Measures to address ’unregulated’ legal services will enhance consumer protection

All providers of legal services in the UK, whether legally qualified or not, should be registered and regulated according to a major review of legal services, conducted by Stephen Mayson, Honorary Professor of Law at UCL. The report ' Reforming Legal Services: Regulation beyond the echo chambers', which has been submitted to the Lord Chancellor, is the outcome of a two-year independent review* into the regulation of legal services in England and Wales.  More than 340 interested parties were consulted, including regulators, professional bodies, consumer groups, judges, in-house lawyers, academics and parliamentarians. Among other proposals is the recommendation for a single, sector-wide regulator of all legal providers, and a single point of entry for complaints and redress mechanism for consumers and small businesses. Professor Mayson (UCL Centre for Ethics & Law) said: " Many people assume that all providers of legal services are in some way regulated and that relevant protection is available, but they are mistaken. There are many providers of legal advice and assistance, beyond regulated qualified lawyers, providing services from wills and estate administration to online advice and bespoke documents. "The current regulatory structure provides an incomplete and limited framework for legal services that is not able in the near-term and beyond to meet the demands and expectations placed on it, particularly with the emergence and rapid development of alternative providers and lawtech.