Anti-Money Laundering and Client Due Diligence Policy

Standing Lawyers carries out identity and source-of-funds checks before an engagement begins. This policy explains what we ask for and why, and it applies to every client, including one we have acted for before.

Why we ask

Establishing who we are acting for is part of accepting instructions responsibly. It protects the client, whose matter should not be conducted on the instructions of someone who lacks authority, and it protects the firm from being used, however unwittingly, to move the proceeds of crime.

What we ask for

• For a company: certificate of incorporation, constitutional documents, and the identity of directors and beneficial owners
• For an individual: government-issued photographic identity and proof of address
• Written confirmation of who is authorised to instruct us
• Where the matter involves the movement of funds, an explanation of their source

Ongoing checks

Records are refreshed periodically and whenever something changes materially — a change of control, a new authorised signatory, or a matter of a different character from the work we were engaged for.

When we cannot proceed

If satisfactory information is not provided, or what we learn gives us cause for concern, we decline the engagement or withdraw from it. Where the law requires a report to an authority, we make it, and we may be prohibited from telling the client that we have.

How the information is held

Due-diligence records are held under the measures set out in our data protection policy, kept for the period the law requires, and used only for the purpose for which they were collected.