Personal considerations
Alan Kershaw, chair of the Legal Services Board (LSB), has announced his resignation less than a year into the role, citing personal considerations. His departure was confirmed in a notice to the Lord Chancellor, with his resignation taking effect last week.
Kershaw, who took up the position on 1 April 2023, has overseen a push for greater use of technology and innovation in legal services regulation. Under his leadership, the LSB has also strengthened expectations for how legal regulators, including the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), handle consumer complaints.
LSB chief executive Craig Westwood praised Kershaw’s contributions, stating:
“Alan leaves with our gratitude for the leadership he has provided during his time as chair of the LSB. He has brought to this work valuable expertise in professional regulation, accompanied by strong championing of the needs of consumers and for the public good.”
Until a permanent successor is appointed through a formal recruitment process led by the Ministry of Justice, the LSB’s senior independent director, Catherine Brown, will step in as interim chair.
Kershaw’s resignation comes just days after the SRA announced that its chief executive, Paul Philip, will also be stepping down. Philip will be leaving the SRA at the end of 2025 after facing heavy criticism over the watchdog’s handling of the Axiom Ince collapse. The LSB had previously found that the SRA had failed to act “adequately, effectively and efficiently” in its oversight of the now-defunct law firm.