This is my final blog from my time as interim Chair of the LSB, and I would like to begin by saying what a privilege it was to serve in the role during a period of such significant activity for the sector. I am grateful to Board and executive colleagues for their support, challenge, and commitment to improving legal services in the public interest.
Monisha Shah has now taken up the role of Chair, following her appointment by the Ministry of Justice. I have every confidence that Monisha will bring strong leadership and valuable experience to the role at an important time for the LSB, and I look forward to working with her.
I would also like to express the Board’s thanks to Flora Page KC, who has stepped down from the Board. Among other things, Flora was the Board lead for the LSB’s ethics programme, to which she brought important insights from her advocacy in the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry.
LSB pushes for stronger legal ethics
Not in our most recent meeting, but back in February the Board approved the LSB’s final statement of policy on “Upholding professional ethics.” This has since been published.
The changes that we are introducing aim to strengthen how legal professionals understand and uphold their ethical duties. They aim to improve consistency across regulators and help ensure that ethical practice is emphasised, expected, and supported at all levels of the profession.
We have shared a range of materials about the statement of policy and how it has been formulated, but a good place to start is the one-page summary below.
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LSB business plan 2026/27
At our March meeting, the Board reviewed the business plan for 2026/27, revised following a constructive consultation with stakeholders across the sector.
We were pleased to see broad support for our four strategic objectives and policy priorities. We agreed a number of refinements to strengthen the clarity of our risk-based oversight approach, our work on consumer protection and access to justice, and our plans in relation to technology and innovation.
The Board approved the final plan, which is now available. We also agreed a budget of £5,812k, a small increase on last year’s budget, reflecting feedback from our consultation as well as recent developments that demonstrate the need for stronger regulatory oversight. We will submit this budget for the Lord Chancellor’s approval.
OLC budget 2026/27
In relation to the Board’s role in approving the annual budget of the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC), we were joined in the meeting by Phil Cain, the new Chief Ombudsman, and Elisabeth Davies and Richard Blakeway, the outgoing and incoming OLC Chairs respectively.
The Board was pleased to meet Phil and Richard, and to place on record its thanks to Elisabeth for her leadership of the OLC over recent years, including through a period of sustained operational pressure and considerable improvement.
The Board considered the OLC’s final budget proposals for 2026/27, against a backdrop of continued rapid growth in demand for the Legal Ombudsman (LeO)’s services. We agreed to approve a 6.5% budget uplift, while emphasising the importance of demonstrating value for money as the current operating model undergoes transformation.
The Board also recognised the importance of progressing LeO’s Scheme Transformation Review. We agreed to approve funding to initiate the discovery phase, on the basis that further assurance on the value for money and likely effectiveness of the approach will be provided before subsequent phases proceed. This approach will allow essential transformation work to begin, while ensuring robust oversight of future investment.
Catherine Brown
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