New Chair for Scottish Legal Services Consumer Panel
Ann McKechin has been appointed as Chair of the Scottish Legal Services Consumer Panel, tasked with leading the Panel’s work to champion consumer interests within legal services regulation and to make recommendations for improvement.
A former MP and Minister, Ann has significant experience of working with, supporting and advocating on behalf of consumers and the wider public, and a particular interest in improving how services are delivered to those in the most vulnerable circumstances. She also has a strong track record in strategic leadership and professional regulation, as well as a background in legal services.
Ann’s appointment comes as the Panel assumes its new, wider remit, in line with changes delivered by the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2025. The debate on the legislation highlighted the dearth of available consumer insight and research relating to legal services, and the need for a strong voice for consumers in the new regulatory landscape. The Panel is tasked with delivering that voice and its tasks will include carrying out, commissioning and sharing research on consumer needs, expectations and experiences, acting as an expert sounding board and critical friend, and using insight on how the current consumer landscape affects consumers to inform recommendations for improvement.
SLCC Chair, Jane Malcom said, “We very pleased to welcome Ann as the new Chair of the Consumer Panel. She joins at a crucial stage as the Panel’s remit expands beyond the SLCC’s work and across the whole regulatory system. Ann’s leadership will help to establish the Panel in its new role and to ensure that all of us in the sector hear the voice of the consumers and the public we serve clearly to help inform our work.”
Ann McKechin said, “I'm delighted to take up this new position and contribute to ensuring that the voice of consumers is embedded in decision making across the entire legal service sector."
Ann McKechin
Ann McKechin graduated in law from the University of Strathclyde. After a substantial career in private legal practice including ten years as a partner in Pacitti Jones, Solicitors, Glasgow, she was elected in 2001 as Member of Parliament for Glasgow Maryhill and from 2005 to 2015 represented the Glasgow North seat. Between 2008 and 2010 she was appointed as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Scotland Office and from 2010 to 2011 was Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland in the Labour Shadow Cabinet. From 2012 to 2015 she was the Vice Chair of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, a non-departmental public body. Her recent experience includes being Executive Director of the ScottishPower Foundation as well as Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Scottish Power which she left in 2019 and as the former chair of the Scottish Grantmakers Association. She was a member of the Court of the University of the West of Scotland for six years until 2022 and was Vice Chair of Public Health Scotland until March this year. She is currently a member of the General Optical Council and General Chiropractic Hearings Panels, Chair of the Scottish Prison Advisory Board and a non-executive Director of Smart Energy UK which operates the national smart meter campaign as well as acting as trustee and vice chair of EMMS International which is a medical overseas charity.
Section 80 of the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Act 2025, which amends Schedule 1, paragraph 11A of the Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 2007, was commenced on 1 July 2026.
The Panel’s functions are set out in statute:
- to make recommendations to the Commission for improvements to the Commission’s practice and procedures
- to make suggestions to the Commission of topics for research connected to consumers
- to express views on such matters relevant to the Commission’s functions as the panel considers appropriate
- to make recommendations to the Commission in relation to any of the Commission’s functions as the panel considers appropriate
- to make recommendations to the Lord President relating to any of the Lord President’s functions conferred under or by virtue of the 2025 Act
- to make recommendations to relevant professional organisations relating to any of their functions conferred under or by virtue of the 2025 Act
- such other functions as may be conferred on the panel by or under an enactment.