Legal Services Consumer Panel Member

The Legal Services Consumer Panel (LSCP, ‘the Panel’) exists to represent the interest of consumers in the regulation of legal services.

The Panel was established by the Legal Services Board (LSB), the independent body responsible for overseeing the regulation of legal services in England and Wales, under the Legal Services Act 2007. As a permanent, discrete champion for consumers we have an essential responsibility to ensure that regulators are able to consider and act on the user perspective.

We provide high quality, evidenced-based advice to the LSB, in order to help them make decisions that are shaped around the needs of users. The Panel has a remit to represent the interests of the many different consumers of legal services, including small businesses and charities. Within this we have committed one of our work strands to prioritising the needs of more vulnerable groups of consumers. The Panel has legal powers to publish its advice and the LSB has a legal duty to explain its reasons when it disagrees with the advice that we publish.

LSCP’s Vision

Our vision is for a market where everyone can access high quality and affordable legal services that meet their needs:

• A competitive legal services market where consumers are empowered and have easy access to high quality legal advice at a fair price.
• All consumers have an equal access to legal services regardless of their personal circumstances.
• Regulatory bodies have processes enabling them to take decisions which are in the consumer interest.
• Consumers receive legal advice from a diverse and competent workforce.
• Consumer complaints are resolved fairly, quickly and cost-effectively.

The Panel has an advisory role and does not have decision-making responsibilities. The key activities of the Panel are:

• To help the LSB and the OLC to understand fully, and take account of, the interests of consumers in its policy development and decisions.
• To respond to relevant consultations as appropriate;
• To carry out and commission research, as agreed with the LSB, and gather other intelligence and evidence to understand the consumer experience of the legal services market;
• To provide the LSB and the OLC with feedback from a consumer perspective on the effectiveness of its policies and practices;
• To help the approved regulators develop their own approach to consumer engagement to inform their work;
• To speak out publicly on behalf of consumers as appropriate in order to positively influence outcomes for consumers of legal services; and
• To maintain an overview of developments in the legal services market, and related developments affecting consumers in other markets, in order to best deliver the activities listed above.

We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates with experience working in the wider justice sector, working with customers in receipt of front-line pro bono legal experience. Examples include but are not limited to, experience working within a third sector organisation or a charity. 

Essential Criteria: 

• Understanding of, and a deep-seated commitment to, promoting and protecting the interests of consumers and the wider community.
• Frontline experience or a deep comprehension of the needs of vulnerable and marginalised communities who do not have access to the legal system, without pro bono or subsidised support.
• Awareness of deficiencies or changes in the pattern of consumption of legal services.
• Proven commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• The ability to listen and challenge in a constructive manner, providing an objective and independent point of view.
• The ability to work as part of a team, working collaboratively and cooperatively.
• A highly developed ability to take account of different perspectives as part of a collegiate decision-making process and to take responsibility for decisions made.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills.

Ineligibility:

The Legal Services Act 2007 does specify some circumstances in which a candidate is not allowed to serve as a member of the Consumer Panel. This includes anyone who is:

• a member of the Legal Services Board or its staff;
• a member of the Office for Legal Complaints, an Ombudsman appointed by it or a member of its staff;
• a member of the governing body, or of the staff, of an approved regulator;
• an authorised person in relation to an activity which is a reserved legal activity;
• a person authorised, by a person designated under section 5(1) of the Compensation Act 2006 (c.29), to provide services which are regulated claims management services (within the meaning of that Act);
• an Advocate of Scotland;
• a solicitor in Scotland;
• a member of the Bar in Northern Ireland; or a solicitor of the Court of Judicature of Northern Ireland.

To apply for this position, please submit the following via email to [email protected]:

• A detailed CV (maximum two sides) setting out your career history, with responsibilities and achievements.
• A covering letter (maximum two sides) highlighting your suitability for the role and how you meet the essential criteria in the person specification.
• Details of any perceived or potential conflicts of interest and how you would propose to mitigate them.
• Diversity monitoring form – A hard copy can be downloaded from this vacancy page and can be submitted alongside your CV and Cover Letter via email to [email protected]. Your data will be stored separately from your application and will at no time be connected to you or your application.
• We are committed to ensuring that all candidates can participate in the application process fairly. Should you require any reasonable adjustments or arrangements, please include this information in your application. Alternatively, please contact [email protected] for further information on how we can support you throughout the recruitment process.

For a private and confidential discussion about the role, please contact Cezanne Ritchie-Hutchinson, Talent Manager at [email protected] or [email protected]