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LSB consults on new policy to strengthen diversity across the legal profession

Author: Professional Standards Department

Published: 26 Jan 2026

The Legal Services Board (LSB) is seeking views on its draft statement of policy, “Encouraging a diverse legal profession”. The proposals outline clear expectations for regulators to improve equality, fairness and access across legal services. ICAEW will be submitting a response and encourages firms and individuals to share their views ahead of the 2 March deadline.

The Legal Services Board is consulting on a draft statement of policy on “Encouraging a diverse legal profession.” The draft statement contains a series of outcomes and expectations for legal services regulators to pursue in support of equality and diversity across the profession.

Outcome 1: Regulators take strategic, evidence-based and collaborative actions to encourage a diverse legal profession.

Outcome 2: Regulators take effective steps to ensure regulatory approaches, processes and decision-making support equality and fairness and do not undermine efforts to encourage a diverse profession.

Outcome 3: Regulators support fair, flexible, and accessible pathways into, within and back into the professions that encourage a diverse legal profession.

Outcome 4: Regulators ensure their frameworks effectively support authorised persons to uphold professional conduct, behaviours, and competencies that encourage a diverse legal profession.

ICAEW will be submitting a response and the LSB welcomes wider responses from the profession.

Read and respond to the consultation (deadline 2pm, 2 March 2026).

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