The LSB is partnering with WIG for this recruitment campaign and further details on how to apply can be found here: Non-Lay Member (wig.co.uk)
Non-Lay Board member of the Office of Legal Complaints
Contents
Summary
- Organisation
- Legal Services Board
- Sponsor department
- Ministry of Justice
- Location
- West Midlands
- Sectors
- Judicial, Prisons & Policing
- Skills
- Legal
- Number of vacancies
- 1
- Time commitment
- 2 day(s) per month
- Remuneration
- £10,000 per annum
- Length of term
- 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).
- Application deadline
- 5pm on 17 June 2024
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Timeline for this appointment
-
Opening date
26 April 2024
-
Application deadline
5pm on 17 June 2024
-
Sifting date
8 July 2024
-
Interviews expected to end on
22 July 2024
Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change
About the appointment
Introduction from the Chair
Welcome from the Chair of the Legal Services
Board
I’m delighted that you are considering applying to be a member of the
Office for Legal Complaints (OLC), the body responsible for ensuring an
independent ombudsman service to consider complaints about legal services in
England and Wales.
The Legal Services Board, OLC and the Ministry of Justice
share an ambition to dramatically improve customers' experience of the
ombudsman service. As in any sector, consumer confidence is profoundly affected
by how we respond when something goes wrong, by our ability to put things
right, and by our processes for learning from mistakes. An independent and
accessible complaints and redress system is vital to ensuring public trust in
legal services.
Over the last three years, the Legal Ombudsman has been on a
journey of transformation to reduce significant backlogs and increase the
timeliness of dealing with complaints. The Covid-19 pandemic naturally hampered
operational efforts and the OLC has had to navigate some complex challenges.
When consumer demand for legal services is rising in some areas, I’m pleased
that the OLC has delivered some significant improvements. The focus now is to
build on this and sustain the progress.
If you share our ambition, we’d love to
hear from you. We’re looking for a practising legal professional or legally
qualified professional. It is essential that the OLC reflects the diverse range
of individuals and groups in society. We are actively seeking applications from
all sectors and sections of the community.
This is an exciting and important
time to be involved in the work of the OLC, and I very much hope you will
consider applying to become a member.
Best wishes,
Alan Kershaw Chair,
Legal
Services Board
Appointment description
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
Organisation description
About the Office for Legal Complaints
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.
Board composition
Size, Structure and Relationships of the OLC 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.
Person specification
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
Desirable Criteria Prior Board Governance
experience is desirable but not essential.
Application and selection process
- Dr Gary Kildare (Chair of Recruiting Panel, LSB Board Member)
- Elisabeth Davies (Chair of the Office for Legal Complaints)
- Cindy Butts (Independent 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.
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
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
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.
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 ‘essential 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.
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.
The Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles) apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder.
1. Selflessness
Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
2. Integrity
Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
3. Objectivity
Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
4. Accountability
Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
5. Openness
Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
6. Honesty
Holders of public office should be truthful.
7. Leadership
Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.
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.
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 public statements that you have made;
- and/or - any political roles you hold or political campaigns you have supported;
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).
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.
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 ten years in any one post.
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.
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.
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.
If you have a complaint about any aspect of the way your application has been handled, we would like to hear from you. In the first instance please write to or e-mail the Public Appointments Team at the e-mail address given below quoting the appropriate reference number.
Maggie Garrett, Ministry of Justice, Head of the Public Appointments Team, ALB Centre of Expertise, Ministry of Justice PublicAppointmentsTeam@justice.gov.uk
Complaints must be received by the Public Appointments Team within 12 calendar months of the issue or the closure of the recruitment competition, whichever is the later.
We will acknowledge your complaint within two
working days of receipt and reply within 20 working days of receipt. We
will tell you if we cannot meet this deadline for any reason and provide an
expected reply date.
The Cabinet Office will use your data in line with our privacy policy.
If you require more information on the public appointments process, please contact Ethan.Fleming@legalservicesboard.org.uk