“Strategist, independent legal thought leader and advocate for social and organisational fairness, Professor Stephen Mayson helps organisations make difficult decisions in times of structural or industry change.  Famed for his unique perspective and sense of justice, Stephen is valued most of all for his ability to guide his clients in the right direction.”

I have a long association with the legal world.  My objective is to bring independence, insight, challenge and objectivity to the various contributions I make to organisations and the broader world of legal services.  These include:

Non-executive

I serve as a non-executive director or trustee with a variety of plc, limited company, LLP, ABS and charitable bodies, bringing independent market knowledge and governance experience to these organisations.

My aim is to be a critical friend: offering appropriate challenge; supporting effective governance and decision-making; encouraging organisational integrity with strategy and markets, values, professional and ethical obligations, and attitude to risk.

Advisory

I work as both a retained and ad hoc strategic advisor for organisations in or connected to the legal sector.  Clients include law firms, barristers’ chambers, patent and trademark attorneys, other providers of legal services (including licensed ABSs), corporate and government legal departments, regulators, and professional bodies.

My aim is to offer: facilitation and process for identifying and thinking through the relevant issues and options; challenge; market analysis and information.

Policy and regulation

I monitor and comment on developments in the legal services market, policy and regulation, ethics and training, and seek to engage with government, regulators, professional bodies, practitioners and others.  In 2015, I chaired the review by the regulators of the Legal Services Act 2007 and related legislation to identify for the Ministry of Justice potential options for legislative change.  I am also the former director of the Legal Services Institute (a charitable think-tank originally established by The College of Law).

I am currently leading an independent review of the regulation of legal services in England & Wales.

My mission is taking a public interest perspective on the regulation, development and education of an independent and effective legal services sector.

Conferences and commentary

I chair and speak at both public commercial and not-for-profit events, as well as private partnership and board meetings and away-days.  I write for a variety of publications, and am often asked for comment in national and local news media.

My objective is always finding a new way of looking at familiar issues and pushing thinking into new territory.

Follow me on this blog or on Twitter @StephenMayson

Coach

I undertake a limited amount of business coaching for those in strategic leadership positions (in the law, the commercial world, the armed forces and public sector), working particularly with individuals who have reached, or are making a transition to, a very senior governance or leadership position within their organisations and who are facing business or personal issues that are strategic to their organisations.

My role is normally non-directive, that is, not offering advice but rather facilitating a client to reach his or her own resolutions through a structured conversation.  However, the boundaries between coach and advisor, or between coach and ‘sounding board’, can be fluid and (with agreement) blended.  My objective is to develop a secure relationship in which issues and goals can be explored, insights and options developed, thinking challenged, and next steps agreed, all in a constructive and enjoyable way.