Key facts about the Legal Ombudsman

You can see our consultation papers on this page. All documents on this page download in pdf format.

Current consultations

There are currently no open consultations.


Closed consultations

A modern Ombudsman scheme, consultation on the Legal Ombudsman's Strategy (2012-2015) and Business Plan (2012-2013)
Our three year strategy and business plan sets out the big issues in the legal services market to which we think we will have to respond. We suggested how we could give our information to the legal profession to help improve their standards. We also suggested some ways to increase access to redress when things go wrong so that consumers can have more confidence in the legal services they purchase.

For the first time we set out the Key Performance Indicators of Timeliness, Quality, Cost, Reputation and Impact that will help us monitor our activities to ensure that we are delivering the best possible service.

Strategy and Business Plan (pdf opens in new window).

We asked our stakeholders if they thought we had got these things right. You can read their responses here.

This consultation ended on 18 January 2012.


Publishing our decisions: an evidence based conclusion
Our consultation concluded with a decision that it is right to publish the names of lawyers in some specific circumstances, in line with the powers given to the Board of the Legal Ombudsman under the Legal Services Act 2007. You can read more about our decision and our response to the extensive consultation here (pdf opens in new window).

This paper sets out the basis for our decision and provides more detail about the information we shall publish and when we will do so.

The approach we have agreed is based on evidence generated through research, extensive consultation and analysis of data gathered since the scheme went live in October 2010. We consider that it also strikes the best balance between our aim of being open and transparent as well as fair and proportionate. 

Publishing our decisions: an evidence based approach
In 2010 we published a discussion paper (pdf opens in new window) on this topic, asking you what sort of information you thought we should publish and particularly what you thought about us identifying individual law firms. We also asked two independent research companies to conduct some research on our behalf and held several panel debate events.

Our second consultation on the subject Publishing our decisions an evidence based approach (pdf opens in new window) closed in June 2011. You can read the feedback and responses we received here



Welsh language scheme

Welsh language scheme (pdf opens in new window)

Welsh language scheme: 3 February 2011 to 31 March 2011 Consultation (pdf opens in new window)

Welsh language scheme - consultation plan and questions (pdf opens in new window)

Our consultation on the Welsh language scheme ended on 31 March 2011.

You can read the feedback and responses we received here.
Cynllun laith Gymraeg

Cynllun laith Gymraeg (pdf opens in new window)

Cynllun laith Gymraeg: 3 Chwefror 2011 i 31 Mawrth 2011 (pdf opens in new window)

Cynllun laith Gymraeg - cynllun ymgynghori a cwestiynau (pdf opens in new window)


Equality and human rights
Our consultation on the document below ended on 28 February 2011.

Equality and human rights: February 2011 – March 2012 (pdf opens in new window)

Our equality priorities and objectives
Please find our final equality priorities and objectives, published after receiving feedback from stakeholders on our draft proposals.

Final equality priorities and objectives (pdf opens in new window)

The Legal Ombudsman response to the consultation feedback received (pdf opens in new window)

List of those people and organisations who submitted responses (pdf opens in new window)

We received the following written responses:

The Law Society's response to the Legal Ombudsman equality priorities and objectives (pdf opens in new window)

The Solicitors Regulation Authority response to the Legal Ombudsman equality priorities and objectives (pdf opens in new window)

The Institute of Legal Executives Professional Standards response to the Legal Ombudsman equality priorities and objectives (pdf opens in new window)

Our draft business plan, three year strategy and budget
We have now published our final three year strategy and business plan, after reviewing it to factor in the feedback we received from stakeholders and updating it from our own experience.

You can read the consultation version here – the consultation closed on 21 February 2011.

Draft Business Plan 2011-12 (pdf opens in new window) We received the following response to our plan from the Law Society.

The Law Society's response to the Legal Ombudsman Business Plan (pdf opens in new window)

We received the following response to our plan from the Bar Standards Board.
The Bar Standards Board's response to the Legal Ombudsman Business Plan (pdf opens in new window)


Publishing our decisions
The Legal Services Act gives the Legal Ombudsman the power to publish reports of our investigations and decisions. We have put out a discussion paper to help us consider what sort of information we will publish. We would particularly like to hear views on whether or not we should identify lawyers and firms when publishing the outcomes of investigations.

Discussion paper (September 2010) (pdf opens in new window) and feedback.


Research on publishing our decisions
As part of our consultation we commissioned some research to help us understand what consumers and High Street lawyers think should be our approach to publishing our decisions. The consumer research was commissioned with the Consumer Panel, who will also look at the findings and draw conclusions for us to consider. We are looking at what both reports tell us as part of considering the evidence from the consultation, including the written responses as well as the views we gathered at the panel debates about this subject last year.

Both reports were done by independent and reputable research companies. You can see more detail about the methodology in the reports, which we have published here in full.

Research report by Acute Insight Market Research – consumer attitudes
 (pdf opens in new window)

Research report by Gfk NOP – lawyer attitudes
 (pdf opens in new window)

We will publish our response to the consultation, and begin any further round of consultation (as indicated in our discussion paper), in late March or early April.


Scheme rules
We asked for help when we were shaping our rules. We wanted to know what they should look like to support a new Ombudsman scheme that resolves complaints impartially, quickly and fairly:

Discussion paper (pdf - opens in new window) and
discussion draft scheme rules (July 2009) (pdf - opens in new window)

Consultation paper (pdf - opens in new window) and
consultation draft scheme rules (pdf - opens in new window) and feedback (September 2009)

Our response to the consultation (pdf - opens in new window) and the
proposed scheme rules (April 2010) (pdf - opens in new window)


Business plan 2009-2010
We wanted to – and have to – ask people if they thought our plans for setting up the Legal Ombudsman were sound.

Draft Business plan (pdf - opens in new window) and feedback (October 2009)

Final Business plan (January 2010) (pdf - opens in new window)


Setting a fair case fee
By law, we must set a case fee for lawyers who use the Ombudsman scheme. We wanted help in developing a structure for this that supported the role of the Legal Ombudsman as an independent and impartial body.

Consultation paper (pdf - opens in new window) and feedback (October 2009)

Our response to the consultation (March 2010) (pdf - opens in new window)