In my previous blog, I reflected on the importance of transparency in legal services and the promise of the Regulatory Information Service (RIS). RIS was conceived as a flagship project to give consumers clear, accessible information about legal providers, their regulatory status, authorisation and activities they are permitted to carry out, amongst other things. It was meant to be the tool that would help consumers navigate a complex market and make informed choices.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), in its 2016 Legal Services Market Study, was unequivocal: the lack of transparency was a barrier to competition and consumer choice. It recommended that the Legal Services Board (LSB) oversee the creation of RIS as a remedy to this problem. The expectation was clear; consumers needed a service that would empower them and the LSB was entrusted to deliver it.
Yet here we are, approaching 2026, and RIS has still not been delivered. That means next year will mark ten years, a full decade since the CMA first made its recommendation. A decade of non‑delivery of a project designed to put consumers at the heart of the legal services market is simply unacceptable.
The Panel has raised concerns repeatedly about the governance of RIS. Delegation by the LSB to the front-line regulators without robust oversight and accountability has left RIS stalled, with consumers paying the price.
Recent correspondence confirms that RIS will not launch in 2025 as anticipated. The Steering Group has identified multiple blockers. As a result, public launch has been deferred until at least 2026.
Consumers were promised a service that would improve transparency and empower them to make informed choices. Instead, they have been left with delay, opacity and uncertainty.
The CMA entrusted this project to the LSB precisely because of its significance for consumers. It is time for the LSB to take direct control, provide transparent governance, and ensure RIS is delivered, or explain what it is doing to ensure that this project is delivered without further delay.
A decade of non‑delivery cannot be acceptable under any circumstances. Consumers deserve better.
By Tom Hayhoe, Chair of the Legal Services Consumer Panel