How we built our AML/CTF compliance into the way we already work

If you have read our overview of the new AML/CTF rules starting 1 July 2026, you will know the reforms put significant new compliance obligations on firms like ours. This piece is about how we have chosen to meet them, and why we made the build decisions we did.

We started in 2025, and we were not satisfied with what was on offer

We first started working through the reforms in 2025. When we mapped out what the new rules would mean for the way we practice, we were honestly overwhelmed. The change was going to land hard, on us and on our clients. Our biggest concerns were that the new compliance would be burdensome for the clients we look after. We were also concerned it would pull our team off the work they actually want to do for you. That work is delivering good legal solutions, not endless data entry.

The compliance software on the market did not give us much comfort. The typical solution we were finding was a separate, third-party system holding client data, but not properly connected with the practice management system we already use. That meant constant re-entry, inevitable inconsistencies, and more room for error than we were willing to accept. It introduced a whole new category of risk, not a solution to one.

We chose to build the compliance inside the system we already use

We decided the right answer for our firm was to build the compliance directly into the practice management platform we already work in every day. The platform already holds client records, file history, and the workflows our team is used to. Adding compliance on top, rather than alongside, removes duplicate data, third-party portals, and separate logins.

We worked with our technology partner Syntaq to build an AML/CTF compliance module directly into SBOS, the practice management platform we use at ADLV Law. We shaped the module around the day-to-day reality of how we operate. Our priority was an intuitive process our team and our clients can rely on, with the audit trail the legislation now requires sitting underneath it.

What is in the module

The module covers the full compliance workflow, from the opening of your file through to sign-off.

Client disclosure. The disclosure form pre-fills from data already in the system. The legal practitioner completes it at intake and sends it to the client via a secure portal link. It captures everything the regime requires: identity, occupation, the nature of the services being sought, and for corporate clients, entity type, ABN/ACN, and ownership details.

Client Due Diligence (CDD) assessment. A structured six-section internal assessment walks the practitioner through risk rating, identity collection, sanctions and PEP (politically exposed person) screening, the nature and purpose of the engagement, final checks, and compliance sign-off. The PEP determination is made through an integrated third-party service, not by the practitioner or the client. Screening results for sanctions, PEP status, and adverse media are recorded with source and date. Everything is auditable.

Identity verification. The module is integrated with a government-trusted digital identity provider. The client receives a secure link, completes the ID and liveness capture, and the result syncs back into the system. No paper, no certified copies in the mail, no waiting on a JP appointment.

ASIC integration for corporate clients. A live ASIC company extract generates a visual ownership map for any company involved in the client file. Our team can see directors, shareholders, share classes, and the full beneficial ownership chain in one place, rather than reading a raw ASIC extract line by line. Complex structures can be escalated to our Compliance Officer from inside the workflow.

Why this matters for you

The reason we built it this way is to keep the compliance burden off our clients as much as the law allows. The client provides their information once. We use it for both the client’s legal work and AML obligations. Where the legislation lets us reuse what is already verified, we do.

The result is a compliance framework our team can follow consistently, with an auditable record sitting behind every step, and without the constant duplicate paperwork that compliance is usually associated with.

If you want to know more

If you are a client of ours and want to understand how the new rules affect a transaction or file we are already working on with you, please get in touch. Call us on 1300 654 590, or email wehelp@adlvlaw.com.au.

If you are at another firm working through your own AML/CTF compliance and the approach we have described sounds useful, the SBOS module is available beyond ADLV Law. Contact Syntaq to learn more.

The information contained in this post is current at the date of editing – 29 June 2026.

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