The Legal Services Ombudsman is completely independent of the legal profession and oversees the handling of complaints about solicitors, barristers, legal executives, licensed conveyancers and patent agents by the five professional bodies responsible for setting and maintaining standards of conduct and service within the legal profession. The 2004/2005 report details the work of the office during 2004-05 during which time 1, 743 new cases were received, and 1, 453 cases were closed.