The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has appointed a new member to its Advisory Pool of Experts (APEX).
APEX is a pool of external advisors who can be called upon to provide expertise to assist the BSB in performing its regulatory functions. The BSB uses APEX for advice and support, helping the organisation to develop policy and make regulatory decisions. APEX is made up of a diverse group of people, from a wide range of backgrounds, who are experts in their respective fields.
The new appointee to the BSB’s Advisory Pool of Experts is Laura Simons who is a strategic communications consultant with particular expertise in the field of consumer affairs. Laura joins our existing consumer experts, Stewart Horne and Harriet Gamper, and her appointment reflects the BSB’s continuing efforts to increase consumer engagement in the work of the regulator.
Members of APEX are engaged by the BSB on a case-by-case basis and enter into a paid consultancy agreement for services with the BSB for up to 10 days’ work per year.
ENDS
Notes to editors
About APEX
APEX was formed as part of the BSB's governance restructuring which has led to more executive-led policy development and decision making. APEX members are appointed to provide external and independent advice to BSB staff working on policy development or taking regulatory decisions on exemptions from qualification requirements or enforcement cases.
Laura Simons
Laura is a strategic communications consultant with a background in consumer affairs and campaigning. She has worked on a wide range of issues including legal services and professional regulation. She is also an experienced non-executive director and currently sits on the General Dental Council, the regulator for dental professionals.
Laura has worked in a number of high profile consumer organisations, including Citizens Advice and Which? She has also held senior positions at the Food Standards Agency and the Motor Neurone Disease Association.
As a consultant she works with a variety of clients mostly in the not-for-profit sector. In 2013 she was commissioned by the BSB to develop a consumer engagement programme which is now embedded in day-to-day operations.
Short biographies of all current APEX members can be found our website.
About the Bar Standards Board
Our mission is to regulate barristers and specialised legal services businesses in England and Wales in the public interest. For more information about what we do visit: http://bit.ly/1gwui8t
Contact: For all media enquiries call: 0207 611 1452 or email [email protected].
