Legal Services Board
The Legal Services Consumer Panel (LSCP, ‘the Panel’) exists to represent the interest of consumers in the regulation of legal services.
The Legal Services Consumer Panel was created by the Legal Services Act 2007. The Panel is an independent arm of the Legal Services Board and is made up of eight lay members whose appointments were approved by the Lord Chancellor. 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.
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
LSCP is committed to increasing diversity and inclusion within the Panel as well as using its voice and platform to help make legal services more inclusive. This means reflecting critically on issues of diversity and inclusion within all that LSCP does, identifying and taking appropriate actions to reduce inequality.
We welcome applications from individuals who have the skills, experience and values we are seeking. We particularly encourage applications from different underrepresented demographics, including disability, ethnicity, heritage, gender, sexuality, religion, socio-economic background and other protected characteristics. We are committed to inclusive working practices.
If you require reasonable adjustments or would like to discuss what adjustments can be made, please contact [email protected], who would be delighted to discuss how we can support you.
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.
About the Role of an LSCP Member
The Consumer Panel meets as a group around five or six times a year. It works differently to trustee boards and some other public bodies. Members are not asked to act either as trustees or as traditional public sector non-executive directors but to contribute directly their experience, knowledge and understanding of the needs and experiences of both individual and small business consumers of legal services.
Each Panel member takes a leadership role on specific areas of the work programme, working closely with secretariat colleagues (2 FTEs). The time Panel members contribute in between actual Panel meetings is therefore extremely important and vital to enable us to make full use of the knowledge and experiences of our members.
As well as advice to the LSB, the Panel also seeks to influence the Legal Ombudsman, the regulators and representative bodies and the Government where appropriate.
We are seeking the appointment of three Members to the Legal Services Consumer Panel (LSCP). These vacancies have arisen as three Members have come to the end of their respective terms. Prior experience as a Non-Executive Director is not essential for any of the three roles.
In your supporting statements, please clearly demonstrate how you meet the following criteria for your chosen vacancy.
Vacancy 1 - Essential Criteria
Candidates will be expected to demonstrate the following competencies in their supporting statements:
- (Board/partner level), from a corporate setting (e.g. Fast-Moving Consumer Goods or Retail Consumer Research) or equivalent.
- 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.
Vacancy 1 – Desirable Criteria
- A deep understanding of central government operations would be of interest.
- The ability to balance operational expertise with strategic oversight
Vacancy 2 - Essential Criteria
Candidates will be expected to demonstrate the following competencies in their supporting statements:
- Strong commercial acumen with the ability to with the ability to constructively challenge people, systems and plans
- A generalist profile capable of synthesising diverse viewpoints and translating them into actionable strategic insights.
- Ability to think differently and challenge conventional approaches, contributing to dynamic problem-solving on the Panel.
- 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.
Vacancy 2 – Desirable Criteria
- Experience in macroeconomics or regulatory environments would be of interest.
- An awareness of AI and how technology is shaping regulation is useful.
- A background that includes a mix of commercial (private sector) operational, and strategic roles is highly desirable.
Vacancy 3 - Essential Criteria
Candidates will be expected to demonstrate the following competencies in their supporting statements:
- 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.
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
WIG is supporting LSCP with the recruitment process. To apply for this position, please provide the following:
- A detailed CV (maximum two sides) setting out your career history, with responsibilities and achievements.
- A Cover 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 collect and process personal data provided by job applicants in connection with the recruitment process. This will include your CV and Cover Letter. We will retain this data for up to 12 months, after which time it will be removed. Please note we will retain your contact details in order to make you aware of other opportunities until such time as you wish to be removed from our database.
- 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.
If you have any questions or would like to arrange a call to discuss the role, please contact Cezanne Ritchie-Hutchinson, Talent Manager, WIG,via email at [email protected].