LSB's first chair promises 'world-class' standard

In his first interview since being appointed as the first chair of the Legal Services Board ;(LSB), ;David Edmonds has vowed that the new regulator will be a "world-class agency".

Edmonds, who takes up his post, which was created by the Legal Services Act 2007, on 1 May, told The Lawyer his first challenge will be to ensure that the members of the board are put in place.

"In front of me now I have a cardboard box from the headhunters of the top 90 out of 300 people who applied to be members," said Edmonds. "Choosing the right board will be the first step to what I'm expecting will be a world-class agency."

Edmonds, a founding member of Ofcom's board, said that, in drawing on his experience as a regulator, he ;wants ;to ;ensure three main principles are met by the organisation.

"Regulation must be transparent, analytical and propitiable," said Edmonds. "I know these sound like jargon words, but they're a powerful base to work from."

Edmonds said his evidential approach to the issues facing the LSB will produce solutions that will be tested to ensure the right outcome is produced for consumers.

"After all, the LSB is about putting the citizen first," he stated.

The former NatWest Group managing director said the legal profession needs to comply with the parameters set by Parliament and the findings of Sir David Clementi.

"Clementi's ;findings showed the current system is complicated and fragmented with gaps," he added. "These are issues I believe the LSB, with the regulatory arms of the Bar Council and Law Society, can address."