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Beware sanctions-busting clients

14 October 2019
Issue: 7859 / Categories: Legal News , Regulatory , Banking , Fraud , Criminal , Profession , Legal services
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Solicitors have until the end of this week to comply with financial sanctions rules on frozen assets.

HM Treasury has given anyone who is holding frozen assets until 11 October to submit a report to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI). The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) this week urged solicitors to check the latest HM Treasury Consolidated List of asset freeze targets to make sure they are not holding monies belonging to a client that is subject to financial sanctions.

Juliet Oliver, SRA General Counsel, said: ‘Solicitors are rightly being asked to make sure they are not helping anyone with dubious funding streams.

‘This risk exists for every single solicitor and law firm, whether conveyancing on the high street or handling global transactions. We would urge all of you to look at the review and, if a client is listed and you hold any of their assets, make a report as necessary.’

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Freeths—Ruth Clare

Freeths—Ruth Clare

National real estate team bolstered by partner hire in Manchester

Farrer & Co—Claire Gordon

Farrer & Co—Claire Gordon

Partner appointed head of family team

mfg Solicitors—Neil Harrison

mfg Solicitors—Neil Harrison

Firm strengthens agriculture and rural affairs team with partner return

NEWS
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The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has launched a recruitment drive for talented early career and more senior barristers and solicitors
Regulators differed in the clarity and consistency of their post-Mazur advice and guidance, according to an interim report by the Legal Services Board (LSB)
The Solicitors Act 1974 may still underpin legal regulation, but its age is increasingly showing. Writing in NLJ this week, Victoria Morrison-Hughes of the Association of Costs Lawyers argues that the Act is ‘out of step with modern consumer law’ and actively deters fairness
A Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) ruling has reopened debate on the availability of ‘user damages’ in competition claims. Writing in NLJ this week, Edward Nyman of Hausfeld explains how the CAT allowed Dr Liza Lovdahl Gormsen’s alternative damages case against Meta to proceed, rejecting arguments that such damages are barred in competition law
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