AML guidance and resources

The Law Society offers a number of AML supports to help solicitors complying with AML legislation.

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Free AML training

The following free online AML Training and Information Sessions are available to solicitors:

  • the Law Society’s free online AML training hour which is part of the Regulatory Matters Programme and is delivered through Learnskills. This operates on a separate login system to lawsociety.ie. If you have not already done so, you will need to create your own Learnskills account (CPD Hours: 1 Regulatory Matters (accounting and AML compliance) (by eLearning)]

  • the AML Update Session (30-minute video) which is accessible through the Society’s Small Practice Business Hub or on YouTube.

AML Infographics

Three infographics have been prepared to visually communicate solicitor AML, illustrating:

  1. The AML responsibilities within a solicitors’ firm
  2. A step-by-step approach to completing a Business Risk Assessment
  3. Customer Risk Assessment to determine CDD and ML/TF Risk

View the infographics.

2018 AML Guidance

Key features include:

  • Frequently asked questions about the new Act which supplements the 2010 Guidance Notes

  • Optimised for electronic use with bookmarks and search functionality

  • Glossary of terms

  • Summary of headline impacts of the 2018 Act on solicitor AML duties

  • Tips for how to transition to full compliance with the 2018 Act including ‘existing’ clients.

View the 2018 Guidance Notes.

Sample adaptable forms 

Use these forms to help you when updating your approach to AML:

  1. Business Risk Assessment
  2. Policies, Controls and Procedures
  3. Risk Factor Questionnaire for Customer Risk Assessment
  4. ‘Document your Thought Process’ forms for Customer Risk Assessment

Legislation

AML Law Reform Submissions

2021 Act Update

Solicitors (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Regulations 2020

The Law Society has issued a practice note relating to the introduction of a new statutory instrument, (SI 377 of 2020) with regard to solicitors' statutory anti-money laundering (AML) obligations.

The statutory instrument does not impose any new obligations on solicitors with regard to their statutory AML obligations, nor does it confer any new powers on the Law Society regarding its statutory role as the competent authority for solicitors (in the context of monitoring and securing their compliance with AML obligations). 

The purpose of the Statutory Instrument is to update the previous regulations (Solicitors (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Regulations 2016) to take into account amendments to the primary legislation (Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010 as amended.

The regulations have an operative date of 1 November 2020. The Solicitors (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Regulations 2016 are revoked.

Solicitors who are currently in compliance with their statutory anti-money-laundering (AML) duties (last updated in November 2018) will already be in compliance with the new Solicitors (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Regulations 2020. These regulations simply reflect current statutory obligations.

Information about relevant AML Supports can be viewed in the November 2020 Gazette.

AML and CFT National Risk Assessment 

Ireland has produced its first Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism National Risk Assessment. 

This assessment aims to provide a broad assessment of  Money Laundering (ML) and Terrorist Financing (TF) risks in Ireland in order to enhance understanding and develop strategies to deal with such risk. It is to be an “evolving document” as it is will be updated periodically.

For more information, see Department of Finance (Anti-Money Laundering/Counter Terrorism Financing).  

Client Care leaflet

The Law Society's Client Care leaflet about solicitors' obligations under anti-money laundering legislation may assist solicitors when explaining to clients that they are subject to statutory AML obligations: