The Law Society of Scotland said a radical change was needed

The move was one of several options contained in a consultation document published by ministers in May.

The society said it had considered the views of the public and professionals.

President Caroline Flanagan said there was an increasing desire for radical change to create "a more demonstrably independent complaints system".

She said the society had already brought in a number of changes to its complaints procedure.

The society's council has agreed that the only way forward for the Scottish Executive is to decide on an independent consumer service complaints body Caroline Flanagan President

"Most of the criticisms of the current system are based on perception by both the profession and the public that the process favours the other party in a complaint," she said.

"The society's council has agreed that the only way forward for the Scottish Executive is to decide on an independent consumer service complaints body.

"Anything less independent, such as enhancing the ombudsman's powers or creating a legal services commissioner, will not be sufficiently demonstrably independent."

However, Ms Flanagan said the society believed it was important that it retained control over disciplinary matters.

The Law Society of Scotland regulates the country's solicitors and handles complaints about their service and conduct.

Critical report

It dealt with about 3,000 complaints last year, when more than 600,000 cases were handled by the legal profession.

Service complaints account for about 80% of cases considered by the the society.

The consultation on complaints handling followed a critical report by a Scottish Parliament committee in 2002.