Our board is called the Office for Legal Complaints (OLC)

The OLC  Board and its committees meet regularly. The role of the Board and committees is to set the strategy and business plan, to scrutinise the performance and financial responsibilities of the ombudsman scheme and make sure we understand and respond properly to any risks. The Board  promotes the regulatory objectives set out in the Legal Services Act. You can find out more about the work of the OLC, including board papers and minutes here.

There are three committees with specific areas of responsibility. These are: 

  • The Audit and Risk Committee (ARAC), which oversees the Legal Ombudsman’s risk management processes, governance and financial control framework.  
  • The Remuneration and Nomination Committee (RemCo), which oversees the terms of employment for Legal Ombudsman staff. 
  • The Category 1  Publications Committee, which oversees the approval process to publish details where we have identified a serious risk to the public from a particular legal service provider.  

Elisabeth Davies

Chair

Elisabeth Davies has extensive experience of working across both charitable and public sectors, where she has specialised in the areas of dispute resolution and consumer protection.

Full Biography

Elisabeth Bellamy

Board member (non-lay)

Elisabeth Bellamy is a non-lay member of the OLC board. She is a qualified and experienced solicitor with many years of legal practice both in the UK and Singapore.

Full Biography

Annette Lovell

Board member (lay)

Until June 2021, Annette worked for the Financial Ombudsman Service, where she was the Director of Strategy and Engagement.

Full Biography

Jane Martin

Board member (lay)

Jane Martin’s career has been dedicated to understanding and promoting public service accountability, and she was the first Director of the Centre for Public Scrutiny.

Full Biography

Harindra Punchihewa

Board member (lay)

Harindra (Hari) is a lay member of the OLC board and chair of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC).

Full Biography

Alison Sansome

Board member (lay)

Alison’s current non-executive portfolio focuses on continuous improvement, high quality customer service and good regulation. It includes Board level roles at: the Office of the Public Guardian, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Fire Standards Board (Vice Chair), the Employment Tribunal (E&W) and the Phone-paid Service Authority. Alison has also provided support on coaching over several years, to a Leadership Development Programme at the Council of Deans for Health.

Full Biography

Dale Simon

Board member (non-lay)

Dale is qualified barrister (not currently practicing) and was awarded a CBE for services to equality and diversity in 2013.

Full Biography

Martin Spencer

Board member (lay)

Martin is a business transformation specialist by background, having managed KPMG Consulting’s Workforce and Change practice.

Full Biography