The Government has appointed the first-ever members of the Legal Services Board (LSB), with Financial Services Authority general counsel Andrew Whittaker and Irwin Mitchell senior partner Michael Napier QC among those to get the nod.

The board, which was appointed by Lord Chancellor and justice secretary Jack Straw, was announced today (17 July) and will see the nine-member body take up their roles on 1 September for a three-year period.