimant personally held full, current written authority from your client to negotiate and conclude settlement at that session without further reference.
If authority was delegated, identify the delegator and confirm the date/scope. A solicitor-signed certification or a redacted copy will suffice.
Absent a satisfactory response within 7 days, I will lodge a formal complaint with the SRA (copied to your COLP) on the following grounds for investigation:
• Potential misleading/non-transparent communications with an opposing litigant regarding the representative’s decision-making authority during ADR (SRA Principles: integrity; public trust; Code – not to mislead or cause others to be misled).
• Failure to engage substantively with reasonable correspondence material to ADR effectiveness and case management (Principles: proper standard of service; public trust; Code – effective, prompt, clear communication).
• Supervision and reserved activity concerns: if a non-authorised person attended without genuine settlement authority or if reserved acts are being undertaken without appropriate authorisation/supervision (Principles: integrity; Code – proper supervision, competence, and control of work).
For the avoidance of doubt, if it transpires the mediation proceeded without a representative holding full settlement authority, I will place this before the court on conduct and costs (CPR 27.14(2)(g)) and, if necessary, seek appropriate directions/sanctions.
Unless you indicate otherwise, I will treat your continued silence as refusal to confirm authority.
Yours faithfully,
[Your full name]
Defendant
[Your address]
[Your email]
And if they respond, show us and if they don't remind us so that you can make the SRA complaint.
I would send the following to BW Legal:
Subject: Confirmation of Settlement Authority – [Claim Ref/Case No.]
Dear Sirs,
I write regarding the SCMS mediation held on [insert date].
The mediator stated that Ms Sanah Haleem (paralegal, BW Legal) held written authority to negotiate and conclude settlement on behalf of the Claimant. For the avoidance of doubt, this request does not seek disclosure of any without prejudice content or negotiation positions. It is confined strictly to procedural matters relevant to conduct and costs.
Please confirm:
• Whether Ms Haleem personally attended the mediation; and
• That the individual who did attend held full, current written authority from your client to negotiate and conclude settlement at that session without further reference.
If authority was delegated, please:
• Identify the delegator;
• Confirm the date and scope of the delegation; and
• Provide either a solicitor-signed confirmation or a redacted copy of the delegation document.
If it emerges that the session proceeded without a representative holding full settlement authority, I will rely on that conduct in relation to costs under CPR 27.14(2)(g). I will invite the court to draw adverse inferences and consider appropriate sanctions, including recovery of wasted costs for an abortive mediation. I reserve all rights to make any appropriate application.
Please respond within seven days.
Yours faithfully,
[Your full name]
Defendant
Nothing else to do until you receive acknowledgement from the claimant that they have received your defence and their client intends to proceed. They are likely to include a copy of their own N180 Directions Questionnaire which you can simply file.
Keep checking your MCOL history and when it says your N189 DQ has been sent, don't wait for it to arrive, just follow these instructions:
Having received your own N180 (make sure it is not simply a copy of the claimants N180), do not use the paper form. Ignore all the other forms that came with it. you can discard those. Download your own here and fill it in on your computer. You sign it by simply typing your full name in the signature box.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/673341e779e9143625613543/N180_1124.pdf
Here are the answers to some of the less obvious questions:
• The name of the court is "Civil National Business Centre".
• To be completed by "Your full name" and you are the "Defendant".
• C1: "YES"
• D1: "NO". Reason: "I wish to question the Claimant about their evidence at a hearing in person and to expose omissions and any misleading or incorrect evidence or assertions.
Given the Claimant is a firm who complete cut & paste parking case paperwork for a living, having this case heard solely on papers would appear to put the Claimant at an unfair advantage, especially as they would no doubt prefer the Defendant not to have the opportunity to expose the issues in the Claimants template submissions or speak as the only true witness to events in question.."
• F1: Whichever is your nearest county court. Use this to find it: https://www.find-court-tribunal.service.gov.uk/search-option
• F3: "1".
• Sign the form by simply typing your full name for the signature.
When you have completed the form, attach it to a single email addressed to both dq.cnbc@justice.gov.uk and info@dcblegal.co.uk and CC in yourself. Make sure that the claim number is in the subject field of the email.