About Legal services board
The Legal Services Board: Regulating Legal Services in England and Wales
The Legal Services Board (LSB) is an independent regulatory body that oversees the legal services industry in England and Wales. Established under the Legal Services Act 2007, the LSB's primary role is to ensure that legal services are provided in a way that protects consumers' interests, promotes competition, and upholds professional standards.
As an independent regulator, the LSB operates at arm's length from government. This means that it has the freedom to make decisions based on evidence and analysis rather than political considerations. The LSB is accountable to Parliament for its performance but has operational independence.
The LSB's remit covers a wide range of legal services providers, including solicitors, barristers, licensed conveyancers, notaries public, patent attorneys, trade mark attorneys and other professionals who provide legal advice or representation. It also regulates alternative business structures (ABSs), which are entities that provide both legal and non-legal services.
One of the key functions of the LSB is to approve regulators for each sector of the legal profession. These regulators are responsible for setting standards for education and training; ensuring compliance with professional rules; handling complaints against lawyers; and taking disciplinary action where necessary.
The approved regulators include:
- The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)
- The Bar Standards Board (BSB)
- CILEx Regulation
- Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC)
- Intellectual Property Regulation Board (IPReg)
In addition to approving regulators, the LSB also sets regulatory objectives for them to achieve. These objectives include promoting access to justice; protecting consumers' interests; promoting competition; encouraging an independent legal profession; increasing public understanding of citizens' rights and duties under law; promoting diversity in access to justice; reducing any unnecessary regulatory burdens on those regulated by approved regulators.
To achieve these objectives effectively requires close collaboration between all stakeholders involved in delivering legal services - including regulators, lawyers, consumers and the wider public. The LSB works closely with these stakeholders to ensure that its regulatory approach is informed by their views and experiences.
The LSB also has a duty to promote innovation in the legal services sector. This means encouraging new ways of delivering legal services that are more accessible, affordable and efficient for consumers. It also means promoting diversity in the profession so that it better reflects the communities it serves.
In conclusion, the Legal Services Board plays a vital role in regulating legal services in England and Wales. Its independence from government ensures that it can make decisions based on evidence rather than political considerations. By setting regulatory objectives for approved regulators and promoting innovation in the sector, the LSB is helping to ensure that legal services are delivered in a way that protects consumers' interests, promotes competition and upholds professional standards.
legalservicesboard.org.uk
