Risk and Compliance Accreditation

Our Risk and Compliance Accreditation is a quality mark for individuals to demonstrate that they have expertise in risk and compliance, legal practice or anti-money laundering.

It covers risk and compliance in the legal sector across three levels:

• Risk and Compliance Accreditation (Foundation)
• Risk and Compliance Advanced Accreditation (Legal Practice)
• Risk and Compliance Advanced Accreditation (Anti-Money Laundering)

This accreditation requires, across each of its levels, an individual to demonstrate the risk and compliance knowledge, skill and competences as set out in the syllabus.

Holders of the accreditation have demonstrated that they have risk and compliance technical skills.

By holding the accreditation, you're able to convey to stakeholders and prospective clients that you have:

• demonstrated your knowledge and skill
• attained an objective quality mark at a particular level of competence in these areas

This makes it part of the toolkit for practices to differentiate offerings from other firms.

Eligibility

Any person may apply for and be granted accreditation, provided they pass the relevant exam for the level, and pass the fitness and propriety checks.

There is no requirement for the applicant to be employed or qualified as a solicitor.

Foundation

The Foundation level will be of interest to:

• practice managers
• compliance officers
• risk managers
• managers
• heads of departments/team leaders

This level addresses the basic risk and compliance skills and knowledge required within a business/practice role in a legal practice.

Advanced (Legal Practice)

The Advanced (Legal Practice) level is for those who are experts in risk management. It will be of interest to:

• directors of risk
• consultants
• compliance officers for legal practice (COLPs)
• sole practitioners
• compliance officers for finance and administration (COFAs)

This level addresses a wide range of key risk areas in a legal practice and how they are mitigated and managed.

It places emphasis on a holistic, ethics-based and strategic approach to legal practice risk management.

Advanced (Anti-Money Laundering)

The Advanced (Anti-Money Laundering) level is for those who are experts in anti-money laundering. It will be of interest to:

• money laundering reporting officers (MLROs)
• money laundering compliance officers (MLCOs)
• consultants
• sole practitioners
• COFAs

This level addresses the key risk areas in anti-money laundering in a legal practice and how these are mitigated and managed.

You can find full details of the content for each level in the syllabus.

How to apply

To apply for accreditation, you’ll need to:

• meet the eligibility requirements
• submit a detailed application form
• pass the appropriate exam

The accreditation process takes around six to eight weeks. It can take longer if we receive high volumes of applications or if you do not give us all the information we need.

Find out how to apply

Re-accreditation

The accreditation has three levels:

• Foundation
• Advanced (Legal Practice)
• Advanced (Anti-Money Laundering)

Membership for each level lasts for three years.

You can apply to be re-accredited up to three months before your accreditation expires.

You can only re-accredit at your current level.

To re-accredit at another level, you must apply for the initial accreditation of that level and sit the appropriate exam.

Cost

The cost of accreditation is made up of an application fee and a membership fee.

We’ll send you an invoice when we receive your application.

Contact us

Call: 020 7320 5797

Email: accreditation@lawsociety.org.uk

Opening hours: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday