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The Law Society’s bid to regain responsibility for much of the regulation of solicitors has “inadvertently” made the case for completely independent regulation, a leading figure at the Solicitors Regulation Authority has claimed.

The Legal Services Board has urged the Law Society and Solicitors Regulation Authority to “actively look for savings opportunities” after the society’s budget increased by £11.5m for the next year. It also criticised a lack of consultation with fee payers over what they will have to pay.

The Law Society is making a conscious effort to learn the lessons of last year’s Sound off for Justice campaign and be less of a “noisy critic” and focus more on lobbying the government, chief executive Des Hudson has said in the latest instalment of his exclusive interview with Legal Futures.

Law Society chief executive Des Hudson saw his remuneration package fall 16% last year, the society’s annual accounts have shown. The Law Society recorded a net deficit of £22.7m in 2012 – more than the £10m which had been budgeted for.

The “sustainable consolidation” of nearly 1,200 small criminal law firms could be driven by requiring them to have a minimum number of duty solicitors, the Law Society has proposed as its alternative to price competitive tendering.