LSB selects Richard Blakeway as the preferred candidate to Chair the OLC
The Legal Services Board has announced Richard Blakeway as its preferred candidate for Chair of the Office for Legal Complaints.
The recommendation has been approved by the Minister of State for Justice, Sarah Sackman KC MP. Mr Blakeway will now appear before the Justice Select Committee for pre-appointment scrutiny in March 2026. Subject to the Committee’s approval, he will take up the role on 1 April 2026.
He is set to succeed Elisabeth Davies, whose second term as Chair concludes on 31 March 2026. Elisabeth Davies has served two terms in the post, from 1 March 2020 to 31 March 2023 and from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2026.
The Office for Legal Complaints oversees the work of the Legal Ombudsman for England and Wales. The Legal Ombudsman scheme was established under the Legal Services Act 2007. The Act also created the Legal Services Board, which oversees the regulation of the legal profession in England and Wales. Both bodies operate as arm ’s-length bodies of the Ministry of Justice.
Mr Blakeway was appointed Housing Ombudsman in 2019. In that role, he has led changes to the service following the events at Grenfell Tower, including an expansion of its role and powers as part of wider regulatory reform. The Housing Ombudsman has investigated housing hazards, including damp and mould, and introduced a statutory Complaint Handling Code aimed at improving standards across the sector. The service has also increased transparency by publishing casework data and decisions.
Before becoming Housing Ombudsman, Mr Blakeway chaired the Homes for London board and served as Deputy Mayor for Housing after investment and land regeneration powers were devolved to the Greater London Authority. During that period, he oversaw the delivery of new affordable housing and the redevelopment of around 600 hectares of public land for homes, workspace and schools. He also chaired a board bringing together councils, charities and public services to address rough sleeping, including annual investment in hostels and outreach services.
Mr Blakeway is a former chair of the Ombudsman Association and has acted as an election observer in Somaliland and Ukraine. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and sits on the Administrative Justice Council. He has also served as an adviser in the Number 10 Policy Unit and currently sits on the board of The British Library.
If confirmed, he will assume responsibility for leading the board that oversees complaint handling for lawyers in England and Wales.