Response from the CLC to Reforming Legal Services: Regulation beyond the echo chambers

11 June, 2020

The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has responded to the publication today of an independent review of legal regulation, Reforming Legal Services: Regulation beyond the echo chambers, by Professor Stephen Mayson, Honorary Professor of Law at UCL.

Sheila Kumar, Chief Executive of CLC says: “The CLC has sought to engage constructively with Professor Mayson.

“Regulation should be commensurate with risk. It is widely recognised that there are regulatory gaps that create risk. The risks in the legal sector are not static and at the CLC we are keen to ensure that we have appropriate regulation that understands and supports innovation whilst being clear that the focus of regulation must always be the client and the wider public.

“The overarching regulatory framework also needs to have the necessary levels of flexibility to meet fast-moving changes such as those associated with the development of lawtech.

“Furthermore, any future model for regulation will need to ensure it maintains the benefits of the specialist regulatory approach provided by the CLC, which allows a focus on the particular risks in conveyancing and probate, delivering consumer protection through a tailored regulatory framework.

“Stretching a single regulatory framework across the full range of legal services is not an obvious solution to the needs of a dynamic legal sector. Our approach to having different levels of qualification, cited in the report, shows the benefit of a diversity of approaches by different regulators so allowing innovative solutions to develop.

“We continue to believe that our specialist approach is the right way to deliver consumer protection while fostering the development of innovative and vibrant conveyancing and probate businesses.”