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Appointment details

Legal Services Board Non-Lay Member

Summary

• Organisation: Legal Services Board
• Sponsor department: Ministry of Justice
• Location: London
• Sectors: Public Administration
• Skills: Regulation
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 30 day(s) per annum
• Remuneration: £15000 per annum
• Length of term: Four years
• Application deadline: 11am on 26 September 2022

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   15 August 2022

2. Application deadline

   11am on 26 September 2022

3. Sifting date

   27 October 2022

4. Interviews expected to end on

   17 January 2023

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction

Dear Candidate,

Thank you for your interest in becoming a member of the Legal Services Board (LSB).

We are the independent body that oversees the regulation of the legal profession in England and Wales. This large, complex and critical sector employs around 155,000 solicitors, 16,900 barristers, 7,000 chartered legal executives and 6,700 other legal professionals. 

In March 2021, we published a sector-wide strategy for legal services, putting the public and consumers at the centre of regulation. The golden thread is the need to reshape legal services to better meet society’s needs. We have identified a series of key challenges that need to be overcome to do this, such as reducing the significant levels of unmet legal need, improving diversity at all levels so that the sector is better equipped to represent the society it serves, and supporting innovation in service design and technology to improve access to justice.

The challenges are deep-rooted, but through sector-wider collaboration, we will create a strong and resilient profession. Consumers will then find it easier to shop around for legal advice and reward firms that offer high-quality, transparent, and affordable services. By working with others, we will encourage growth and competition, increase professionalism, remove barriers to justice, and enhance the reputation of legal services in England and Wales.

Do you have the skills, energy and determination needed to ensure we achieve our vision?

We are looking for a practising legal professional or a legally qualified professional who can combine their knowledge from working in the legal services sector with a real passion for both the consumer and public interest. If you can draw on the experiences of your day job to help identify concrete steps that produce better outcomes for consumers and people who need legal services through effective, independent oversight regulation, then we want to hear from you.

It is essential that our members are drawn from a range of diverse backgrounds and interests and we particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups.

I took up the post of Chair of the LSB in June 2018. I had previously been the Interim Chair, and a lay member of the Board since 2015. I have been struck by the wealth of knowledge and experience within my fellow Board members and executive colleagues, as well as their deep commitment to the vital task at hand. If appointed, you will be joining an effective and highly-regarded team, from a range of professional backgrounds, linked by a determination to positively shape the future of legal services regulation in England and Wales in support of the regulatory objectives set out in the Legal Services Act 2007.

If you have further questions about this post, you are welcome to contact Holly Perry, Director, Enabling Services at the LSB holly.perry@legalservicesboard.org.uk 

If you have questions about the appointment process, you can contact the Public Appointments Team: PublicAppointmentsTeam@justice.gov.uk, quoting reference number PAT160064.

If you believe you have the experience and qualities we are seeking, I hope that you will consider applying for this important position.

Dr Helen Phillips

Chair, Legal Services Board 

Appointment description

As a member of the LSB you will be accountable to the Chair. Key responsibilities will include:

·    Working with the Chair and other Board members to give the LSB strategic and policy direction, for the LSB and across the sector, ensuring that the LSB has the necessary resources and that these resources are suitably allocated.

·       Providing strategic input into decisions around the policy and operational remit, organisational design, internal policies and procedures of the LSB.

·       Ensuring that the LSB adheres to the principles of better regulation and continues to fulfil its statutory duties. This will include:

Approval and recognition – The LSB is responsible for considering a range of applications from both existing approved regulators and those seeking to regulate a reserved legal activity, either as an approved regulator or as a licensing authority;

Monitoring and enforcement – The LSB monitors approved regulators’ compliance with their regulatory requirements, the Legal Ombudsman’s performance and the wider market places for trends, gaps and competition issues;

Compliance with regulatory requirements – Should it be necessary, the LSB has powers to ensure that approved regulators meet their requirements.

·       Working effectively with the Chief Executive to provide strong leadership to the LSB to ensure that it adheres to the principles of good corporate governance.

·       Ensuring accounts are properly monitored and maintained.

·  Engaging constructively with the approved regulators and establishing and maintaining good working relationships with all key stakeholders.

·       Ensuring that there is a constructive working relationship with the Ministry of Justice as the LSB’s sponsoring department, in the context that the LSB is wholly independent of government.

·      Ensuring compliance with the general guidelines laid down by government relating to members of public bodies and ensuring that the LSB fulfils all statutory and administrative requirements relating to financial accountability.

·       Representing the LSB externally at conferences, on committees and with other organisations as required.           

Organisation description

The LSB is the independent body responsible for overseeing the regulation of lawyers in England and Wales. The LSB came into being on 1 January 2009 and took on the majority of its statutory powers on 1 January 2010. Its goal is to reform and modernise the legal services market place by putting the interests of consumers at the heart of the system.

Independent of Government and of the legal profession, the LSB oversees eleven separate bodies, the approved regulators, which themselves directly regulate approximately 177,000 lawyers practising throughout the jurisdiction. The Board also has a number of responsibilities towards the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC), which administers the Legal Ombudsman scheme; a scheme to resolve complaints about lawyers’ service.

The Board’s work is guided by its eight regulatory objectives, set out prominently in the Act. These are:

·       protecting and promoting the public interest;

·       supporting the constitutional principle of the rule of law;

·       improving access to justice;

·       protecting and promoting the interests of consumers;

·       promoting competition in the provision of services in the legal sector;

·       encouraging an independent, strong, diverse and effective legal profession;

·       increasing public understanding of citizens legal rights and duties;

·       promoting and maintaining adherence to the professional principles of independence and integrity; proper standards of work; observing the best interests of the client and the duty to the court; and maintaining client confidentiality.

In March 2021, the Board agreed its strategy for the sector. The strategy is centred around reshaping legal services to better meet society’s needs. The LSB contributes to this by:

• deploying regulatory incentives and levers that accelerate change
• Making policy change tools available for consumers and innovators to use
• Using our convening role to shape public debate and foster collaboration

The LSB’s 2022/23 Business Plan can also be found here: LSB-Business-Plan-202223-FINAL.pdf (legalservicesboard.org.uk)

Regulation of appointment

This post is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. For more information, please refer to the Commissioner’s website 

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Experience as a practising legal professional or a legally qualified professional;

• Experience of working with diverse communities and a clear understanding and appreciation of diversity and equality in all its forms with a demonstrable commitment to driving equality, diversity and inclusion;

• Track record of driving strategic change and improvement; 

• Strong intellect and sound judgement as well as the highest levels of probity, integrity and other qualities that inspire confidence, trust and respect;

• A commitment to securing the public interest in respect of the provision of legal services and an understanding of – and a commitment to – the purpose of the LSB and its challenges;

• Exceptional communication and relationship building skills, a high level of personal impact with the ability to provide constructive challenge and support to the Board and evidence in effectively dealing with stakeholders.

One or more of the following skills or experience:

• The deployment of digital technology;

• The provision of legal services;

• Legal education and training;

• Civil or criminal proceedings and the working of the courts;

• Handling of complaints

• Maintenance of the professional standards of persons who provide legal services;

• Non-commercial legal services;

• Commercial affairs;

• The differing needs of consumers.

Desirable criteria

·       Barrister qualified.

·       Understanding of and/or experience in applying economic, regulatory or other incentives and disincentives to influence behaviour.

·       Experience of deploying digital technology in legal services.

Application and selection process

How to apply

Please view the candidate pack prior to applying: LSB Candidate Information Pack Non-Lay member

In order to apply you will need to provide:

1. A  Curriculum Vitae which provides your contact details, details of your education and qualifications, employment history, directorships, membership of professional bodies and details of any relevant publications or awards;

2. A supporting statement setting out how you meet the criteria for appointment, as set out in the person specification for the role;

3. Information relating to any outside interests or representational issues;

4. Diversity monitoring information. Please complete the diversity monitoring form here .This allows us to see if there are any unfair barriers to becoming a public appointee and whether there are any changes that we could make to encourage a more diverse field to apply. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be used as part of the selection process and will not be seen by the interview panel;

5. Disability Confident – please state if you want to be considered for the disability confident scheme;

6. Reasonable adjustments - requests for reasonable adjustments that you would like to the application process (if applicable);

7. Please complete the conflict of interest form, political activity form and reference details here .

Please provide the information at points 3 - 7 above on the relevant form, or as part of your supporting statement.

Completed applications should be submitted to 

 PublicAppointmentsTeam@justice.gov.uk

The Advisory Assessment Panel reserves the right to only consider applications that contain all of the elements listed above, and that arrive before the published deadline for applications.

Overview of the application process

Public appointments are made on merit following a fair and open competition process which is conducted in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. We will deal with your application as quickly as possible and will keep you informed at key stages. We aim to conclude the appointment process within three months of the deadline for applications – this is in accordance with the Governance Code.

The assessment process

1. Ministers are responsible and accountable to Parliament for the public appointments made within their department. As a result, they must be consulted at every stage of the appointments process.

2. An Advisory Assessment Panel (“Panel”) is appointed by Ministers to assist them in their decision making. The role of the Panel is to decide, objectively, which candidates meet the eligibility criteria for the role.

3. At the shortlisting meeting the Panel will assess applications against the eligibility criteria and decide which candidates have best met the criteria, who should be recommended for interview. Ministers will then be consulted on the Panel’s recommended shortlist. If you have applied under the Disability Confident Scheme and you meet all the essential criteria, then you will also be invited for an interview.

4. Once the shortlist has been agreed by Ministers, you will be advised (by e-mail) whether you have been shortlisted. Those shortlisted will be invited to an interview.

5. The Panel will meet again to interview candidates and determine who is appointable to the role. The Panel may invite you to make a brief presentation at the start of the interview and will go on to question you about your skills and experience, including asking specific questions to assess whether you meet the criteria set out for the post. The Panel will also explore with you any potential conflicts of interest or any other issues arising from your personal and professional history which may impact on an appointment decision.

6. Details of the panel’s assessment of interviewed candidates are provided to Ministers, including whether they have judged a candidate to be appointable to the role. It is then for Ministers to determine merit and decide who should be appointed. In some circumstances, Ministers may choose not to appoint any candidates and re-run the competition.

7. Ministers may choose to meet with candidates before deciding the outcome. Candidates should therefore be prepared for a short time gap between interview and a final appointment decision being made. Candidates who have been interviewed will be kept informed of progress.

8. Once the decision on the appointment has been made, interviewed candidates will be advised of the outcome of their application, including whom they may approach for feedback. Successful candidates will be issued with their Terms & Conditions and a letter of appointment should they agree to take up the position.

Further information about appointments, including tips on applying, can be found on our guidance pages on gov.uk.

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

•      John Heavens, (Panel Chair), Deputy Director, Legal Services, Judicial and Legal Services Policy Directorate

• Dr Helen Phillips - Legal Services Board representative 

• Mr Justice Fancourt

• Jody Chatterjee - Independent Panel Member 

Advisory Assessment Panels (AAP) are chosen by ministers to assist them in their decision-making. These include a departmental official and an independent member. For competitions recruiting non-executive members of a board (apart from the Chair), the panel will usually include a representative from the public body concerned.

AAP’s perform a number of functions, including agreeing an assessment strategy with ministers, undertaking sifting, carrying out interviews in line with the advertised criteria and deciding objectively who meets the published selection criteria for the role before recommending to ministers which candidates they find appointable. It is then for the minister to decide who to appoint to the role.

Eligibility criteria

In general, you should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment.

There are a small number of specialist roles that are not open to non-British citizens. Any nationality requirements will be specified in the vacancy details.

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. 

You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:

• you are disqualified from acting as a company director  (under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986);

• have an unspent conviction on your criminal record;

• your estate has been sequestrated in Scotland or you enter into a debt arrangement programme under Part 1 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17) as the debtor or have, under Scots law, granted a trust deed for creditors.

When you apply, you should declare if:

• you are, or have been, bankrupt or you have made an arrangement with a creditor at any point, including the dates of this. 

• you are subject to a current police investigation.

You must inform the sponsor department if, during the application process, your circumstances change in respect of any of the above points. 

When you apply you should also declare any relevant interests, highlighting any that you think may call into question your ability to properly discharge the responsibilities of the role you are applying for. You should also declare any other matters which may mean you may not be able to meet the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Board Members (see Outside interests and reputational issues section below)

If you need further advice, please contact PublicAppointmentsTeam@justice.gov.uk

Security clearance

The successful candidate will be required to undertake Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks in line with the Civil Service guidelines. Additional Security Clearance may also be required for certain roles. However, where this applies, candidates will be notified during the appointment process. Further information on National Security Vetting can be found on the Gov.uk website here.

Additional information for candidates

Equality and diversity

We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and across the whole of the United Kingdom. Boards of public bodies are most effective when they reflect the diversity of views of the society they serve and this is an important part of the Government’s levelling up agenda.

We collect data about applicants’ characteristics and backgrounds, including information about people’s educational and professional backgrounds, so that we can make sure we are attracting a broad range of people to these roles and that our selection processes are fair for everyone. Without this information, it makes it difficult to see if our outreach is working, if the application process is having an unfair impact on certain groups and whether changes are making a positive difference.

When you submit your application, your responses are collected by the Cabinet Office and the government department(s) managing your application. The data is used to produce management information about the diversity of applicants. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. 

The information you provide will not be seen by the Advisory Assessment Panel who review applications against the advertised criteria and conduct interviews.

Disability confident

We are a member of the Government’s Disability Confident scheme. We use the Disability Confident scheme symbol, along with other like-minded employers, to show our commitment to good practice in employing people with a disability. The scheme helps recruit and retain disabled people. 

As part of implementing the scheme, we guarantee an interview for anyone with a disability whose application meets the essential criteria for the role, set out in the advert, and who has asked that their application is considered under the scheme. Indicating that you wish your application to be considered under the scheme will in no way prejudice your application. By ‘minimum criteria,’ we mean that you must provide evidence which demonstrates that you meet the level of competence required under each of the essential criteria, as set out in the job-advert.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to select if you would like your application considered under this scheme.

Reasonable adjustments

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to make sure applicants with disabilities, physical or mental health conditions, or other needs are not substantially disadvantaged when applying for public appointments. This can include changing the recruitment process to enable people who wish to apply to do so.

Some examples of common changes are:

• ensuring that application forms are available in different or accessible formats;
• making adaptations to interview locations;
• allowing candidates to present their skills and experience in a different way;
• giving additional detailed information on the selection / interview process in advance to allow candidates time to prepare themselves;
• allowing support workers, for example sign language interpreters;
• making provision for support animals to attend.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments to the application process.

Principles of public life

Holders of public office are expected to adhere to and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-7-principles-of-public-life/the-7-principles-of-public-life--2. These are:

1. SELFLESSNESS - Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family or their friends;
2. INTEGRITY - Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties;
3. OBJECTIVITY - In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit;
4. ACCOUNTABILITY - Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office;
5. OPENNESS - Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands;
6. HONESTY - Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest;
7. LEADERSHIP - Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

Code of conduct for board members

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. In support of this, all non-executive board members of UK public bodies must abide by the principles set out in the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. The Code sets out the standards expected from those who serve on the boards of UK public bodies and will form part of your terms and conditions of appointment.

Management of outside interests and consideration of reputational issues

Holders of public office are expected to adhere and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life and the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Before you apply you should consider carefully: 

• any outside interests that you may have, such as shares you may hold in a company providing services to government; 
• any possible reputational issues arising from your past actions or or public statements that you have made; 
• and/or - any political roles you hold or political campaigns you have supported; 

which may call into question your ability to do the role you are applying for.

You will need to answer relevant questions in relation to these points when making an application. Many conflicts of interest can be satisfactorily resolved and declaring a potential conflict does not prevent you from being interviewed. If you are shortlisted for an interview, the panel will discuss any potential conflicts with you during that interview, including any proposals you may have to mitigate them and record that in their advice to ministers. Alongside your own declaration, we will conduct appropriate checks, as part of which we will consider anything in the public domain related to your conduct or professional capacity. This may include searches of previous public statements and social media, blogs or any other publicly available information. The successful candidate(s) may be required to give up any conflicting interests and their other business and financial interests may be published in line with organisational policies. 

Details of declared political activity will be published when the appointment is announced, as required by the Governance Code (political activity is not a bar to appointment, but must be declared).

Status of appointment

As this is an office holder appointment, you will not become a member of the Civil Service. You will not be subject to the provisions of employment law.

Appointment and tenure of office

Appointments are for the term set out in this advert, with the possibility of re-appointment for a further term, at the discretion of Ministers.  Any re-appointment is subject to satisfactory annual appraisals of performance during the first term in the post. There is no automatic presumption of reappointment; each case should be considered on its own merits, taking into account a number of factors including, but not restricted to, the diversity of the current board and its balance of skills and experience. In most cases, the total time served in post will not exceed more than two terms or serve in any one post for more than ten years

Remuneration, allowances and abatement

Remuneration for this role is treated as employment income and will be subject to tax and National Insurance contributions, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid.

You can claim reimbursement for reasonable travel and subsistence costs which are properly and necessarily incurred on official business, in line with the travel and subsistence policy and rates for the organisation to which you are applying. However these payments are taxable as earnings and will be subject to tax and national insurance, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid.  

Pension and redundancy

This is an office holder appointment and does not attract any benefits under any Civil Service Pension Scheme. You will not be eligible for redundancy pay as you are not an employee. No other arrangements have been made for compensation upon the end of your term of appointment because an office holder who is appointed for a limited duration would have no expectation of serving beyond that period.

Application feedback

We will notify you of the status of your application. We regret that we are only able to offer detailed feedback to candidates who have been unsuccessful at the interview stage.

How to complain

We aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and to treat all applicants with courtesy.

Please contact Maggie Garrett in the Public Appointments Team in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application at PublicAppointmentsTeam@justice.gov.uk They will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and respond within 15 working days.

How to complain to Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA)

If you are not content with the appointing department’s response you may wish to further complain to the Commissioner at publicappointments@csc.gov.uk.Further information on how the Commissioner handles complaints can be found on the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ website https://publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk/regulating-appointments/investigating-complaints/

Data protection

The Cabinet Office will use your data in line with our privacy policy.

In accordance with the Public Appointments Order in Council 2019(4)(5), we will process your application in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Ministry of Justice’s Information Charter, which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/personal-information-charter. 

We will hold your data securely and access will be restricted to those dealing with your application or involved in the recruitment process. We will share your data with the Commissioner for Public Appointments and other relevant government departments, including the Cabinet Office, as part of a complaint investigation or review of the recruitment process. Cabinet Office will handle data in accordance with their Privacy Notice https://publicappointments.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/privacy-notice.   Your data may also be disclosed as required by law or in connection with legal proceedings. 

We will store your data for up to two years and processed for the purpose of the recruitment process, diversity monitoring and, if successful, your personal record. If appointed, your data will be stored for the duration of your tenure and may be shared with the organisation to which you are appointed, unless you specifically request us not to.  

Should you wish your data to be removed from our records, please contact publicappointmentsteam@Justice.gov.uk. 

Contact details

For further details and additional information please contact PublicAppointmentsTeam@justice.gov.uk quoting reference PAT 160064 in the subject line of your email.