The Legal Services Board (LSB), the oversight regulator for legal services in England and Wales, has confirmed that Chief Executive Craig Westwood has stepped down after just 12 months in the role, citing personal reasons. Westwood, who was appointed in May 2024, previously held the position of Director of Communications, Policy and Research at the Electoral Commission before becoming LSB's Chief Executive.

LSB Interim Chair Catherine Brown expressed her appreciation for Westwood’s leadership: “On behalf of the Board and all of us at the LSB, I want to thank Craig for his leadership during his time as Chief Executive. Over a demanding year, he has led the organisation through significant developments. This included launching our consultation on the role of regulation in strengthening ethical standards in the profession. We also initiated enforcement action against the Solicitors Regulation Authority following the £60 million client money loss at Axiom Ince.” “Craig will leave the LSB in a strong position to continue delivering effective regulation in the public interest. We wish him all the best for the future.”

The LSB recently issued a formal decision notice to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), directing it to take corrective action in response to its handling of the Axiom Ince scandal, which saw the loss of £60 million in client funds.

Westwood’s departure comes just one week after the SRA appointed Sarah Rapson as its new CEO. Rapson joins from the Financial Reporting Council, where she served as Executive Director of Supervision. She replaces Paul Philip, who retired after a decade in the role. In the interim, Richard Orpin, currently Director of Regulation and Policy at the LSB, will serve as Interim Chief Executive. Danielle Viall, the organisation’s General Counsel, has been named Interim Deputy CEO and General Counsel. A formal recruitment process for a permanent replacement is set to begin shortly. 

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Source: Today's Conveyancer