The Legal Services Board (LSB) of England and Wales has proposed a new draft business plan for 2025/26, aiming to address systemic challenges in the legal sector and advance its ten-year strategy for delivering fairer outcomes, stronger confidence, and better services. This plan builds on previous initiatives while targeting new priorities to enhance regulation and consumer protection.
The draft plan focuses on strengthening regulatory oversight to improve the performance of approved regulators. This includes monitoring compliance with policies on consumer empowerment, technology use, and disciplinary processes, as well as ensuring transparency and accountability in regulatory practices. Statutory decision-making will continue to encompass approvals for regulatory changes, practicing certificate fees, and budgets for oversight bodies like the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC).
Five key policy areas have been prioritized to tackle ongoing challenges:
- Professional Ethics and the Rule of Law: Promoting ethical standards and trust in the legal profession.
- Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI): Addressing barriers to diversity and creating a more inclusive legal sector.
- Access to Justice: Enhancing access to legal services and exploring alternative funding models.
- Disciplinary and Enforcement Practices: Ensuring consistent, transparent, and effective enforcement processes.
- Consumer Protection: Mitigating risks arising from market changes, including AI adoption and unregulated legal services.
The plan also emphasizes research and evidence-based policymaking, with projects addressing unmet legal needs, consumer behavior, and market trends. A proposed 14% budget increase supports additional resources for legal reviews, technological upgrades, and operational efficiencies.
Stakeholders are invited to provide feedback on the draft plan by 3 February 2025, with consultations and events designed to refine the final proposals. This collaborative approach ensures the plan aligns with sector needs and promotes trust and excellence in legal services delivery.