The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has welcomed the appointment of Richard (Ric) Blakeway as the new Chair of the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC). The OLC is the Board responsible for overseeing the work of LeO.
The Legal Services Board (LSB) confirmed Ric as its preferred candidate in February following an open competition. The appointment was subsequently confirmed after his appearance before the Justice Select Committee for pre‑appointment scrutiny on 11 March 2026 and has been approved by the Minister of State for Justice, Sarah Sackman KC MP.
Ric succeeds Elisabeth Davies, whose six-year term as Chair of the OLC came to an end on 31 March 2026.
On his appointment, Ric said:
“Ombudsman services make a massive difference to lives every day. And their impact can go far wider than individual cases.
“The Legal Ombudsman is central to building trust and confidence in legal services.
“I am excited to be joining the OLC as its new chair at such an important moment in the LeO’s development. The service needs to transform in response to new challenges and ensure it has a wider impact by sharing insights across the legal sector to raise standards and strengthen complaint handling.
“I want to build on the strong progress already made. The commitment and professionalism I’ve already seen across the organisation gives me real confidence about what we can achieve.”
The Legal Services Board has also confirmed the appointment of Owen Purcell as a member of the OLC Board. Patricia Tueje stepped down from the Board in February 2026 following the completion of her first term.
Further information about the members of the OLC Board can be found here.
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