Industry · Law Firms & Legal Practices
🇬🇧 SRA · 🇪🇺 AMLD · 🇺🇸 FinCEN · 🌐 FATF

AML & Client Due Diligence Software for Law Firms

Automate Client Due Diligence (CDD), KYB and AML screening for law firms. SRA-compliant audit trails, EU AMLD and FinCEN CDD Rule coverage, and fast client onboarding that protects your firm from regulatory fines and reputational harm.

Law Firm · Client Onboarding
👤
Individual Client CDD
ID + PEP + Sanctions
Complete
🏢
Corporate Client KYB
UBO chain · 3 layers
Mapped
⚖️
Risk Rating
Practice-area weighted
Medium
📚
SRA Audit Trail
Engagement-ready
Logged
The Challenge

Law Firms Are Regulated Entities Under AML Legislation

Under the SRA AML regime, EU AMLD, and FinCEN CDD Rule, law firms must conduct Client Due Diligence on every new client before acting, perform AML risk assessments, and maintain documented audit trails. The SRA actively audits and fines firms for AML failures — six-figure fines and reputational damage are routine consequences of non-compliance.

📋

Manual CDD Doesn't Scale

As client volumes grow, Word-document checklists and PDF uploads into shared folders become ungovernable. CDD gaps emerge. SRA audits find them.

🏢

KYB Complexity for Corporate Clients

M&A work, conveyancing on commercial property, trust structures — corporate clients require full UBO identification, registry lookups, and sanctions screening at entity and beneficial-owner levels.

⚠️

Reputational and Regulatory Risk

Onboarding a sanctioned client or one linked to financial crime exposes the firm to SRA fines, partner personal liability, and client-base reputational damage that takes years to rebuild.

How We Help

CDD, KYB & AML for Legal Practice — Automated

One Constellation provides law firms with a compliance infrastructure that works across practice areas, integrates with matter management, and produces the audit trail the SRA expects.

👤

Individual Client CDD

Identity verification, PEP and sanctions screening, source-of-funds verification — completed in minutes rather than days. Works for UK, EU, and international clients.

🏢

Corporate Client KYB

UBO chain mapping, director screening, corporate registry lookups in 60+ jurisdictions. Essential for M&A, commercial property, and trust work.

⚖️

Practice-Area Risk Rating

CDD risk scoring weighted by practice area — property transactions, trust structures, and cross-border matters automatically score higher and trigger EDD workflows.

🚨

Continuous Screening

Clients re-screened against sanctions and PEP lists continuously. Matter-level AML monitoring for ongoing engagements (retainers, trust work, long-running litigation).

📚

SRA-Aligned Audit Trail

Every CDD action, risk assessment, EDD trigger, and senior approval logged. SRA thematic reviews and file inspections become a trivial export, not a project.

🔌

Matter Management Integration

API integration with Clio, iManage, Elite 3E, and other matter management systems. CDD status synced to matter opening workflows — no duplicate data entry.

Regulatory Coverage

Legal Sector AML Regulatory Coverage

Every AML regulator that matters to law firms — SRA, EU AMLD, FinCEN, FATF — pre-configured.

🇬🇧
SRA AML Guidance 2023
UK Solicitors' AML Rules
🇬🇧
LSAG Guidance
Legal Sector Affinity Group
🇪🇺
AMLD 4/5/6
EU AML Directives
🇺🇸
FinCEN CDD Rule
US Legal Entity CDD
🇺🇸
ABA Formal Op 491
US Bar Association Guidance
🇦🇺
AUSTRAC Tranche 2
Australian Legal AML
🇭🇰
Law Society HK AML
Hong Kong Legal Rules
🌐
FATF Rec 22
DNFBP Guidance
Use Cases

Every Practice Area, Every Client Type

🤝

M&A and Corporate

KYB on target companies, director and UBO screening, sanctions clearance on deal parties, source-of-funds for acquisition proceeds.

🏠

Conveyancing & Property

Buyer and seller KYC, source-of-funds verification for deposits, UBO identification on corporate purchasers — all SRA-aligned.

⚖️

Trust & Estate Work

Complex structure mapping — settlors, trustees, protectors, beneficiaries — with ongoing monitoring through the life of the engagement.

Litigation & Urgent Retainers

Rapid CDD for urgent client instruction without compromising audit trail. EDD auto-triggered for higher-risk matters.

FAQ

Law Firm Compliance FAQ

Are law firms required to do AML checks?+
Yes. In the UK, the SRA designates law firms as regulated entities under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017. In the EU, AMLD 4/5/6 classify legal professionals as "obliged entities" when providing specific services (real estate, company formation, trust services, financial transactions). In the US, while the ABA has historically resisted classifying lawyers as financial institutions, the FinCEN CDD Rule and state-level regulation impose meaningful obligations. FATF Recommendation 22 treats lawyers as Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs).
What does the SRA require for client due diligence?+
The SRA AML Guidance 2023 requires solicitors to conduct CDD before acting for any new client, identify and verify the client and any beneficial owners, obtain information on the purpose of the business relationship, and conduct ongoing monitoring. Documented AML policies, risk assessments, and audit trails are mandatory. Firms must not act where CDD cannot be completed.
What is KYB for law firms and when is it needed?+
KYB (Know Your Business) is the corporate equivalent of KYC. It's required whenever a law firm acts for a corporate client — M&A, commercial property, corporate advisory, corporate litigation, trust structures. KYB involves verifying the corporate entity, identifying directors, mapping the ultimate beneficial ownership chain (usually to 25% threshold), and screening all parties against sanctions and PEP lists.
How long does automated CDD take?+
For individual clients with clean profiles: under 2 minutes end-to-end with biometric ID verification. For corporate clients with standard UBO structures: 15–30 minutes. For EDD cases involving complex trusts, PEPs, or high-risk jurisdictions: typically same-day, versus the 3–5 business days manual EDD commonly takes.
Does OC integrate with matter management systems?+
Yes. We integrate with Clio, iManage, Elite 3E, SOS, LEAP, and other matter management platforms via API. CDD status flows into matter opening workflows, and compliance decisions are accessible from within your existing fee-earner interface.
How does OC help with SRA thematic reviews and audits?+
Every CDD action, risk assessment, EDD trigger, screening alert, and senior approval is logged immutably. For an SRA thematic review or file audit, compliance officers export a full client-level compliance pack in minutes. We also support the SRA's expected policies and procedures documentation.

Protect Your Practice From AML Risk

See how law firms use One Constellation to automate CDD, KYB, and SRA-compliant audit trails across all practice areas.