Compliance trends for mid-sized law firms
In the second of a three-part series, Rick Jakubowski, product marketing manager at legal tech company Legl, shares compliance insights for medium-sized firms (26-100 employees). In next week’s final instalment, Rick has advice for large firms, with more than 100 employees. Medium firms (26-100 employees) sit at the centre of the legal market’s compliance […]
Navigating compliance in small law firms
In the first of a three-part series, Rick Jakubowski, product marketing manager at legal tech company Legl, explains how firms with up to 25 employees can stay compliant – even with limited resources. Next week, Rick takes a look at compliance trends for medium-sized firms (26-100 employees). Small firms (1-25 employees) face the same […]
Staying ahead of the risk: How to strengthen your firm’s source of funds checks
Last month, Legal Eye’s Alison Holt spoke at the Liverpool Law Society’s ‘Legal Finance in Focus: From Cashiering to Compliance’ event. Here, she shares key elements of her presentation with Today’s Conveyancer, using real examples to highlight risk factors and share the lessons that can be learned from each example. Given the recent news […]
Source of funds: Why the basics are now the biggest risk in property transactions
In an era of tighter regulation, rising fraud, and increasingly complex financial behaviour, source of funds (SOF) checks have become one of the most challenging, and misunderstood, elements of a property transaction. For estate agents, SOF is no longer simply a conveyancer’s problem. How well buyers prepare their financial evidence can make or break a […]
SRA ‘proud of AML progress’ ahead of FCA handover, as annual report reveals a third of assessed firms were non-compliant
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has released its Anti-Money Laundering Annual Report for 2024-25, a year in which the organisation says it made significant progress in preventing and detecting money laundering. With the government recently announcing the responsibility for overseeing anti-money laundering regulations will pass to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the SRA’s chief executive […]
Legal Eye advises firms to strengthen controls as ‘Failure to Prevent Fraud’ law takes effect
On 1 September 2025, a new corporate offence of ‘Failing to Prevent Fraud’ came into force under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA). The offence places a duty on organisations to prevent fraud carried out by employees, agents, subsidiaries or other associated persons for the benefit of the organisation or its clients. […]
HMRC consultation raises uncertainty of conveyancers’ role as tax advisers
A government consultation on the registration of all organisations who provide tax advice and interact with HMRC could see conveyancers required to register with the agency under new legislation. HMRC has identified a need to raise minimum standards across tax advisors with the proposed changes designed to ‘improve HMRC’s ability to monitor and exclude tax […]
Using QES for eWitnessing to accelerate conveyancing transactions
HM Land Registry (HMLR) has for some time been at the forefront in the promotion of digital methods to speed up transactions and reduce the risk of fraud. The pandemic was a catalyst in finding ways to work remotely and ensure that the sale and purchase of property and the related updates to the Land […]
Conveyancing is at the technology crossroads
Conveyancers are increasingly faced with a stark choice: adopt new technology or stick to tried-and-tested methods. But those that embrace change are already moving faster and winning more clients than their competitors. The crossroads is here Conveyancing is built on trust. Trust is built over generations by tradition and tried-and-true methods. This gives clients confidence […]
How Checkboard makes a compliance audit easy
Whether it’s by the SRA, CLC, or HMRC, there’s always an audit just around the corner. Instead of scrambling to get your reports ready at the last minute, you can win peace of mind for your firm by proactively embedding compliance across your workflows. Why preparation beats reaction Audits can be stressful times for conveyancers. […]
Advising co-owners: Key issues in residential conveyancing – NAVRO Compliance FREE LIVE WEBINAR
Don’t miss our next live webinar – Monday, 22nd September 2025 | 2 – 3 PM (60 minutes) This focused live session is designed to support residential conveyancers at all levels in confidently advising co-owners throughout the transaction process. We’ll explore: • Using checklists to obtain the right information from clients • How to clearly […]
No holiday for AML enforcement as SRA shares details of penalties totalling £275,000 in July
Decisions shared by the Solicitors Regulation Authority in July reveal 13 firms have been fined a total of £275,170 for AML breaches dating back to 2011 – with one firm fined £114,006. Amphlett Lissimore Bagshaws in London received the hefty sanction for failing to implement adequate policies, controls and procedures (PCPs) and failing to conduct […]
Solicitor struck off for ‘widespread and fundamental non-compliance’ with AML regulations
A solicitor has been struck off and ordered to pay costs of £29,775.84 for multiple breaches of Money Laundering Regulations that the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal said represented ‘widespread and fundamental non-compliance with critical regulations’ amounting to systemic failures. The judgment was issued against William Joseph Harris following an application by the Solicitors Regulation Authority detailing […]
Law Society ‘disappointed’ with HM Treasury’s money laundering consultation response
As the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s AML enforcement team continues its crackdown on regulation breaches, the Law Society of England and Wales has said it is ‘disappointed’ with the government’s response to the 2024 consultation on Money Laundering Regulations. In the foreword to the response – published last month – economic secretary to the Treasury Emma […]
AML fines: Why conveyancing firms need to prioritise smarter compliance
The conveyancing sector has come under heightened scrutiny from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), with significant Anti Money Laundering (AML) fines levied against conveyancers. Since June, AML fines against UK conveyancers have exceeded £100,000, reflecting the SRA’s intensified oversight in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape, as reported by Today’s Conveyancer. Recent AML penalties have primarily […]
CLC publishes new Risk Agenda, with a focus on ethics and a warning against post-completion ‘slacking’
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers has published its Risk Agenda for 2025, which encourages conveyancers to focus on ethics and ethical conduct. The CLC has also warned against treating post-completion HM Land Registry applications ‘as an afterthought’. The new Risk Agenda underlines ‘the fundamental importance’ of ethics and ethical conduct, and sets out what the […]
Five tips for conveyancers when navigating legal professional privilege rules
When it comes to anti-money laundering compliance, conveyancing law firms are increasingly walking a tightrope between legal professional privilege (LPP) and the duty to report suspicious activity. The stakes are high, but the guidance can be confusing. At Teal Compliance, we’ve seen a marked increase in firms asking: ‘Can we rely on client privilege to […]
End of chancel checks? Law Commission to consult on extent of homeowner’s liabilities
The Law Commission have launched a consultation on proposals to clarify chancel repair liability (CRL) and potentially end such, unless there is an entry on the property title. The Commission’s paper and consultation, which runs until 15th November 2025, highlights a need to clarify the current ‘uncertainty’ around the intention of the Land Registration Act […]
When good firms get caught in regulatory backdraft
In a Times article about the handling of the SSB Law collapse last month, the newspaper’s legal editor Jonathan Ames highlighted an uncomfortable truth being felt right at the coal face of law firms. The Legal Services Board’s growing scrutiny of the Solicitors Regulation Authority, particularly in the wake of the collapse, has triggered a […]
Conveyancers bear the brunt of recent AML sanctions
Conveyancers have been bearing the brunt of the most recent sanctions for AML breaches, with financial penalties totalling £109,500 for breaches related to ‘high-risk’ conveyancing transactions. Although the government has acknowledged the rules are ‘a major burden’ on firms and pledged reforms before the end of the year, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) shows no […]