At his appearance before the Justice Select Committee on 15 July, the Lord Chancellor indicated that there would be a review of the Legal Services Act 2007 during this Parliament.  It is therefore perhaps timely that, as part of the follow-up to the Ministerial summit called by his predecessor a year earlier, the regulators had already been working together on a number of issues that could improve the lot of both regulator and regulated, and contribute to any such review.

For present purposes, the most relevant of the work done is the exploration of legislative options for reforming the Act.  The Legal Services Board has now published the paper that results from cross-regulator discussions held between January and May, and which it was my privilege to chair.  The paper has already been shared with Ministers, and is intended to frame and inform further debate about reform of the Act.   Continue reading →