The Office of the Regional Representative of the Financial Ombudsman is operating at the University of Gdańsk. It is the third such office in Poland. Its opening is not only the result of many years of cooperation between the Financial Ombudsman and the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Gdańsk. It is primarily a response to the needs of local communities.

The official opening of the Office took place on 21 October at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Gdańsk.

The newly opened office will serve both residents, who will be able to obtain professional assistance, and students, helping them to gain knowledge and experience useful in their professional careers. The opening ceremony was attended by, among others, representatives of the University authorities and institutions supporting consumers in various areas of life.

‘We want this office to become an important element in the functioning of the local community: from the academic community, through the community of Gdańsk and the Tricity, to the entire Pomeranian Province,’ said Financial Ombudsman dr Michał Ziemiak during the ceremony. He also emphasised the idea of close cooperation between the Financial Ombudsman's Office and the academic community, not only in a scientific context. Minister Agnieszka Majewska, Ombudsman for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, also spoke about plans for cooperation.

In his speech, the representative of the University authorities, Vice-Rector for Development and Finance, dr hab. Paweł Antonowicz, prof. UG, appreciated the efforts of the Faculty of Law and Administration to open up the unit to the outside world: ‘The Office of the Regional Representative of the Financial Ombudsman is an example of openness to society. I wish you good luck and as little work as possible,’ he added.

The Dean of the Faculty of Law and Administration, dr hab. Wojciech Zalewski, prof. UG, appreciated above all the work and efforts of those who, after several years of effort, made the establishment of the office possible. These people included, above all, the staff of the Insurance Law Laboratory, headed by dr hab. Dorota Maśniak, prof. UG, as well as the Vice-Dean for Education at the Faculty of Law and Administration, dr hab. Małgorzata Balwicka-Szczyrba, prof. UG.

The function of Regional Representative of the Financial Ombudsman will be held by dr Paulina Wyszyńska-Ślufińska from the Department of Civil Law of the Faculty of Law and Administration at the University of Gdańsk, headed by Prof. Ewa Bagińska. According to the Financial Ombudsman, she has all the necessary competences to perform this role excellently.

‘I hope that we will be able to do what we are here to do: help,’ said dr Paulina Wyszyńska-Ślufińska. ‘Not only help by providing advice, but also educate and inform. I hope that with your help, we will succeed in all of this.’

The role of the Financial Ombudsman

Many people are unaware of the existence of the Financial Ombudsman. However, it plays a very important role: it helps citizens in disputes with financial market institutions. Regional offices are there to support these activities. They are therefore established in locations that are easily accessible to citizens. One of them (the third in Poland) was established at the University of Gdańsk. It will be available to residents of Pomerania.

‘By definition, the Financial Ombudsman should be close to citizens and help the weakest participants in the financial services market. This is why the Field Offices of the Financial Ombudsman are being established. The main aim is to support people who, for various reasons, would not use other forms of assistance, such as telephone or e-mail advice,’ says dr Michał Ziemiak.

‘Initial experience from the offices in Olsztyn and Lublin shows that over 50% of consultations provided by the Ombudsman's experts are given to people who come to the office,’ points out dr Paulina Wyszyńska-Ślufińska. ‘These are people who need to talk about their problem at length and then receive clear and concise explanations on what to do next.’

How does the Ombudsman (and his representatives) help?

• He provides legal arguments to support the client when they feel aggrieved by a financial institution (e.g. in situations where an insurer has wrongfully refused to pay compensation or has underestimated its amount).
• He helps in disputes with banks or loan companies.
• He helps victims of so-called unauthorised payment transactions.

As dr Michał Ziemiak emphasises, the fact that a financial institution has rejected a client's complaint does not mean that they cannot continue to fight for their rights. They can do so with the support of the Financial Ombudsman in so-called intervention proceedings. Another option may be to attempt an amicable resolution of the dispute with the Financial Ombudsman. It all depends on the type of case and the customer's preferences, and the representative can advise which procedure will be better in a given situation. Through the representative, it is also possible to submit a request for the procedure chosen by the customer. So if you are in any way wronged by financial institutions, it is worth remembering: ‘Start with the ombudsman!’.

It is no coincidence that the new Office of the Regional Representative of the Financial Ombudsman was established at the University of Gdańsk. The Dean of the Faculty of Law and Administration, prof. Wojciech Zalewski, notes: ‘We have been cooperating with the Financial Ombudsman's Office for years, both as a faculty and within individual departments, especially the Insurance Law Laboratory. It is worth highlighting the activities of prof. Dorota Maśniak and Dr Dawid Rogoziński. It is thanks to them that this cooperation has intensified.

The cooperation between the Faculty and the Financial Ombudsman covers many areas, both academic and practical. Its results include numerous conferences, seminars, as well as study trips and student internships at the Ombudsman's Office in Warsaw. The Dean of the Faculty of Law and Administration greatly appreciates this initiative of the Financial Ombudsman, not only the current one. ‘Students were provided with approximately 30 days' stay and accommodation in Warsaw, which was financed by the Ombudsman. For them, it was a fantastic adventure, also with law in action. They were able to get a behind-the-scenes look at the work of the Financial Ombudsman's Office and learn a lot by observing the work of outstanding specialists who really help people at the Ombudsman's Office.’

Office at the Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Gdańsk

According to the Dean of the Faculty of Law and Administration, the idea of opening the Office of the Regional Representative of the Financial Ombudsman at the Faculty of Law and Administration came about naturally: ‘Due to our long-standing cooperation, the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Gdańsk was a natural location for such an office in northern Poland. The academic space encourages communication. The location of the Office on the Faculty premises will also be an opportunity for our students interested in the activities of the Financial Ombudsman, who will have an excellent opportunity to do internships on site, without having to travel to Warsaw.’

‘It can be an interesting experience for students because we deal with very complex cases,’ says dr Paulina Wyszyńska-Ślufińska. ‘They require knowledge of law and finance, as well as a great deal of empathy towards people who have been harmed by the actions of a financial institution. It is very interesting work, because the cases that clients come to us with are often incredibly complex. It is also very satisfying, because in many cases we are able to help.’

Location and opening hours

The office of the Regional Representative of the Financial Ombudsman is located in Gdańsk, at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Gdańsk, at ul. Jana Bażyńskiego 6, room 1026.

Opening hours:

• Tuesday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Thursday 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
• Friday 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

As the demand for assistance grows, the availability of experts is expected to increase gradually. In addition to helping victims, the Office will also conduct information and education campaigns.

Who is the Regional Representative of the Financial Ombudsman?

Dr Paulina Wyszyńska-Ślufińska, legal advisor (solicitor).

She is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil Law at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Gdańsk. She graduated from the University of Gdańsk with a degree in law. She also studied at the Faculty of Law at the University of Sheffield (United Kingdom). She participated in summer law schools: at the University of Salzburg, as part of the Sommerschule Internationales Sportrecht und Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit programme, at the Jagiellonian University, International Business and Trade Law Programme in Cracow, Jagiellonian University and Catholic University of America. She was also a scholarship holder at the Max Planck Institute in Hamburg.

In 2015-2017, she completed her legal training, passing the professional examination. Since 2018, she has been the scientific secretary of ‘Wiadomości Ubezpieczeniowe’ (Insurance News). In 2021, she defended her doctoral dissertation entitled ‘Civil liability for damages suffered in connection with sports from a comparative law perspective’ with honours at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Gdańsk. Since 2025, she has been a member of the Civil Law Codification Commission's task force on the standardisation of compensation for personal injury.

She is the author of numerous domestic and international publications on civil law, tort law and insurance law.

This material was prepared in cooperation with the Education and Communication Department of the Financial Ombudsman's Office.