LSB to derail proposals to limit law school places
updated on 23 September 2013
The Legal Services Board (LSB) will stop any proposals to limit law school places following the findings of the Legal Education and Training Review (LETR) by issuing strict guidelines so that regulators only implement the LETR recommendations that it approves.
The LETR was commissioned by the legal profession's three main regulators - The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), the Bar Standards Board and the Institute of Legal Executives' Professional Standards - to propose ways to address the deficiencies in the current system. However, The LSB has controversially disagreed with some of the LETR's proposals and will move to prevent them being implemented in its capacity as 'super-regulator'.
As reported by Legal Futures and the Law Society Gazette, the LSB said that despite widespread concern at the highly competitive jobs market in which so many qualified candidates are unable to secure a training contract or pupillage, it did not agree that the number of law school places should be limited. The LSB justified its position by citing "the levels of unmet need identified in research looking at both individual and small business consumers", while its objectives of promoting more competition and the interests of consumers led it to suggest that "the solution to the issues lies not in further restrictions, but in fewer restrictions to the way that people are able to qualify and the range of options open to individuals wishing to pursue a career in the legal services market".
Just as controversially, the LSB rejected the LETR's support for the introduction of a licensing scheme for paralegals.
John Wotton, chair of the Law Society's education and training board, has criticised the LSB's proposal as "inappropriate and misguided". He also said: "The LSB and its chairman may be disappointed with the contents of the [LETR] report, but we strongly urge the SRA and other [regulators] not to dance to the LSB's tune in discharging their responsibilities in this area, which is so vital to the future health of the legal sector."
