Welcome to this month’s edition of Compliance Lifeline from Enderley Consulting – wishing all of our readers a very happy and prosperous 2026.

As regulatory pressures continue to evolve across the legal and professional services sectors, this month’s round-up brings you essential insights to start the year well-informed and prepared. Our compliance briefing includes a look at new National Crime Agency guidance on Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) – emphasising quality and clarity in your filings alongside practical advice from International Fraud Awareness Week on strengthening your firm’s fraud defences in a landscape where both internal and external threats are increasingly sophisticated.

We also cover regulatory shifts that matter in 2026, including commentary on the implications of the Mazur ruling for reserved legal activities (and what it means for firms’ operational frameworks), as well as updates on proposals affecting client account interest arrangements that could influence how you manage client funds.

Importantly, we have not one but two in-depth case studies to share this month:

✔️ Begbies Traynor Group – the large multi-entity accountancy and advisory group engaged us for a full AML and ICAEW-aligned compliance review, highlighting how tailored independent audits and robust training can strengthen governance and risk frameworks across complex organisations.

✔️ Misha Wallis & Co Solicitors talk about how we help to embed practical, day-to-day compliance processes that align with regulatory expectations and uplift overall firm resilience (details later in the newsletter).

We also look at how UK law firms are adjusting to the forthcoming FCA assumption of AML supervision, and what preparation now can mean for smooth compliance transitions ahead.