Since the Board last met in November, the LSB team has made strong progress across several key areas of our work. Our February meeting therefore covered a wide range of issues that are central to how we make sure that legal services regulation can protect consumers and support the public interest. SRA: public censure and…
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has today issued a formal public censure against the solicitors’ regulator, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). This follows the regulator’s failure to protect consumers affected by the collapse of Sheffield-based law firm SSB Group Limited (SSB). SSB specialised in so-called ‘no win, no fee’ cases – a type of legal…
Read Solicitors’ regulator censured over failures to protect SSB Law consumers
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has announced Richard Blakeway as its preferred candidate for the post of Chair of the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC) after an open competition. The OLC is the Board of the Legal Ombudsman for England and Wales. The LSB’s recommendation has been approved by the Minister of State for Justice,…
Read LSB announces preferred candidate for the Chair of the Office for Legal Complaints
The Legal Services Board (LSB) is pleased to be participating in the Ministry of Justice’s Public Bodies Review. All arms-length bodies of Government are subject to periodic review, with the LSB last being reviewed in 2017. We welcome this opportunity to reflect on the positive impact of our work, our role supporting independent legal services regulation, and areas where we…
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has today published an interim report setting out initial findings from its review of the advice and guidance that regulators have given to the profession on the conduct of litigation. The report identifies differences in how regulators have interpreted and communicated requirements around the conduct of litigation. It is intended to support regulators to improve clarity, consistency, and collaboration across all relevant aspects of their…
The Legal Services Board (LSB) today announces that Richard Orpin has been appointed its Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The Board appointed Richard following an open recruitment process. Richard joined the LSB in 2023 as Director, Regulation and Policy, and has nearly 20 years’ experience in regulation and in government. Commenting on the appointment, Catherine Brown, Interim Chair of the Legal Services…
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has today launched a consultation on its draft business plan and budget for 2026/27. Alongside this, it has published a report on the sector’s progress against the Reshaping Legal Services strategy. Business plan 2026/27 The draft business plan proposes that the LSB implement its revised approach to oversight regulation. This will involve the LSB focussing its resources on regulators that underperform and reducing burdens on those performing well. Meanwhile, the…
Read LSB outlines plans as report shows legal sector’s progress – and challenges
This month’s Board meeting coincided with the launch of our consultation on encouraging a diverse legal profession. At the heart of this consultation is a simple but powerful principle: the legal profession should better reflect the society it serves. Greater diversity brings many advantages, not just for fairness, but also for improving the quality, reach,…
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has shared new proposals that aim to support equality and diversity in the legal profession and is inviting feedback from across the sector. Despite some progress, the legal profession does not represent the people it serves. Many groups still face barriers to entering the profession and developing their careers in legal services. Women, minoritised ethnic groups and disabled people, for example, remain significantly underrepresented at senior levels across parts of the…
Read LSB publishes plans to tackle barriers to a more diverse legal services profession
The Legal Services Board (LSB) welcomes the publication of the House of Lords Constitution Committee’s report on the rule of law in the UK. We are pleased that the Committee has drawn on the evidence we submitted, including material from our Professional Ethics and Rule of Law (PERL) programme. The Committee’s highlighting of this evidence…
Read LSB statement on the House of Lords Constitution Committee’s report on the rule of law
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has approved an application from CILEx Regulation Limited (CRL) to allow legal executives to obtain standalone litigation practice rights. This decision is an important step towards ensuring that legal professionals impacted by the Mazur judgment can obtain the relevant authorisation practice rights in a timely manner. It will also allow others…
Read CILEx Regulation Limited’s application for stand-alone litigation rights
Our October 2025 Board meeting took place at a time of significant reflection for the legal sector. The findings of an independent review into the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA’s) regulation of SSB Group and the High Court’s Mazur judgment provided the context. These events have prompted the Board to consider how we better protect the…
© Copyright 2026 The Legal Services Board | Website managed by Etempa Web Soltuions