News
The inaugural head of the Legal Services Board (LSB) will not be a lawyer.
Members of the legal profession are barred from applying for the £63,000-a-year post, after consumer organisations convinced the government that an internal appointment could lead to conflicts of interest.
Bar Council chairman Geoffrey Vos QC says he would have preferred a situation where the best candidate, lawyer or non-lawyer, was appointed.
However, he accepts that the decision will not damage the operation of the new regulatory structure, provided the person appointed has the “necessary experience and objectivity” to command the respect and confidence of the public and the legal profession.
The part-time appointment, which marks the end of self-regulation of the legal profession, also involves overseeing the creation of the Office for Legal Complaints.
The new recruit will have to ensure that the LSB is seen as fair and transparent and Vos believes that a non-lawyer is ideally placed to ensure that this occurs.
“A distinguished non-lawyer will be able to lead the new board effectively, and ensure that it acts as the light touch oversight regulator that the legislation intends it to be,” he says.
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