Lawyers have paid tribute to departing Legal Services Commission (LSC) chief executive Carolyn Downs, following the announcement that she is leaving to take up a senior role in local government.

Downs took over as chief executive of the LSC in March 2010 on secondment from the Ministry of Justice, following the resignation of Carolyn Regan.

She will join the Local Government Association as chief executive within the next three months, replacing interim chief executive, John Ransford.

Downs has considerable experience in local government, having been chief executive of Shropshire County Council from 2003 to 2009, before her appointment as deputy permanent secretary and director general of corporate performance at the MoJ.

Lawyers’ groups which have had their differences with the LSC during Downs’ tenure agreed that she had performed well in challenging circumstances.

In tandem with its legal aid reforms, the government plans to make the LSC an executive agency of the Ministry of Justice, appointing a director of casework to head the agency and make funding decisions on behalf of the secretary of state.

Law Society chief executive Des Hudson said Downs had developed a good understanding of the legal aid system and was always willing to engage with the profession.

‘While at times we had significant disagreements with the LSC, we recognised the difficult challenges facing Carolyn and the LSC,’ he said. ‘Her departure at a time of such substantial change represents a very unfortunate loss of expertise.’

Legal Aid Practitioners Group director Carol Storer also commended Downs for her ability to work with practitioners, and expressed concerns about who would succeed her.

‘With difficult times ahead we want to see someone appointed who understands the legal aid system and is willing to work closely with practitioners and representative bodies to try to ensure that the remaining rump of legal aid services will be effective,’ said Storer.