Michael Napier QC today resigned from the Legal Services Board in the wake of last week’s high-profile Court of Appeal decision to allow magazine Private Eye to publish details of a complaint against him. The Irwin Mitchell senior partner said he would no longer be able to devote the required ‘time and attention’ to the role.

In a statement released by the LSB, Napier, a former president of the Law Society, said: ‘This is to inform you and the secretary of state that, with great regret, I have decided to resign from the LSB with immediate effect.

‘Recent press coverage about a long-running complaint against me and my firm concerning disputed allegations, to be reinvestigated by the SRA, mean that I will no longer be able to give the time and attention required to be an effective board member of the LSB.

‘This is a great disappointment to me because I have been pleased to have been part of the team that has set up the LSB. I wish it well for the future and add my thanks to David Edmonds as chairman for his leadership and support.’

Edmonds said: ‘It is, of course, with very considerable regret that I have received Mr Napier’s resignation from the LSB. I fully appreciate the reasons. I, more than anyone, understand how much the creation of the LSB owes to Mike’s unstinting support to me as chairman. His contributions to our debates have given the board an added dimension. We shall miss his vast experience.’

Law Society chief executive Des Hudson commented: 'It is a personal tragedy that Michael Napier has felt the need to step down from his post on the Legal Services Board. He has made an outstanding contribution to our profession and to legal affairs generally over many years, and I am sure that will continue.'