Former ombudsman to chair Scottish Legal Complaints Commission

9th January 2018 | careers , professional regulation

James Martin, the former Scottish Public Service Ombudsman, has been appointed chair of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission for a five year term.

Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs Annabelle Ewing announced the position today, along with the appointment of Morag Sheppard as a non-legal member, succeeding Professor Kevin Dunion who has completed his term.

Mr Martin, who succeeds Bill Brackenridge, was Scottish Public Service Ombudsman from 2009 to 2017, and the Police Complaints Commissioner for Scotland 2007 to 2009. He is currently a member of the Review of the Regulation of Legal Services in Scotland. He received a CBE in the New Year Honours List for services to the Scottish public sector.

Ms Sheppard has a background in senior management in the financial services industry, including in corporate governance, implementing organisational change, and operational risk management in a highly regulated sector.  She has also directed a large complaints function, resolving a variety of complaints from the public and professional advisers.

Neither currently holds any other ministerial public appointments.

Both appointments run from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2022. The position of chair attracts a remuneration of £313 per day for a time commitment of four to six days per month, and the member position attracts a remuneration of £212 per day for a time commitment of two days per month.

SLCC chief executive Neil Stevenson commented: “There has been a strong response to these and other recent vacancies on our board, with significant competition and high calibre candidates. Members not only carry out a leadership and governance role but are also involved in some of the final binding decisions on individual complaints within our system.

"We are delighted to welcome Jim and Morag. "These appointments finalise the lineup of our top team for the next few years and prepare us for what we anticipate will be a radical period of change in legal regulation, and particularly complaints handling."