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14 January 2026
Issue: 8145 / Categories: Legal News , Regulatory , Legal services
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CEO appointed at legal super-regulator

Richard Orpin has been appointed chief executive officer (CEO) of the Legal Services Board (LSB), which oversees all nine legal regulators

Orpin, who joined the LSB in 2023, was appointed interim CEO in July 2025 when Craig Westwood left the post. He previously worked in policy roles at Ofcom and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, covering telecoms, postal services, media and domestic gambling policy.

Orpin said he aimed to strengthen standards and support ‘innovation that widens access to legal services’.

Law Society president Mark Evans said: ‘Following the oversight regulator’s independent reviews of the Axiom Ince and SSB Group collapses, the LSB has an important role to play into helping to restore consumer and solicitors’ trust and confidence in the Solicitors Regulation Authority.’

An LSB-commissioned review criticised the solicitors’ regulator last year for failing to protect consumers, the public interest and professional standards in connection with the collapsed firms.

Issue: 8145 / Categories: Legal News , Regulatory , Legal services
printer mail-details

MOVERS & SHAKERS

EIP—Stuart Malcolm

EIP—Stuart Malcolm

EIP strengthens Commercial practice with a new partner

Ellisons—Francesca Brown

Ellisons—Francesca Brown

Ellisons welcomes Francesca Brown to Family team

Shakespeare Martineau—Marie Bourke

Shakespeare Martineau—Marie Bourke

Shakespeare Martineau strengthens Sheffield regulatory practice with new hires

NEWS
A wide-ranging Civil Way column highlights developments from insolvency procedure to employment law, but one case stands out for its lessons on bankruptcy, family homes and digital communications
A sprawling Intellectual Property Office battle between House of Fraser and Frasers Property has delivered a masterclass in modern trade mark law
Courts in England and Wales and Singapore are increasingly confronting complex disputes over international child relocation as families become more globally mobile
The government’s long-awaited family law reform consultation could mark a turning point for domestic abuse victims navigating financial remedy proceedings, but significant challenges remain
A new commercial court pilot giving the public access to documents used in hearings, including expert reports, is raising difficult questions about transparency and privacy
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