What, why and when

Australia’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) reforms commenced on 1 July 2026 and now apply to certain legal services provided by law firms.

As a result, Hobson Legal may be required to collect additional information and documentation from you before providing certain legal services. These requirements are imposed by Australian law and apply to all legal practices that provide designated services.

We are committed to working with our clients to ensure these requirements are met efficiently so that legal services can be provided without unnecessary delay or disruption.

Why these changes have been introduced

The AML/CTF reforms form part of Australia’s efforts to combat money laundering, terrorism financing, fraud and other serious financial crime.

The legislation requires law firms providing certain designated services to undertake client due diligence and verify the identity of their clients and, in some circumstances, the identity of individuals associated with those clients.

These measures assist law enforcement and regulatory authorities in preventing the misuse of legal and financial systems for criminal purposes.

When do the requirements apply?

The obligations apply when Hobson Legal provides certain designated services, including matters involving:

• property transactions;

• business purchases or sales;

• company, trust or partnership structures;

• the formation, restructuring or administration of companies, trusts or partnerships;

• handling client funds or assets; and

• other legal services prescribed under the AML/CTF legislation.

Not all legal services are subject to these requirements. Where the AML/CTF obligations apply, we will advise you of the steps that need to be completed before we are able to proceed.

What information may we require?

Where a matter involves a designated service, we may request information and documents to verify:

• the identity of an individual client;

• the identity of directors, trustees, partners or other representatives;

• the identity of beneficial owners or persons who control an entity;

• the ownership and control structure of a company, trust or other entity; and

• the source or purpose of funds in certain circumstances.

You may be asked to complete a Client Due Diligence (CDD) Form and provide supporting identification documents. In some cases, electronic identity verification may also be required.

Why are we requesting this information?

The information we request is necessary to enable Hobson Legal to comply with its legal obligations under the AML/CTF regime.

If required information or verification documents cannot be obtained, we may be unable to commence or continue providing certain legal services.

Protecting your information

Hobson Legal is committed to protecting your privacy and handling personal information responsibly. Any personal information collected as part of our AML/CTF compliance processes will be:

• collected only to the extent reasonably necessary for compliance with legal obligations;

• stored securely;

• accessible only to authorised personnel who require access for compliance purposes; and

• handled in accordance with applicable privacy laws and our privacy practices.