The justice committee of the House of Commons has formally backed the appointment of a new chair for the legal complaints service.

The committee today endorsed Wanda Goldwag as the new chair of the Office for Legal Complaints, despite an unconvincing display before MPs earlier this week.

During a 45-minute appearance former marketing director Goldwag admitted she had not read the Legal Ombudsman rules and could name only one frontline regulator.

It was also revealed today that Goldwag had inadvertently omitted to record a small shareholding in alternative business structure Kings Court Trust when she completed her conflicts of interest form as part of the recruitment process.

The committee said it had received assurances from Legal Services Board chairman Sir Michael Pitt that this was a ‘genuine mistake’ and would have had no impact on her application.

The committee stated: ‘We consider that Wanda Goldwag fully meets the criteria necessary to fulfil the role of chair of the Office for Legal Complaints effectively, and we endorse her suitability for it.’

Goldwag told MPs she intends to overhaul the system for filing complaints and plans to implement an online portal for consumers.

She takes on a role leading an organisation dogged by expenses scandals and missed time targets in recent years. The ombudsman service is currently reviewing its scope and has said it would welcome any opportunity to extend its jurisdiction.