Regulatory Compliance & Advisory
At a Glance
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Strategic Architecture: From designing investment-ready business structures to managing complex authorisation applications, we ensure your commercial intent aligns with regulatory realities.
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Risk & Defence: We offer a full-spectrum service which ranges from proactive AML implementation to defence against regulatory investigations and enforcement.
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Crisis Management: If you’re facing insolvency or an SRA intervention, we provide immediate advice to protect the firm’s future.
Embedded Regulatory Specialists
Compliance with the Legal Services Act 2007 and the Solicitors Accounts Rules (SAR) is essential for business survival and not just an administrative formality.
We translate complex legislation into practical advice for your fee-earners. We ensure the rules work for your specific business context, supporting roles ranging from founders to COLPs and COFAs.
We support:
- Regulated Law Firms: Navigating day-to-day compliance, audit preparation, and structural changes.
- Investors (PE & VC): Structuring capital injections to comply with “material interest” rules and ABS requirements.
- Professional Advisers: Assisting accountants and insolvency practitioners with the unique regulatory nuances of the legal sector.
Immediate guidance is essential for firms facing regulatory pressure or planning strategic growth. Contact our Regulatory team on 0345 894 1622.
Our Core Regulatory Services
Our department acts as a central hub for all regulatory matters. While every firm is unique, our support is structured around four key pillars.
Business Architecture & Authorisation
We manage the end-to-end application process for firms seeking authorisation, ensuring business models meet stringent entry standards. We specialise in Alternative Business Structure (ABS) applications, allowing for non-lawyer ownership and external investment while maintaining compliance with the Legal Services Act.
Read more about Business Architecture & Authorisation.
Regulatory Risk & AML Frameworks
We move beyond templates to design bespoke Firm-Wide Risk Assessments (FWRA) and operational workflows. We provide independent audits (Regulation 21) to stress-test your systems and offer hands-on mentoring for MLROs and COLPs to ensure they meet their personal statutory duties.
Read more about Regulatory Risk & AML Frameworks
Regulator Engagement & Investigations
When the regulator knocks, the quality of your initial response dictates the outcome. We manage high-stakes relationships with bodies like the SRA and BSB, moving interactions from adversarial to constructive. From responding to thematic reviews to defending against allegations at the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT), we protect your professional standing.
Read more about Regulator Engagement & Investigations.
Corporate Restructuring & Insolvency
Restructuring a law firm requires a multidisciplinary approach that standard commercial firms often lack. We execute orderly wind-downs and strategic reorganisations designed to satisfy regulator requirements and maximise creditor returns. We also protect directors against personal liability regarding wrongful trading and SAR breaches.
Read more about Corporate Restructuring & Insolvency.
Who We Support
We provide tailored regulatory architecture for every stage of a firm’s lifecycle.
| Client Profile | Our Role | Strategic Goal |
| New Entrants / Startups | Authorisation & Structuring | Securing the license to practice with a scalable structure. |
| Established Firms | Risk Management & Audit | Ensuring “embedded” compliance and passing thematic reviews. |
| Investors & Non-Lawyers | ABS & Governance Advice | Navigating “Material Interest” approvals and investment safeguards. |
| Distressed Entities | Restructuring & Insolvency | Managing orderly exits or rescues while satisfying the regulator. |
Why Choose Cartwright King?
Building and protecting a legal business requires a strong understanding of the regulatory bodies.
- Former Regulator Insight: Led by a former senior member of the SRA, our team provides insight into how regulators assess risk and what they need to see to approve applications or close investigations.
- Multi-Regulator Reach: We operate across England and Wales, providing guidance across multiple bodies including the SRA, BSB, CLC, and CILEx.
- Commercial Pragmatism: We understand you have a business to run. Our strategies are designed to be cost-effective, minimising disruption to your business continuity.
- Defensive Expertise: As a firm with a Tier 1 Business Crime team, we are uniquely positioned to handle matters that cross into criminal law, such as fraud or money laundering, alongside the regulatory process.
About Our Expert Team
Wesley Thompson, Head of Legal Regulatory & Authorisation, brings over 15 years of experience in regulatory and financial support, including a tenure as a senior member of the SRA. He specialises in law firm restructuring, ABS licensing, and firm authorisations for some of the UK’s largest regulated practices. With specialist expertise in the Legal Services Act and Solicitors Accounts Rules, Wesley acts as a strategic partner to Boards and investors navigating the regulatory landscape.
Abdul Hussain is the groups strategic and M&A expert, with experience in handling over 20 solvent and insolvency acquisitions. Abdul’s experience makes him the lead in this area, with his focused approach from a regulatory perspective. His knowledge and relationships with the SRA make him a market leader in the law firm M&A space. Abdul also champions the Technology driven and AI compliance support packages, we can offer along with valuing company WIP.
Karah Beaumont joins us as our onboarding compliance expert. Karah is responsible for training, policies and procedures and assisting with complex and often higher-risk client onboarding. Karah oversees AML work including conflicts. Karah’s 13 years of compliance experience has cemented relationships across the wider compliance and data protection community, where she is well regarded as an expert in her field.
Matt Shiels, as a 10-year qualified Solicitor and COLP of Cartwright King, brings a breadth of real-life compliance experience support to the table. Matt understands the COLP role and challenges it faces and uses his experience to support clients in similar situations. Matt, along with the rest of the team, support law firms with their risk and compliance obligations. This includes policy reviews, drafting and updates, training, query support, file reviews, AML audits, and content creation. Matt has experience of dealing directly with the Solicitors Regulation Authority regarding firm investigation queries. Matt is our SME on Litigation compliance.
Next Steps
Secure your firm’s future with expert regulatory counsel.
Whether you are launching a new ABS, facing an SRA investigation, or restructuring for investment, we are ready to assist.
Contact the Regulatory team today on 0345 894 1622.
Local roots. National coverage.
Cartwright King is a UK-wide law firm with truly local roots. We have legal professionals actively working on cases across the country, providing the best advice and representation in several areas of law.
