UK Law Society Issues Guidance on Working With Sanctioned Clients

The Law Society of England and Wales recently issued guidance on working with clients on sanctions lists, a June 12 EU Sanctions blog post said. Attorneys should first ensure they do not have a “false-positive identification” and work to confirm their client is on a sanctions list, the society said. If the client is confirmed to be subject to sanctions, “suspend the transaction” and report it to the government or a money laundering compliance officer, the society said. Attorneys are required to “report sanctions-related information” to the United Kingdom’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, the guidance said: not doing so could lead to a penalty or criminal prosecution. Licenses may be available in certain situations, it added.