Former Law Society corporate affairs chief Dr Patricia Greer has been commissioned by lord chancellor Chris Grayling to conduct a review of access to legal services.

Greer, who left Chancery Lane in May after two years as chief of corporate affairs, will work with a Ministry of Justice team on the new project, which will last four months.

Her brief is to ‘investigate ways of improving the affordability of legal services for those who may require but cannot afford or access them’.

Greer will present conclusions to ministers on options for promoting and extending the availability of affordable legal services.

Areas likely to be covered, the MoJ says, range from improvements the public sector can deliver, such as stimulating and supporting areas of the market, through to changes reliant on the sector itself, for example more online and telephone services.

Before joining the society Greer was at the National School of Government, where she was strategic director for client relations and director of delivery.

She also spent four years as the deputy director of the prime minister’s Strategy Unit and 10 years with leading management consultancies, including KPMG and PA Consulting.