So, you’re instructing us, and we’ve asked you to provide us with some identification. Perhaps you’re not too comfortable providing us with such information. Why do we need it? Can you trust it’ll be held securely?

Why do we need such information?

The Money Laundering Regulations require solicitors to verify the identity of those instructing them. As part of our commitment to this, we ask our clients to provide us with some identification (ID), specifically one piece of photo ID, and one document providing proof of address (such as a UK current bank account statement from the last 3 months, showing sort code and account number).

We use these details to do our anti-money laundering checks. The regulations require us to retain copies of verified identification for audit purposes.

How do we ensure this information is kept securely?

The ID provided is securely stored on our internal document management system and then on a virtual client file, once opened. We have strict information security protocols in place, which meet all regulatory and legal requirements. They incorporate physical and digital security measures, such as data encryption at rest and in transit, and strict user authentication and access policies, including multi-factor and password policies as part of a wider cybersecurity policy. Our protocols are regularly reviewed for compliance and best practice purposes.

Electronic verification

We use electronic verification as a means to verify our clients identity. Specifically:

  • The anti-money laundering check will be done via InfoTrack (a third party). You can view InfoTrack’s Privacy Policy here.
  • A full electoral roll search will be conducted;
  • Credit Reference Agencies will place a ‘soft footprint’ search on your electronic file, and your personal details may be accessed by third parties for the specific purpose of anti-money laundering, credit assessment, identity verification, debt collection, asset reunification, tracing and fraud prevention.

Our duty of confidentiality

As a Christian organisation, we hold a commitment to Christlike care of all our clients, and this extends to safeguarding your privacy, and treating any data we receive from you with the care and protection it requires.

As a law firm regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, we are required to keep the affairs of current and former clients confidential, save where otherwise agreed by the client or permitted in law. This duty of confidentiality is one of the legal profession’s core professional principles.

Further information

All regulated law firms are subject to The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (MLR 2017). It is a legal requirement that we identify and verify our clients and those who act on their behalf and therefore it is standard practice to obtain identification documents and verify them as per the regulations. We cannot act for any client prior to verifying their identity, and those acting on behalf of the client, or we will be in breach of the regulations. As an unincorporated organisation the trustees collectively are the client and so we have a legal obligation to identify and verify every trustee. In addition to providing identification documents for two trustees and those acting on behalf of the trustees, we require that you confirm to us the identity of all your trustees (of whom you will have personal knowledge) for us to fulfil our legal obligation and to make this process less onerous for you. We handle the data provided strictly in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulations (UK GDPR), and in accordance with our data protection policy, and we only use this data for the purpose of our anti-money laundering checks as per the regulations. We are required by the regulations to retain copies of the identification documents for audit purposes for a period of 6 years after the file is closed.

See our Privacy Policy for further information on what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances we use or disclose it.