Richard Orpin has been appointed chief executive of the Legal Services Board after serving in the interim role since summer 2025.
He succeeds Craig Westwood, who stepped down after just over a year in the role during a period of heightened regulatory scrutiny.
The Legal Services Board (LSB) has named Richard Orpin as its new chief executive after serving in the role on an interim basis since last summer.
Orpin joined the LSB in 2023 as director of regulation and policy and previously spent nearly a decade at Ofcom focused on competition and consumer policy across telecoms, postal services and the broadcasting and media sectors.
Leadership reset
Orpin succeeds Craig Westwood, who stepped down as chief executive halfway through 2025 after just over a year in the role, citing personal reasons. His departure came during a period of heightened tension for the super-regulator after it took the rare step of issuing binding directions to the SRA over its mishandling of the £60 million Axiom Ince collapse.
Orpin’s time as interim chief has already been eventful. In October, the LSB again stepped in to sanction the SRA after an independent review found the regulator failed to act on warnings about Sheffield-based law firm SSB, which collapsed in 2024 with debts exceeding £200 million.
The LSB - which also oversees the Bar Standards Board (BSB) - is meanwhile taking action after a separate review led by Labour peer Harriet Harman found issues with bullying and harassment at the Bar.
What they said
Announcing the appointment, interim chair Catherine Brown said the board was “delighted” to confirm Orpin as CEO after a process that attracted a strong field of candidates.
Catherine Brown, interim chair of the Legal Services Board, said: “As Interim CEO, Richard has led the organisation with distinction, ensuring that the LSB retains an unrelenting focus on the regulatory objectives.”
Orpin said he “will pursue our ambition to ensure regulation delivers better outcomes for the public, strengthens standards, and supports innovation that widens access to legal services. When legal services work well, society works better”.
He added that while the sector faces real challenges, there is also a significant opportunity to make progress on access to high-quality legal services.
Join 10,000+ City law professionals who start their day with our newsletter.
The essential read for commercially aware lawyers.
