MoJ announces review of Legal Services Board nearly two decades after reform
The government has announced a formal review of the Legal Services Board (LSB), opening a fresh examination of the oversight regulator’s effectiveness nearly two decades after the introduction of the current legal services regulatory framework. The LSB has responded by welcoming the process, describing it as an opportunity to demonstrate the continuing importance of independent regulation in maintaining public confidence in legal services.
In a written ministerial statement to Parliament, the Ministry of Justice confirmed that the review forms part of the government’s wider programme of assessing public bodies to ensure their functions remain necessary, proportionate and capable of delivering value for money. The exercise will examine whether the LSB’s current role, governance arrangements and strategic objectives remain appropriate in a legal market that has changed significantly since the Legal Services Act 2007 established the present oversight structure.
The review will consider how effectively the LSB performs its statutory role supervising frontline regulators, including the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Bar Standards Board, and whether the existing model continues to support the regulatory objectives set out in legislation. These include protecting and promoting the public interest, supporting access to justice and maintaining confidence in legal services.
The Ministry of Justice has appointed Richard Lloyd, chair of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, to lead the review and provide independent analysis of the Legal Services Board’s effectiveness and its future role within the legal services regulatory framework.
Announcing the review, the government emphasised that independence from government remains a fundamental principle of legal services regulation. Ministers indicated that the assessment is intended to ensure that oversight regulation continues to operate efficiently without undermining the independence that underpins the rule of law and public trust in the legal system.
In its response, the LSB said it welcomed the opportunity to engage with the review and to demonstrate the value of independent oversight. The regulator pointed to its work monitoring the performance of approved regulators, promoting regulatory improvements and ensuring that regulation operates in the interests of consumers as well as the profession. It said that oversight regulation plays an important role in maintaining consistency and accountability across a diverse legal sector.
The review comes at a time when the legal services market is experiencing sustained change, including technological development, evolving business models and growing expectations around transparency and consumer protection. Against that backdrop, the LSB said effective oversight remains essential to ensuring that regulation keeps pace with market developments while maintaining professional standards.
A call for evidence has been launched as part of the process, inviting views from regulators, representative bodies, practitioners and consumers on the LSB’s effectiveness and future role. The review will also examine the relationship between the LSB and the Ministry of Justice, including whether existing arrangements remain clear and efficient.
Although public bodies reviews do not necessarily lead to structural reform, their conclusions can influence future policy direction, including changes to remit, governance or operational priorities. The outcome will therefore be closely watched across the legal sector, particularly by regulators and professional bodies with a direct interest in the balance between oversight and regulatory independence.
For the LSB, the review represents both scrutiny and opportunity. While the process will test whether the current oversight framework continues to meet modern expectations, it also allows the regulator to set out how its work contributes to consumer protection, market confidence and the long-term stability of legal services regulation in England and Wales.
As the review progresses, the debate is likely to focus on how best to maintain effective and independent regulation while ensuring that the system remains proportionate, efficient and responsive to the changing needs of legal service users.