19 August 2009 - LSB strenghtens team with new appointments from range of sectors

The Legal Services Board (LSB) has today announced three key appointments, taking another step towards becoming fully operational and preparing for the assumption of its full range of powers in early 2010.

Alex Roy, who will take up post as Research Manager, joins the organisation from the Association of British Insurers, where he currently leads on the insurance trade association’s Consumer Strategy. He will play a critical role in building links with academic and other researchers, providing the evidence-base for policy-making and ensuring a solid understanding of the full range of perspectives on issues before decisions are reached. Alex joins the organisation on 12 October.

Bolstering the capacity of the LSB’s consumer work, Steve Brooker will be joining the LSB as Consumer Panel Manager. Steve will provide policy and research support to the new Panel, which will be chaired by Dr Dianne Hayter. The Consumer Panel will comprise seven members representing a broad range of legal services user interests, including those of individual and business consumers. Steve, currently Head of Fair Markets at Consumer Focus where he produced their recent report on “Rating Regulators”, brings a demonstrable track record of putting consumer interests at the heart of policy making and was a member of the Ministry Of Justice’s Consumer Advisory Group during the passage of the Legal Services Bill. He joins the LSB on 5 October.

Leading the LSB’s communications function will be Media and Public Affairs Manager, Craig Jones, who joins the organisation from Lexington Communications, where he worked across a number of major public sector clients. A former Head of Public Affairs at the national children’s charity, 4Children, Craig, originally a barrister, was the 2008 winner of the Public Affairs News young professional of the year award.

Chris Kenny, LSB Chief Executive, said:

“Alex, Steve and Craig will bring a breadth of expertise and insights from the legal sector and beyond to the LSB. This demonstrates a clear statement of intent when it comes to developing our regulatory policy – we will look to apply experience and best practice from across a range of sectors in keeping consumer and public interest at the heart of implementing the Legal Services Act agenda”.

Notes for editors:

1. The Legal Services Act 2007 provides for the creation of the Legal Services Board as the oversight regulator for legal services in England and Wales. The legal profession currently consists of some 15,000 barristers, 108,000 solicitors and 14,000 individuals operating in other aspects of the legal profession such as conveyancing. The sector is currently valued at £23.34 billion per annum (all figures recorded in 2006).

2. Section 8 of the Act requires the LSB to establish a Consumer Panel to represent the interests of consumers. Appointments must be approved by the Lord Chancellor. Shortlisting is now underway for the members of the Panel and appointments are expected in late September.

3. Alex Roy, the LSB’s new Research Manager, joined the ABI in December 2002 as a Senior Economist responsible for leading economic and social research across the insurance industry. In recent years he has been responsible for leading the ABI’s work Consumer Strategy and its efforts to reform the distribution of investment products. Alex also led the ABI’s response to the FSA’s Retail Distribution Review developing proposals for reforms to remuneration and the professionalism of financial advice and new sales models. Before moving to the ABI Alex worked in a variety of economics roles in the UK civil service both in the Department for Education and Employment and the Inland Revenue.

4. Steve Brooker, the LSB Consumer Panel Manager, is currently Head of Fair Markets at Consumer Focus where he manages a policy and public affairs team working on a wide range of issues including financial services, the digital economy, consumer law and sustainable consumption. Prior to this, he led the National Consumer Council’s work on regulation policy, the legal services reform agenda and wider civil justice issues.

5. Craig Jones, LSB’s new Media and Public Affairs Manager, was called to the Bar in 2005, and completed a pupillage in 6 King's Bench Walk chambers and as part of the Government Legal Service. He then worked as Head of Public Affairs for a national children's charity, managing a £3m rolling campaign for Government investment to tackle social exclusion amongst young people. The campaign was declared Best Public Affairs Campaign at the International PR Association awards in 2008. Craig, who has also worked as a special adviser to the Rt Hon Harriet Harman MP, joins the LSB from Lexington Communications, where he worked with clients from across sectors. He was presented with the 2008 Public Affairs News award for young communications professional of the year.

6. For further information, please contact Craig Jones on craig.jones@legalservicesboard.org.uk or on 020 7271 0068 / 07956 226562