It is a pleasure to write my first blog as Chair of the LSB, following my appointment by the Ministry of Justice on 1 April.
It immediately became clear that I have joined an organisation operating at high speed and across a range of important issues. This was reflected in the discussions at our April Board meeting.
Strengthening our oversight of the SRA
An important item for our consideration was the performance of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) with just one month until the deadline for compliance with the Directions arising from the Axiom Ince collapse. The Board agreed that further independent assurance is necessary, so we have asked the SRA to commission an external audit to assess its compliance with those Directions, with findings to be reported to us by the end of June.
We also considered the failure of PM Law. Taken together with Axiom Ince, the estimated loss of client money is now around £100 million. While the SRA has commissioned its own independent review into its handling of PM Law, the Board’s concern extends beyond these individual cases to the wider risk of similar failures occurring again, and the urgent need to strengthen protections for consumers.
In response, we agreed a programme of closer scrutiny and oversight. This will include the use of our formal information-gathering powers to require the SRA to demonstrate how it is identifying, supervising and mitigating risks posed by higher-risk firms.
More on the steps we are taking to protect consumers and maintain confidence in legal services can be found in our recent statement.
LSCP work programme 2026/27
Like the LSB, the Legal Services Consumer Panel (LSCP) was established by the Legal Services Act 2007. Its statutory role is to represent the interests of consumers of legal services and to provide advice to the Board to help us make decisions shaped around the needs of users.
The LSCP is independent of the LSB, though we are responsible for maintaining the panel, including providing its budget. The LSB’s Chief Executive is accountable for that expenditure. That’s why it’s important for our Board to discuss the LSCP’s proposed work programme as part of our governance responsibilities.
In the LSCP’s programme for 2026/27, we were pleased to see various synergies with our own current priorities, in particular a focus on innovation, consumer protection and redress. Acknowledging the broad scope of issues in the LSCP’s sights, and to make sure we can benefit from that work, we sought clarity from the LSCP on three areas before we endorse its programme. These are: how LSCP intelligence could be better harnessed by us and the frontline regulators; what outcomes the LSCP is seeking and how it will measure those; and what evidence the LSCP considers when reflecting on its contribution to the wider regulatory system.
Learning from practitioners in Swansea
Prior to the meeting, I had the pleasure of joining LSB colleagues on a visit to Swansea to hear from practitioners about the issues facing legal services in South Wales. We had a series of fascinating discussions and the insights gained will help to inform our work to reshape legal services to better meet society’s needs. I would like to thank all those who generously shared their time and experiences.
My remarks and our broader reflections from the event are both available on our microsite.
I look forward to meeting more people from across England and Wales, to help regulation deliver fairer outcomes, stronger confidence, and better services.
Monisha Shah
Chair, LSB
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