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Division

Records of the Lay Observer

Catalogue reference: Division within LCO

What's it about?

Division within LCO

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

Full description and record details

Reference
Division within LCO
Title
Records of the Lay Observer
Date
1973-1994
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

Related material

For records of the Lay Observer's successor body see

Legal status
Public Record(s)
Language
English
Creator(s)
  • Lay Observer, 1974-1990
  • Legal Services Ombudsman, 1990-1990
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.

Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C1046/

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Within the department: LCO

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Records of the Lay Observer