The Legal Services Board (LSB) today announced that Elisabeth Davies has been re-appointed as Chair of the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC) for a second term of office. She will serve three years from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2026.
Dr Helen Phillips, Chair of the Legal Services Board, said:
‘I am confident that Elisabeth’s continued leadership and commitment will be significant in helping to ensure that the performance of LeO continues to improve and that the OLC plays its full part in shaping consumer redress fit for the future.’
Elisabeth Davies said:
‘LeO is now on the path to a sustainable level of good performance and one which meets the needs and expectations of its customers. This reappointment is so welcome because it gives me the chance to continue to work alongside the OLC Board, the Chief Ombudsman and LeO’s people as we move through this recovery phase. There is still a long way to go. I am realistic about the challenges ahead, not least in the face of inflationary pressures, and I do not have an ounce of complacency. But LeO’s willingness to change, the progress it has made, and the openness with which it has worked, are already making a profound difference.’
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has also today announced the reappointments of Paul Crook, Lisa Davis and Liz Owen for second terms of office of three years from 1 April 2023 as members of the Legal Services Consumer Panel (LSCP).
-ENDS
Notes to editors
- The OLC Chair commits approximately 60 days a year to their work on the OLC Board, for which an annual fee of £52,500 is paid.
- LSCP members commit approximately 15 days a year to their work on the Panel, for which an annual fee of £4,500 is paid.
- All these re-appointments have been approved by the Lord Chancellor, on the recommendation of the LSB Board.
About Elisabeth Davies
Elisabeth Davies was first appointed Chair of the OLC in April 2020. She has extensive experience working across both charitable and public sectors, where she has specialised in the areas of dispute resolution and consumer protection. Elisabeth also holds a number of professional roles across organisations. She is the Chair of the Assurance and Appointments Committee of the General Pharmaceutical Council and a member of the Civil Justice Council, which advises the Lord Chancellor, the Judiciary and the Civil Procedure Rule Committee on civil justice matters.
Alongside this, Elisabeth is the Chair of the Prisoners’ Education Trust. This organisation works across every prison in England and Wales to help prisoners achieve their potential through learning.
Elisabeth is also the former Deputy Chair of Support Through Court, which assists people going through the court process without legal representation. Previously, Elisabeth was the Senior Independent Director and Chair of the Quality Committee at the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. She also served as a former Chair of the Legal Services Consumer Panel, where she ensured regulators were able to consider and act on the user perspective.
About Paul Crook
Paul Crook has a long and successful background in business/digital transformation and strategy consulting. His most recent activity has included senior executive roles at Amazon Web Services, DXC/HP Enterprise Services, IBM, Fujitsu Services and as a full equity Partner at Accenture. Previous to this he held consultancy roles at Gemini Consulting and PA Consulting, following his first career in the diplomatic service. Paul holds an MBA in Marketing and professional diplomas in Marketing and Market Research, has worked with consumer panels at the Consumers’ Association and has extensive professional experience advising on customer services.
About Lisa Davis
Lisa Davis is a former barrister with 18 years’ experience in strategic leadership, provision of quality legal advice and the development and implementation of process improvements. She is currently Chief Executive of Citizens Advice Epsom & Ewell. Prior to this she was Director of Fitness to Practise at the General Optical Council, headed the Case Progression Team at the General Pharmaceutical Council and was Prosecutions Lawyer for the London Borough of Hillingdon. She has also previously sat as a Business & Civic Commissioner on the East Surrey Poverty Truth Commission. Lisa’s legal background commenced in Chambers in Chancery Lane where her practice spanned criminal, civil, family and immigration law. In addition to her Bachelor’s degree in Law, Lisa holds a Master’s degree in Corporate & Commercial Law from the University of London.
About Liz Owen
Liz Owen has over twenty-five years of private sector research consultancy and public sector experience. She is currently Deputy Director of Registration and Franchise at the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Prior to this, her executive roles have included: Director of Intelligence, Director of Policy and Strategy and Head of Surveys and Qualitative Intelligence at the Care Quality Commission; Director, Customer Insight at DECC; Deputy Head of Qualitative Research at Synovate (now part of Ipsos Mori), and Research Director at Opinion Leader. Liz is also a volunteer at The Listening Place, a mental health charity and a trustee at Shift (a charity that uses behaviour change techniques to design consumer products to solve social problems).