New legislation to tackle money laundering and other financial fraud came into force last week in the shape of the Criminal Finances Act 2017, but how effective will it be? Writing in NLJ this week, Jonathan Fisher QC and Anita Clifford cast a critical eye over the new arrangements, highlighting the practical impact on lawyers, estate agents and financial sector professionals. Two significant changes are the new ability to share suspicions between regulated persons and for a court to extend the ‘no action’ period when a Suspicious Activity Report—but how this will work in practice is uncertain (see Suspicions, privacy & money laundering).
20 October 2017
Suspicions, privacy & money laundering
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Thomson Hayton Winkley—Jordan Wallace
Thomson Hayton Winkley strengthens family law team
Ward Hadaway—Barnaby Rosenthall
Construction lawyer returns to Ward Hadaway in Teesside role
Bird & Bird—Shahin Baghaei
Bird Bird hires leading legal transformation expert
NEWS
Legal aid deserts leave almost one in four without adequate access to justice
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned solicitors and law firms that using artificial intelligence does not alter their professional obligations, amid concerns over inaccurate legal material and client confidentiality
From forgotten interest claims to case-management appeals, a string of procedural developments offers useful—and occasionally cautionary—lessons for practitioners
Jonathan Fisher KC highlights that it now accounts for around 40% of criminal offences, with roughly 70% involving technology, and argues that the UK cannot simply prosecute its way out of the problem. Detection, investigation and prosecution all require improvement, while different fraud types demand tailored responses.
How forcefully can a litigant criticise a public authority before robust advocacy crosses the line into unreasonable conduct?
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