Why Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a crucial element of a successful marketing plan for law firms
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Why Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a crucial element of a successful marketing plan for law firms Love it or loathe it, SEO is here to stay. Ignore it at your peril! SEO is a crucial strategy for UK law firms aiming to attract clients. By enhancing online visibility, SEO enables firms […]
Case Study: MLP Law Limited
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Case study: MLP Law Limited Recently, we sat down with Stephen Attree, Managing Partner at MLP Law Limited and client of Enderley Consulting. MLP Law is an ambitious entrepreneurial law firm which has offices in Altrincham, Leeds, Lymm, and Manchester. They provide a full range of legal services through their 25+-strong team […]
Warning about client account residual balances
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Warning about client account residual balances Historic balances are in the news, with an imperative on law firms to clean up client ledgers. At the Law Society Risk and Compliance Conference earlier this month Andrew Blatt, regulatory specialist and director of Murdochs Law, acknowledged that dealing with residual balances is a drain […]
The latest Anti-money laundering rumbles from the SRA
Facebook Linkedin Instagram The latest AML rumblings from the SRA The scale of the SRA’s fines against law firms that can’t provide fully a compliant Practice Wide Risk Assessment (PWRA) or AML Policies, Controls and Procedures (PCP) continues to be a major concern, especially for smaller firms that feel unfairly targeted. One of the most […]
Attention all Company Directors! New identity verification process introduced by Companies House
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Attention all Company Directors! New identity verification process introduced by Companies House From 25 March 2025, Companies House is introducing a new identity verification (IDV) process with the aim of reducing the use of companies for illicit purposes. This new process is being introduced by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act […]
Is your firm’s website compliant with the SRA’s Transparency Rules?
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Is your firm’s website compliant with the SRA Transparency Rules? AML inspections and fines have been so much in the news, that it’s easy to overlook wider compliance issues such as compliance with the SRA Transparency Rules. The SRA is currently engaged in what it calls ‘an ongoing programme of proactive web […]
SRA Complaints Questionnaire
Facebook Linkedin Instagram SRA Complaints Questionnaire The SRA have selected 750 law firms at random to complete and return their complaints questionnaire, detailing how the practice identifies and handles client complaints. If selected, firms would have received an email from the SRA on 30 January 2025, however the link to the questionnaire can also be […]
New SRA Guidance on Sham Litigation
Facebook Linkedin Instagram New SRA Guidance on Sham Litigation Last month the SRA published new Guidance on sham litigation. You will find it here. The Guidance explains what the SRA mean by the term ‘sham litigation’ and the tell-tale signs of it, including: unusual client information unusual or unexpected knowledge of law firm processes geographical […]
Risk in the legal profession
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Risk in the legal profession In a change from its usual Risk Outlook, the SRA has published the results of independent research into what the legal profession itself identifies as the highest risks and how they mitigate them. The Code of Conduct for Firms 2.5 requires law firms to ‘identify, monitor and […]
Are you ready for an SRA AML Inspection?
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Are you ready for an SRA AML Inspection? In the last month the SRA has published details of more Regulatory Settlement Agreements with eye-watering fines, ranging from £3,370 to in excess of £31,000 for law firm AML shortcomings. The hefty fines were meted out despite the regulator finding no evidence of harm […]
Changes to the FATF Grey List
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Changes to the FATF Grey List Hot off the press! On 21 February the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) announced changes to the Grey List (countries with strategic deficiencies in their AML regimes and which are under increased FATF monitoring). Added to the Grey List: Nepal and Laos Removed from the Grey […]
Compliance Lifeline | February 2025
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Compliance Lifeline • February 2025 We’ve been rather quiet in the last month because we’ve been working behind the scenes on our new website, which we’ve launched this week, just in time to herald the arrival of Spring! We wanted to make it clear with the new website all the ways in […]
The most common legal marketing mistakes and how to avoid them
Facebook Linkedin Instagram The most common legal marketing mistakes…and how to avoid them In today’s competitive legal landscape, having a strong marketing strategy is not a luxury – it’s a necessity. If you’re not moving forward, you’re falling behind! Effective marketing helps attract new clients and grow your practice, but navigating this area can be […]
COLP and COFA: The requirements of these essential roles in law firms
Facebook Linkedin Instagram COLP and COFA: Understanding SRA requirements of these essential roles in law firms What are COLP and COFA roles? The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) requires every SRA-authorised law firm to appoint two critical compliance officers: a Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP) and a Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration (COFA). These […]
Direct marketing in law firms: the latest from the Information Commissioner
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Direct marketing in law firms: the latest from the Information Commissioner The latest ICO direct marketing enforcements (5 December 2024) are against Bolton-based Breathe Services Limited, which marketed debt management solutions, and Oldham-based Money Bubble Limited. Over just 8 months in 2022 the ICO states that ‘Breathe bombarded people’ making nearly 4.75m […]
Struggling to get into the groove or buzzing with positivity…how is your New Year going?
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Struggling to get into the groove or buzzing with positivity…how is your New Year going? Are you struggling to get into the groove again after a relaxing break or are you buzzing with positivity and New Year resolutions?! Perhaps a bit of both? Have you resolved to make positive changes to your […]
SRA Professional Obligations Thematic Review
Facebook Linkedin Instagram SRA Professional Obligations Thematic Review This recent thematic review was focused on the review and application of the SRA’s published information by legal professionals. Sounds unexciting, doesn’t it? However, the report is an important read as it serves to shines a light on: the SRA’s expectations of regulated firms around compliance and […]
SRA thematic review of probate and estate administration
The SRA Annual Assessment of Continuing Competence 2023 found that probate and estate administration generated the third highest volume of reports to the SRA and complaints to the Legal Ombudsman.
AML in law firms and providing a banking facility
Facebook Linkedin Instagram AML in law firms and providing a banking facility A recent Regulatory Settlement Agreement clarifies the overlap of these two separate issues. Using client money held for that client, a solicitor implemented a client’s instructions to purchase jewellery, to pay the client’s credit card bills, to defray unrelated business expenses, and to […]
SRA AML Thematic Review of AML Training
Facebook Linkedin Instagram SRA AML Training – Thematic Review Providing AML training for all relevant staff and maintaining a comprehensive written record of all training are required under Regulations 24(1) and 24(1)(b) of the Money Laundering Regulations 2017. Staff are the first line of defence against criminals, so it’s vital to train them to identify […]
SRA AML Annual Report Findings
Facebook Linkedin Instagram SRA AML Annual Report 2023/24 Close on the heels of the LSB report, the SRA issued its Anti-Money Laundering Annual Report for 2023-24 which can be found here. The report is lengthy and wide-ranging, detailing all the steps taken by the SRA to encourage and enforce AML compliance, and a new sharper […]
SRA Transparency Rules – updated guidance on price and service publication
Facebook Linkedin Instagram SRA Transparency Rules: updated guidance on price and service requirements On 30 September 2024 the SRA issued new and updated Guidance on how to comply with the price and service requirements of the Transparency Rules. This is significant, as it’s the first update since the Guidance was originally published in 2018. The […]
Considerations when buying, merging, or selling a law firm or files
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Mergers, acquisitions and sales of law firms (or files) If you are considering selling or merging your law firm, or acquiring another firm, department, or files, you should take note of the SRA’s recent Warning Notice. In particular, you must put client’s best interests before any commercial considerations. Remember that clients are […]
New fraud and cybercrime courses coming soon
Our essential learning courses will give your team a practical understanding of fraud and cybercrime risks that directly target law firms.
Spotlight on fraud and cybercrime…it’s not just AML
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Spotlight on fraud and cybercrime…it’s not just AML We are often told by COLPs that the risk of fraud and cybercrime keeps them awake at night, for some even more so than AML risks. It’s hard to keep up with the fast-developing range of fraud and cyberattacks, even more so with the […]
The taxing issue of VAT on disbursements
Facebook Linkedin Instagram The taxing issue of VAT on disbursements In keeping with this month’s theme of accounting matters, VAT on disbursements remains a thorny issue, and in talking to our clients we have detected considerable uncertainty and inconsistency. Some do charge VAT: others don’t. HMRC requires certain criteria to be met if a payment […]
SRA Money Laundering Sectoral Risk Assessment
Facebook Linkedin Instagram SRA Money Laundering Sectoral Risk Assessment The SRA (as supervisor of AML compliance in authorised firms) has recently published its updated money laundering sectoral risk assessment. Drawing on the latest UK Government National Risk Assessment, this document identifies the risks that law firms are most likely to encounter. Why does this matter? […]
Information security and data protection update
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Information security and data protection update Article 42 GDPR provides for the ICO to approve private (and voluntary) certification schemes aimed at processors of personal data. On 13 February the ICO approved ‘the Legal Services Operational Privacy Certification Scheme’ (the acronym is ‘LOCS 23’). Aimed at legal services providers, and also at […]
Companies House update – rate increase and ECCTA reminder
Companies House update: Fee increases and ECCTA reminder As from 1 May 2024 Companies House is increasing its fees – please see the new tariff. It’s really important to send the correct fee, especially on time-critical applications such as the registration of company charges, else Companies House will reject the application and you will have […]
UK sanctions regime comes under increased SRA scrutiny
Facebook Linkedin Instagram UK sanctions regime comes under increased SRA scrutiny With the rapid expansion of the sanctions regime since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago, sanctions compliance has become a focus of SRA scrutiny. Why do law firms need to have sanctions controls? The sanctions regime applies to: All law firms and to […]
New SRA Guidance on firm-wide sanctions risk assessments
Facebook Linkedin Instagram New Solicitors Regulation Authority guidance on firm-wide sanctions risk Assessments On 23 January 2024 the SRA issued new guidance on firm-wide sanctions risk assessments to identify and mitigate potential risks. This risk assessment should feed into the firm’s sanctions policies, controls and procedures, and fee earners should consult it if needed when […]
New postal address for the Legal Ombudsman
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Change to the Legal Ombudsman’s postal address The Legal Ombudsman PO Box address changed on 22 January to: Legal OmbudsmanPO Box 6167SloughSL1 0EH If you haven’t already done so, you must provide the new address for clients on your: Complaints procedure Website Terms of Business Client care letters By way of […]
SRA Warning Notice on Client and Matter Risk Assessments
Facebook Linkedin Instagram SRA Warning Notice on Client and Matter Risk Assessments Does your team complete a Client and Matter Risk Assessment (CMRA) for every matter that is within scope of the MLRs? In its recent Warning Notice the SRA complained of ‘a persistent level of non-compliant client/matter risk assessments’. Common issues in SRA file […]
New list 3ZA of high-risk third countries
Facebook Linkedin Instagram New list 3ZA of high-risk third countries The Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (High-Risk Countries) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2023, which came into force on 5 December 2023, replaced the list of high risk third countries in List 3ZA with a new list. Why does this matter? Regulation 33(1)(b) of the Money Laundering […]
Cyber criminals: It’s not just your money they’re after
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Cyber-criminals:It’s not just your money they’re after! It is not just your money that criminals want. To them, information is gold. Legal practices that handle confidential and commercially sensitive information are prime targets for cybercriminals. Law firms are particularly attractive targets for ransomware actors, phishing attacks, and business email compromises due to […]
Money Laundering Regulations: What is a ‘transaction’?
Money Laundering Regulations: What is a ‘transaction’? In its 2023 model client and matter risk assessment the SRA has included the following question: “Is the matter transactional? Yes ☐ No ☐If no, does the transaction arrange for the movement of funds or assets? Yes ☐ No ☐ “ This prompted a client to ask us […]
Are you ready for an SRA AML Audit?
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Are you ready for an SRA AML audit? The SRA has made no secret of its continued laser focus on monitoring and enforcing anti-money laundering compliance. In the last month alone, six firms we work with have been the subject of SRA AML audits. One had a ‘desktop’ audit’, the others have […]
How to avoid and challenge an SRA Intervention
Facebook Linkedin Instagram How to avoid and challenge an SRA intervention We’re delighted to share the first in a series of three articles written for Compliance Lifeline by regulatory Solicitor-Advocate Jonathan Goodwin. An SRA intervention is the SRA’s nuclear weapon. If your firm is currently being investigated and you fear an intervention may be possible, […]
Unbundling legal services…the pros and the cons
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Unbundling legal services…the pros and the cons The SRA has made no secret of its support for ‘innovative’ approaches to the delivery of legal services, recently promoting unbundled legal services. Chief Executive Paul Philip states that survey results ‘suggest that unbundling has the potential to make some legal services more affordable for […]
Top tips on preparing for PII renewal
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Top tips on preparing for PII renewal from James Brindley of Lockton It was great to catch up this week with our old friend Jim Brindley, now an Associate at Locktons, and to hear his thoughts on the PII market for law firms. Q: What are your observations on the current state […]