LC ANNOUNCES NEW CHAIR OF THE LEGAL SERVICES COMMISSION

22 Jan 2003 03:45 PM

The Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, has appointed Mr Philip Ely as Chair of the Legal Services Commission (LSC). Mr Ely will succeed Mr Peter G Birch who relinquishes the post in April after three years service. The LSC administers expenditure of £1.7 billion in publicly-funded legal services through the Community Legal Service and the Criminal Defence Service.

A former President of the Law Society, Philip Ely has served on the LSC since it was established in April 2000. He was also a member of its predecessor body, the Legal Aid Board. Mr Ely is Chair of the Commission's regional legal services committee for London. He was made an OBE in the New Year Honours for services to publicly funded legal services.

Lord Irvine said, "During Peter Birch's chairmanship, the Legal Services Commission has developed the Community Legal Service and the Criminal Defence Service very successfully throughout England and Wales. This represents major improvements both for people who need access to civil justice and for those who need quality-assured legal services because they are suspected or accused of criminal offences. I am very pleased that Philip Ely will take up the post, with his long experience as an LSC commissioner and of the delivery of legal services. He is well placed to build on the Commission's work in delivering high quality public services at value for money for the taxpayer."

Peter G Birch has chaired the LSC since it was created to replace the Legal Aid Board by the Access to Justice Act 1999. The appointment was originally for four years. Mr Birch leaves to concentrate on commercial commitments. He has played a key role in selecting and appointing the LSC's new chief executive, Clare Dodgson who joins the Commission at the beginning of April.

Notes for Editors
1. Philip Ely OBE is a retired solicitor. His role with the Commission also includes involvement in several of the LSC's national committees, for example as Chair of the Costs Appeals Committee and the Multi-Party Action Committee.

Philip was previously the senior partner in a multi-specialist firm in Southampton, Paris Smith and Randall, and then a consultant to the firm. He has also served as a Chairman of the Police Disciplinary Appeals Tribunal.

2. Peter G Birch CBE was Chief Executive of Abbey National from 1984-1998, where he was responsible for the company's change of status from building society to bank and its subsequent
diversification. Prior to this he was Managing Director of Gillette UK.

He is currently Chairman of Land Securities plc and Kensington Group plc. His non-executive directorships include N M Rothschild & Sons Limited, Trinity Mirror plc, Travelex, Dah Sing Financial Holdings Limited and Sainsbury's Bank plc. He is also a Trustee of Cap Gemini UK plc Pension Fund and President of the Middlesex Young People's Clubs.

3. Clare Dodgson takes up her appointment as chief executive in April, succeeding Mr Steve Orchard on his retirement.

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