What would it mean for law firms if AML supervision shifted from the SRA to the FCA? And what can the legal sector learn from financial services right now?

In this episode of The AML Clinic Podcast, Michelle is joined by Chantelle Obatolu, Financial Crime Specialist and Assistant Vice President in AML at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. With extensive experience across global banks and consulting firms, Chantelle shares practical insight into how the FCA approaches AML supervision in practice.

They discuss:

• The FCA’s supervisory style and what reviews look like in reality
• How deep the FCA goes into governance, systems, culture, and files
• AML reporting expectations and how data drives supervision
• Senior accountability under the SMCR
• What effective remediation looks like
• What law firms can do now to be “FCA-ready”

Whether or not formal change happens, expectations around accountability, evidence, and risk management are rising. This episode offers clear, practical lessons for MLROs, compliance leaders, and law firm decision-makers navigating an evolving regulatory landscape.

Tune in to stay informed, stay compliant, and stay ahead.

In this episode of the AML Clinic podcast, host Michelle Clement and guest Ray Blake delve into the complexities of onboarding a corporate client within the framework of anti-money laundering (AML) compliance. They explore the critical distinctions between identifying and verifying corporate clients, the role of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), and the importance of understanding ownership structures. The conversation highlights the red flags associated with SPVs, the limitations of relying solely on Companies House for verification, and the regulatory requirements for directors.

The episode concludes with practical advice for firms navigating due diligence processes, emphasising the need for thorough documentation and understanding of the regulatory landscape.

In this episode of The AML Clinic Podcast, Michelle Clement speaks with Christian Hunt, author of Human Risk, about why compliance failures in law firms are rarely caused by bad individuals and are more often the result of poorly designed systems.

They explore how behavioural science can improve AML and compliance outcomes, why traditional approaches like policies and training often fail, and how firms can better engage legal professionals in day-to-day compliance decision-making.

A practical conversation for AML, compliance and risk professionals working in or with law firms.