News
You can read all of the latest news affecting the sector below. You can also sign up to receive our monthly newsletter, “Compliance Lifeline”, here:
Legal Ombudsman shares its thoughts on effective complaint handling
Legal Ombudsman shares its views on effective complaint handling The Legal Ombudsman has published its draft Business Plan for 2024-2025, and it contains some useful insights for law firms. Analysis
The taxing issue of VAT on disbursements
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
SRA’s firm reminder about Client Account Interest Policy
SRA’s firm reminder about Client Account Interest Policy In the April 2024 SRA Update, the regulator fires a warning shot across the bows of authorised firms: ‘If we have evidence
SRA Money Laundering Sectoral Risk Assessment
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
Compliance Lifeline – April 2024
Welcome to the April edition of Compliance Lifeline, delivering a range of topical news items for the legal sector.
Compliance Lifeline – February 2024
Welcome to the February edition of Compliance Lifeline, delivering a range of topical news items for the legal sector.
Legal Ombudsman change of postal address
Legal Ombudsman change of address – actions for law firms A reminder that as from 22 January 2024 the LeO correspondence address has changed. The LeO has not moved office,
SRA Accounts rules: residual balances
Solicitors Accounts Rules: Residual balances This month we draw attention to SRA Accounts Rule 2.5, which requires firms to return client money as soon as there is no proper reason
Anti-money laundering update February 2024
Anti-money laundering update – February 2024 This has become a standing agenda item. The SRA continues to roll out its enforcement action: the Law Society’s Gazette reports on another firm
Law society’s concern over sloppy cyber security practices
Law Society expresses concern over sloppy cyber-security practices As noted in the previous article there are close links between data protection and cyber security. A recent article on the Law
Information security and data protection update
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
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
Sanctions update February 2024
Updated UK Sanctions List & Sanctions Strategy AML only affects the activities set out in Chapter 1 of the Money Laundering Regulations but sanctions affect all Solicitors, whether in scope
Compliance Lifeline – January 2024
Welcome to the January edition of Compliance Lifeline, which this month has a particularly strong focus on UK sanctions.
UK sanctions regime comes under increased SRA scrutiny
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
New SRA Guidance on firm-wide sanctions risk assessments
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.
Are you confident your team will spot a conflict of interest?
Are you confident your legal team will spot a conflict of interest? Have you trained your team on the firm’s Conflicts of Interest Policy recently? Are you confident that they
Sole practitioner fined for SRA Accounts Rules breaches
Sole practitioner fined for SRA Accounts Rules breaches Mr Goldsmith, a solicitor of many years’ standing, was found to have breached the SRA Accounts Rules on multiple occasions during an
Our outsourced COLP Service
Our new outsourced service for COLPs and COFAs We’re acutely conscious of the mounting pressures on Compliance Officers. So, we’ve launched our Outsourced COLP service on a retainer basis to
Cybercrime update January 2024
Solicitor cybercrime update January 2024 At the end of last year the cyber attack on IT provider CTS hit the headlines when it affected a large number of property firms,
Law Society Risk & Compliance Conference 2024
The Law Society’s Risk & Compliance Conference 2024 The Law Society’s annual Risk & Compliance Conference takes place on 21 March, a great event for legal practitioners and compliance professionals.
New postal address for the Legal Ombudsman
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
Compliance Lifeline – December 2023
Welcome to the October issue of Compliance Lifeline.
It’s hard to think where the summer went. For the Enderley Team it passed in a flurry of AML work in response to the SRA’s proactivity in this area.
SRA Transparency Rules: Does your website comply?
SRA Transparency Rules: Does your website comply? Are you confident that your firm’s website complies with the SRA Transparency Rules? Does it display all required information on the firm’s
Was your law firm affected by the cyber attack on IT provider CTS?
Were you affected by the recent cyber-attack on IT provider CTS? The cyber attack left around ninety law firms unable to access their case management systems. It made national
Law firm fined by ICO following phishing attack
Law firm fined by the Information Commissioners’ Office following phishing attack The ICO has recently enforced against a Solicitors’ practice, Swinburne, Snowball and Jackson of Consett, County Durham. An
UK sanctions update
UK sanctions update There has also been a lot of activity around UK sanctions in the last week. On 6 December the NCA, OFSI and other agencies issued a
Ashfords fined over £100,000 for AML non-compliance
Law firm Ashfords fined over £100,000 for AML non-compliance The leading south-west law firm has found itself in hot water with the Solicitors Regulation Authority after multiple AML red flags.
SRA Warning Notice on Client and Matter Risk Assessments
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?
Addendum to LSAG Guidance to Law Firms 2023
Addendum to LSAG Guidance to Law Firms 2023 On 1 December the Legal Sector Affinity Group published an addendum to its 2023 AML Guidance for the Legal Sector. It
New list 3ZA of high-risk third countries
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
2023 round-up and season’s greetings!
2023 round-up and season’s greetings! Director Anne Austin reflects on the highlights of 2023 for Enderley Consulting Thank you for your continued business and support during 2023. We feel
Cyber criminals: It’s not just your money they’re after
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
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
SRA issue AML Warning Notice
SRA AML Warning Notice: Client and matter risk assessments Client and Matter Risk Assessments – October 2023 In recent days, the SRA have issued a Warning Notice about client and
Compliance Lifeline – October 2023
Welcome to the October issue of Compliance Lifeline.
It’s hard to think where the summer went. For the Enderley Team it passed in a flurry of AML work in response to the SRA’s proactivity in this area.
Developments in the UK sanction regime
Developments in the UK sanctions regime All law firms are subject to the sanctions regime, regardless of the type of work they do and whether or not those services are
Professional ethics in law firms
Professional ethics in law firms With so much noise about AML, and with so many politicians trying to become involved in the administration of justice, the ethical considerations involved in
The use of artificial intelligence in law firms
The use of artificial intelligence in law firms A quick reminder that Data Protection issues haven’t gone away. The imminent launch of AI tools comes with claims of revolutionising the
Immigration solicitors in the spotlight
Immigration solicitors in the SRA spotlight Hot on the heels of its highly publicised interventions into three immigration firms following media exposure, the SRA has issued a warning notice to
Client account issues
Client account issues. Residual client balances have hit the headlines in the legal press this week. The SRA flexed its new fining powers by fining a North London firm £14,000
Anti-Money Laundering…..again
Anti-Money Laundering. Again. As we go to press, the SRA’s Anti-Money Laundering annual report 2022-23 is published today (13 October). It comes as no surprise to read that the SRA
Enderley strengthens its management team with appointment of Jodie Hudson as director
Enderley strengthens its management team with appointment of Jodie Hudson as director We are delighted to announce that we have welcomed Jodie to Enderley Consulting as a Director. Jodie, who
Culture in Law Firms: should they be more corporate?
Culture in Law Firms: should they be more corporate? What is culture? As Sumatra Ghoshal wrote, it’s the “smell of the place”- the “special sauce” that makes a firm unique.
Compliance Lifeline – August 2023
Welcome to Compliance Lifeline. Welcome to the August edition of Compliance Lifeline! It’s certainly been a busy summer in the legal compliance world. Lots of frenetic activity, particularly from the
Balance: the home-work ratio
Balance:The home-work ratio In the meantime, we hope you are enjoying the summer and have had some quality time away from the office. As our clients and regular readers will
Digital conveyancing
Digital conveyancing The launch of a new steering group The Government has announced the creation of the ‘Digital Property Market Steering Group’ (DPMSG), a loose collaboration of relevant industry groups,
Transparency rules
Transparency rules No, they haven’t changed. Well, not that we know of. On 31 July 2023 the Law Society has published an updated Practice Note on the requirements. Addressing
Client supermarket
Client supermarket The provision of professional or other services is of course topical, with banking services particularly in focus following ‘Farage-gate’. But lawyers are accustomed to acting for clients
Ombudsman’s Ominous Omnibus
Ombudsman’s Ominous Omnibus. We are surprised that LeO’s Annual Report (July 2023) attracted little comment. It’s mildly self congratulatory… “We can say we have delivered the step change