Catalogue description Records of the Lay Observer

Details of Division within LCO
Reference: Division within LCO
Title: Records of the Lay Observer
Description:

Records of the Lay Observer relating to the investigation of allegations against solicitors and their employees.

Complaints files are in LCO 18, reports on complaints in LCO 59 and administrative files in LCO 25
Date: 1973-1994
Related material:

For records of the Lay Observer's successor body see Division within LCO
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Creator:

Lay Observer, 1974-1990

Legal Services Ombudsman, 1990-
Physical description: 3 series
Administrative / biographical background:

The office of the Lay Observer was set up following the Solicitors Act 1974. This act empowered the Lord Chancellor to appoint one or more persons as lay observers to examine allegations made by or on behalf of a member of the public concerning the Law Society's treatment of a complaint about a solicitor, or an employee of a solicitor, made to the Society by that member of the public or on her/his behalf. The act stipulated that no solicitor or barrister was to be appointed a lay observer.

The Lay Observer ceased to operate in 1990 and was replaced by the Legal Services Ombudsman.

Have you found an error with this catalogue description?

Help with your research