To mark the milestone, leaders from across the legal, judicial and public-policy landscape came together yesterday at the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin for the ‘Shaping Trusted Legal Services for the Future’ event. Discussions reflected on the impact of independent regulation over the past decade and explored how it can continue to strengthen public confidence, uphold high professional standards and ensure legal services respond to evolving public expectations, technological developments and wider societal change.

Since its establishment on 1 October 2016, the LSRA has implemented significant reforms across the legal services sector. These include establishing the Roll of Practising Barristers, introducing an independent service for complaints about solicitors and barristers, strengthening legal-cost transparency, authorising Limited Liability Partnerships and Legal Partnerships, reforming professional indemnity insurance requirements for barristers, and advancing work on legal education, diversity and access to the professions.

These reforms have strengthened transparency and accountability, supported new and more flexible models of legal practice, and provided the public with independent oversight of legal services. They reflect the LSRA’s broader role in protecting and promoting the public interest while supporting high standards across the legal professions.

Justice minister Jim O’Callaghan, speaking at the event said: “Independent and effective regulation is essential to public confidence in our legal services and in the wider administration of justice. Over the past ten years, the LSRA has established itself as an important part of Ireland’s legal and regulatory framework, delivering practical reforms that support transparency, accountability and high professional standards.

“The legal services sector will continue to evolve in response to technology, changing models of practice and the needs of the public. The LSRA will have an important role in ensuring that this change is supported by strong standards, trusted institutions and a clear focus on the public interest.”

The event was opened by LSRA Chairperson Tom Boland and featured contribution the Chief Justice of Ireland, the Honorable Mr Justice Donal O’Donnell, who gave a keynote address. In addition, other key speakers included the Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan, Attorney General Mr Rossa Fanning SC and Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, with a panel discussion featuring Noeline Blackwell, Angela Denning and Professor Colin Scott, moderated by Sara Moorhead SC.

Discussion focused on how regulation can respond to consumer needs, encourage high professional standards, keep pace with emerging technologies and help ensure the legal professions and legal services remain responsive and accessible.

Niamh Muldoon, chief executive officer of the LSRA, said: “The LSRA’s first decade has been about building an independent regulator and turning a wide-ranging statutory remit into practical change for the public and the legal professions. We have established an independent complaints service, introduced new regulatory structures and supported greater transparency in how legal services are provided.

“People avail of legal services at some of the most significant and often, difficult moments in their lives. Our work underpins the high standards our society can rely upon in these services, where to turn if something goes wrong, safe in the knowledge that any concerns will be considered fairly and impartially.

“Our next decade will build on the foundations already in place. We will continue to improve the efficiency, accessibility and public understanding of regulation, support a modern legal profession and use evidence to inform change. Our aim is clear: legal services that are trusted and accessible to all.”

Tom Boland, chair of the Legal Services Regulatory Authority, said: “The LSRA has made a significant contribution over the last ten years. Through developing lasting partnerships with key stakeholders, implementing new legislative frameworks and moving from a start-up organisation to a fully-fledged regulatory body, the LSRA has achieved a huge amount in its first ten years.

“We are committed to seeing legal services that are trusted, accessible and delivered by legal practitioners who meet the highest standards of professionalism and integrity and look forward to building on the progress already made.”

As the LSRA enters its second decade, it will continue to build on these reforms so that regulation keeps pace with change, protects the public interest and supports legal services that people can trust, understand and access when they need them.

The Legal Services Regulatory Authority was established in 2016 and is an independent authority. We are Ireland’s national statutory regulator for both branches of the legal profession – barristers and solicitors. Our mission is to regulate the provision of legal services by barristers and solicitors and to ensure that standards are maintained and improved.