Other organisations that can help
Legal bodies and organisations
The Law Society
The Law Society is the representative body for 116,000 solicitors in England and Wales.
Solicitors Regulation Authority
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) sets and securers standards that are in the public interest for solicitors in England and Wales.
Legal Services Ombudsman
The Legal Services Ombudsman (LSO) investigates the way individual complaints have been dealt with by the various legal professional bodies.
Legal Service Complaints Commissioner
The Office of the Legal Services Complaints Commissioner (OLSCC) works with consumers to improve how the LCS and the SRA handle complaints about solicitors in England and Wales.
The General Council of the Bar
The Bar Council is the professional body for barristers in England and Wales.
The Institute of Legal Executives
The Institute of Legal Executives (ILEX) is the professional body which represents legal executives and trainee legal executives and enhances their role and standing in the legal profession.
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) is the regulatory body for licensed conveyancers who are qualified specialist property lawyers.
The Institute of Trademark Attorneys
The aims of the Institute of Trademark Attorneys (ITMA) are to ensure that all trademark professionals possess the specialised knowledge and experience necessary in trademark matters.
The Chartered Institute of Patent Agents
The Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) is the professional and examining body for patent attorneys (also known as patent agents) in the UK.
Legal Services Commission
The Legal Services Commission (LSC) looks after legal aid in England and Wales. They provide information, advice and legal representation to help people to get access to justice.
The Solicitors Sole Practitioners Group
The Solicitors Sole Practitioners Group aims to represent, support and develop the interests of sole practitioners.
The Solicitors Group
The Solicitors Group is a membership-based organisation currently representing over 330 law firms throughout the UK.
Centre for Regulatory Governance (University of Exeter)
The Centre for Regulatory Governance (CRG) specialises in the analysis of regulatory policy.
Government agencies and departments
Ministry of Justice
The Ministry of Justice is responsible for the running of the courts and for improving the justice system; human rights and information rights law; the running of the prison service and policy on running elections and modernising the constitution.
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (former DTI)
The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) is responsible for trade, business, employees, consumers, science and energy. It also works across government to reduce and remove unnecessary regulation for the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Office of Fair Trading
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) plays a leading role in promoting and protecting consumer interests throughout the UK, while ensuring that businesses are fair and competitive.
Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner
The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) is responsible for ensuring that all immigration advisers fulfil the requirements of good practice.
Better Regulation Executive
The Better Regulation Executive works across government to reduce and remove unnecessary regulation for the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Consumer
Which?
Which? campaigns to get a fairer deal for all consumers and publishes expert, unbiased information.
National Consumer Council
The National Consumer Council (NCC) work with public service providers, businesses and regulators. It conducts research and policy analysis to investigate consumer issues to influence organisations and people that make change happen.
Citizens Advice Bureau
The Citizens Advice Bureau helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free, independent and confidential advice, and by influencing policymakers.
Other
Financial Ombudsman Service
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) helps settle individual disputes, on a wide range of financial matters, between businesses providing financial services and their customers.
Financial Services Authority
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is an independent body that regulates the financial services industry in the UK.
