May 5th, 2026
If your compliance programme has been built around the UK Bribery Act, that foundation will no longer be sufficient for clients with EU exposure. In April 2026, the EU adopted a new Anti‑Corruption Directive, marking a significant step towards a more uniform criminal law framework across Member States. The EU approach follows a fundamentally different […]
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April 23rd, 2026
Das neue EU‑Paket zur Bekämpfung der Geldwäsche und Terrorismusfinanzierung bringt weitreichende Änderungen der derzeitigen geldwäscherechtlichen Pflichten der Anwaltschaft. Ab dem 10. Juli 2027 unterliegen Anwaltskanzleien in der EU deutlich strengeren Sorgfalts- und Meldepflichten sowie erhöhten Anforderungen an das Risikomanagement. Betroffene Kanzleien sind verpflichtet, Risikomanagementsysteme zu unterhalten und erweiterte kundenbezogene Sorgfaltspflichten sowie umfassendere Dokumentationspflichten zu erfüllen. Der neue geldwäscherechtliche Rechtsrahmen wird die Anforderungen an die rechtliche Pflichtenkontrolle sowie die interne Leitungs- und Aufsichtsstrukturen und damit den Arbeitsalltag in Kanzleien grundlegend verändern. Auswirkungen über die EU hinaus […]
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April 17th, 2026
Over the course of this series, we have made the case that legal regulators need a structured, annual risk outlook. So why don’t more of them produce one? The answer is not that regulators disagree with the concept. It is that several practical barriers stand in the way. The Barriers These barriers are real. But […]
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March 27th, 2026
In the first article in this series, we described the forward-looking gap where many legal sector regulators lack a systematic process of scanning the external environment and translating what they find into regulatory priorities. A risk outlook is designed to close that gap. But what does a risk outlook actually look like? And what distinguishes […]
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March 20th, 2026
Most legal sector regulators can tell you what went wrong last year. Very few can pinpoint what risks are emerging next – or how those risks could reshape the profession they regulate. Legal regulators exist to protect the public and maintain standards in the profession. They investigate complaints, enforce codes of conduct, inspect firms, and […]
Read More March 9th, 2026
The new EU Anti‑Money‑Laundering (AML) Framework represents a significant reform of AML obligations for law firms. From 10 July 2027, law firms across the EU will face significantly stricter governance, risk management and client due diligence requirements. These developments will also directly affect UK law firms with EU offices, clients or cross-border mandates. Firms advising […]
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October 16th, 2025
In the context of the Green Deal, the EU introduced rigid ESG reporting obligations for companies, which are now being rolled back as the EU legislator recognises the disproportionate regulatory burden faced by mid-sized businesses. By introducing the new classification of Small Mid-Caps (SMCs) in the Simplification Omnibus Packages, proposed in the first half of […]
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October 15th, 2025
From 20 to 24 October 2025, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) will gather in Paris for its latest plenary and working group meetings that will set the direction of global anti-money-laundering policy. For the legal sector, these sessions matter more than many realise. The way FATF defines and interprets risk filters down into national […]
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July 24th, 2025
At the recent LawCAB conference, a breakout session on alternative legal career routes sparked an important conversation. With speakers from CILEX Law School, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers, and the Association of Costs Lawyers Training – and a diverse audience of students, law schools and employers – one key question emerged: Are we doing enough […]
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March 20th, 2025
There are risks to the public in both the Scottish Government’s and the professional bodies’ proposed approaches to legal services regulatory reform. Is there another way forward? How can society ensure that those who regulate professionals or other regulated activities, are subject to proper scrutiny and oversight themselves? This is a live issue in Scotland […]
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