Independent regulation

To secure the independent regulation envisaged by the Legal Services Act 2007, there must be adequate separation between an approved regulator's representative functions and its regulatory functions.

The Act places a duty on the Legal Services Board (LSB) to make rules to ensure adequate separation.

The Internal Governance Rules 2009 were made by the LSB on 9 December 2009. They are binding on the Law Society, as approved regulator, and on the SRA as the Society's regulatory arm.