▁Board ▁is ▁an ▁independent ▁body ▁responsible ▁for ▁over see ing ▁the ▁reg ulation ▁of ▁law y ers ▁in ▁England ▁and ▁Wales . ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁non - de partment al ▁public ▁body ▁spons ored ▁by ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Justice , ▁created ▁through ▁the ▁Leg al ▁Services ▁Act ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁( L SA 2 0 0 7 ). ▁▁ ▁The ▁Leg al ▁Services ▁Board ▁is ▁polit ically ▁and ▁finan cially ▁independent ▁of ▁the ▁government . ▁Cost s ▁are ▁covered ▁entirely ▁by ▁a ▁le vy ▁on ▁the ▁approved ▁regul ators ▁of ▁the ▁legal ▁prof essions . ▁Its ▁overrid ing ▁mand ate ▁is ▁to ▁ensure ▁that ▁reg ulation ▁in ▁the ▁legal ▁services ▁sector ▁is ▁carried ▁out ▁in ▁the ▁public ▁interest ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁interests ▁of ▁consum ers ▁are ▁placed ▁at ▁the ▁heart ▁of ▁the ▁system . ▁ ▁The ▁Board ▁came ▁into ▁being ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁and ▁became ▁fully ▁oper ational ▁on ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁Ro le ▁and ▁function ▁The ▁Leg al ▁Services ▁Board ▁is ▁an ▁o vers ight ▁reg ulator , ▁and ▁s its ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁regul atory ▁system ▁for ▁legal ▁services ▁in ▁England ▁and ▁Wales . ▁It ▁provides ▁regul atory ▁o vers ight ▁of ▁the ▁eight ▁‘ ’ appro ved ▁regul ators ’ ’ ▁named ▁in ▁the ▁Leg al ▁Services ▁Act ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁( L SA ▁ 2 0 0 7 ), ▁and ▁two ▁additional ▁regul ators ▁added ▁since ▁the ▁act