Words of Advice


As my firm's money laundering reporting officer, I have on several occasions benefited from the Law Society's professional ethics department's telephone advice and guidance service on money laundering issues.



This service has offered a useful discussion with a Law Society adviser on individual problems arising in practice in connection with money laundering for which no solution is offered in the manual or on the website. Sometimes this advice has proved to be a vital help



However, I have this week been told by the ethics department (now part of the Solicitors Regulation Authority) that a decision has recently been taken 'at a high level' to cease offering this service to solicitors. I was then told that, instead, the Law Society is assembling a panel of solicitors to offer assistance with money laundering enquiries. But when I telephoned the Law Society to enquire about this service, a spokeswoman said she knew nothing whatsoever about any such plan or panel.



An advice service of this kind seems to me essential for solicitors at the present time. The Law Society is supposed to serve its members, and it must surely provide one.



Hugh Harries, Midwinters Solicitors, Chelteham



Response from the Law Society and the Solicitors Regulation Authority: The Law Society will launch shortly its own helplines to support its members on this and other matters.



The Law Society has a web-page that contains extensive and detailed guidance on money laundering for solicitors, as well as links to other relevant information. It also has a monthly e-newsletter, Gatekeeper, which keeps solicitors up to date with the latest developments in money laundering. It is also exploring setting up a referral network to put solicitors in need of legal advice in touch with solicitors able to provide such advice.



The Solicitors Regulation Authority's ethics guidance helpline remains committed to providing guidance on the professional conduct obligations arising from the money laundering legislation. Although the guidance team will, where possible, provide guidance on individual situations, it cannot offer legal advice on money laundering legislation.



Des Hudson, Law Society chief executive, and Antony Townsend, Solicitors Regulation Authority chief executive