Non-Lay Member

Those who use legal services do so at some of life’s most significant milestones, whether embarking on a fresh chapter in a newly purchased home, ending relationships, or seeking redress for a personal injury. The Office for Legal Complaints (OLC), an arm’s length body of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), overseen by the Legal Services Board (LSB), administers an independent ombudsman scheme to resolve complaints by consumers about legal services - the scheme is known as the Legal Ombudsman (LeO). Something somewhere has gone wrong when people contact the Legal Ombudsman. The people who use the scheme have experienced disappointment and possibly distress when accessing legal services and attempts to resolve the matter with the legal services provider have failed. It is incumbent on the Legal Ombudsman to apply effort, energy, and focus to deliver the highest-quality service, in reasonable timeframes, professionally and with transparency.

The Legal Ombudsman is independent and impartial. The service is free to consumers and costs are recovered from legal service providers.

The Legal Service Board (LSB) and the OLC were established under the Legal Services Act 2007. The relationship between OLC, LSB and MoJ is a complex one in public sector governance terms. The Board of the OLC (Chair and Members) is appointed by and accountable to the LSB, which can set performance targets, and which approves its annual budget. There are further accountabilities to the MoJ.

The OLC currently comprises five lay and two non-lay members and a lay Chair. The Legal Ombudsman service has over 250 staff and a budget of £17.95m for 2024/25. The OLC’s costs are met by a combination of a levy paid by approved regulators and case fees charged to legal services providers.

Working with the approved regulators - and with the OLC - the LSB is responsible for ensuring that the highest standards of competence, conduct and service in the legal profession are maintained for the benefit of individual consumers and the public generally.

We are seeking a Non-Lay Member (a legal professional or legally qualified individual) to join the OLC Board. The OLC celebrates diversity and is constantly seeking fresh perspectives. We must reflect the diverse range of individuals and groups whose lives the Ombudsman service touches. This is a rare opportunity to become involved in the work of the OLC, as we embark on an ambitious new chapter you will help steer the Legal Ombudsman’s strategic direction, provide robust governance, and safeguard the Ombudsman’s independence on legal services complaints. Your expertise will be invaluable as we embrace this new era of strategic focus and organisational excellence.

As a Member reporting to the Chair of the OLC Board, you will work with the Chair and other members of the OLC Board to set the strategic direction of the Legal Ombudsman scheme and drive performance, provide strong governance, and safeguard the independence of the scheme in relation to decisions on complaints about legal services.

You will help the Legal Ombudsman scheme improve performance and provide the valuable information it holds to regulators, consumers, and legal services providers in ways they find most helpful. This reflects the important role that the Legal Ombudsman scheme plays in underpinning consumer confidence.

You will also need to be aware of the opportunities and challenges of the changing market for legal services – and the implications of the changing nature of regulation.

As a Member of the OLC Board, you will have an individual and collective responsibility to:

• Ensure high performance and an excellent level of service in the administration of the Legal Ombudsman scheme, having regard to the generally accepted principles of good practice in the administration of such schemes;
• Ensure high performance and an excellent level of service in the handling of complaints;
• Support the OLC Chair in providing strategic direction to the Legal Ombudsman scheme;
• Ensure that the OLC and the Legal Ombudsman scheme are organised and managed in a way that is as far as practicable compatible with the regulatory objectives set out in the Legal Services Act 2007;
• Work effectively with the Chief Ombudsman to ensure adherence to the principles of good governance and that proper accounts are kept;
• Ensure compliance with relevant general guidelines laid down by the government relating to all non-departmental government bodies; and,
• Ensure positive relationships are maintained with OLC’s stakeholders.

The OLC is looking to recruit a Non-Lay Board Member to support the diversity of skills on its Board.

To be a Non-Lay Member you must be or have been at any time an authorised person in relation to an activity which is a reserved legal activity under the Legal Services Act 2007.

Typically, this would mean a: barrister; solicitor; public notary; licensed conveyancer; chartered legal executive; registered patent attorney; registered trademark attorney; costs lawyer; or someone granted a right of audience or right to conduct litigation. A Non-Lay Member can be non-practicing.

Essential Criteria

• Experience as a legally qualified practitioner.
• A commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion, with demonstrable evidence of championing EDI.
• An understanding of real or perceived barriers to accessing public services; awareness of different accessibility needs.
• A strong consumer focus.
• An understanding of the public sector landscape, specifically the role and limitations of regulators.
• An understanding of the role of a Board Member in a public sector organisation.
• A supportive team player with an approachable style, and excellent communication, influencing and relationship management skills.
• Ability to constructively challenge and the ability to establish collaborative relationships.
• A personal commitment to the continuous improvement of professional standards.
• A commitment to high ethical standards of integrity and honesty and the Seven Principles of Public Life.

 Desirable Criteria

Prior Board Governance experience is desirable but not essential.

Term of office: OLC Board Members are appointed for an initial term which is between 2 and 4 years. (The period for which a member is appointed must not exceed 5 years). As Board Members can be re-appointed only once, the maximum number of years a Member can serve is 10 years.

OLC Board members are subject to an annual appraisal which is conducted by the Chair.

Time Commitment: The time commitment for an OLC Board Member is estimated at a minimum of 2 days a month across the period of appointment.

Location: The Legal Ombudsman has offices in Birmingham and Cardiff. Board meetings are held mostly in person at the Birmingham office, but the OLC does offer flexible meeting options.

Remuneration: The annual remuneration is £10,000. The appointee will be eligible for travel and subsistence costs necessarily incurred on OLC business at rates set centrally by the LSB. As the LSB employs and pays OLC Members its expenses policy applies to claims by the OLC Chair and Members.

Conflicts of Interest: All candidates will be asked to disclose any actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest, including political activity, and these will be discussed with the candidate to establish whether and what action is needed to avoid a conflict or the perception of a conflict.

Standards in public life: Each Board Member must ensure that during the period of their tenure they are committed to and conduct themselves in accordance with Nolan’s seven principles of public life.

To apply for this position please provide:

• A detailed CV 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.
• Details of two professional referees together with a brief statement of their relationship to you and over what period of time they have known you (referees will not be contacted without your prior consent).
• The selected candidate will be subjected to a Post-Appointment vetting process which will be administered by the Ministry of Justice.
• Diversity monitoring form – A hard copy can be downloaded from the download block on this page and can be submitted alongside your CV and Cover Letter via email to [email protected]. If you are applying via The Whitehall & Industry Group’s website, you do not need to download and complete the attached diversity monitoring form (you will be prompted to complete an online form). 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. 

Please submit your application via this page or via email to [email protected] by 17:00 on the 17th June 2024.