Alexander Christian · Client Onboarding
What happens before
your matter begins
From first contact to signed retainer, there are four stages. This page explains each one what it involves, why it is required, and what you will need to do. The process is designed to be as straightforward as possible. Your cooperation makes it so.
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Why this process exists
The law requires it. We have designed it to protect you as well as us.
Before we begin working with a client, we are required to verify the client's identity, understand the nature of the matter, and assess the risk profile of the engagement. This is not specific to Alexander Christian. It applies to every solicitor, accountant, estate agent, financial adviser and bank in the country.
The reasoning relates to the Money Laundering Regulations, the Proceeds of Crime Act, and the UK Sanctions legislation. These regulations carry serious consequences for firms that do not comply and for clients whose matters are found to involve criminal property.
The checks are not about distrust. They are a legal and regulatory obligation that protects the integrity of the finanical system, protects clients from being associated with financial crime, and protects the firm from regulatory action and criminal liability.
We have designed the process at Alexander Christian to be as front-loaded and efficient as possible. The aim is to complete the most critical checks before you arrive, and to move through the remainder during and immediately after your initial consultation so that by the time we have agreed to work together, the compliance groundwork is largely complete.
A note about the questionnaires
The questionnaires can feel like a barrier. We understand that. Completing forms before a matter has even begun is not the experience most people want.
But the alternative is worse for both of us. A solicitor who onboards a client without completing proper due diligence, and who later discovers that the client or the transaction involved criminal property, faces professional ruin and potential criminal prosecution. The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the Money Laundering Regulations create serious personal liability for the individuals involved.
The questionnaires are not bureaucracy for its own sake. They are the documented evidence that we did our job properly. If we ever have to account for ourselves to our regulator or to a court, that documentation is what protects us and, in turn, protects you and the integrity of your matter.
We appreciate your understanding. We ask for your cooperation in completing the questionnaires thoroughly and honestly. If anything is unclear, ask us. We will explain.
The four stages
From first contact to the start of your matter
Each stage must be completed before the next can begin. We have designed the sequence to move as quickly and smoothly as your cooperation allows.
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Before your appointment · Takes minutes · Done at home
Identity verification before you arrive
When you contact us and before your initial consultation is confirmed, we send you a secure electronic verification link. This is completed at home on your phone or computer and takes only a few minutes. It works like a selfie you photograph yourself and your identity document, and the system verifies them securely.
We ask you to do this before the consultation for a specific reason. The electronic verification includes a sanctions screening check. This check confirms that you are not on any financial sanctions list maintained by OFSI or any other relevant authority. We are legally required to carry out this check beforewe undertake the inital consultation, and it is more efficient to complete it before we meet rather than at the appointment itself.
If the check identifies any issue, we will contact you before the appointment to discuss it. In most cases it completes without issue and you simply arrive at the consultation with that step already done.
What you will need
- A smartphone or tablet with a working camera
- A current passport the preferred form of identity for electronic verification
- A current photo driving licence acceptable as an alternative where a current passport is not available
- A stable internet connection and a few minutes of uninterrupted time
The verification is handled by a secure third-party platform. Your data is processed in accordance with our privacy policy and the platform's own data protection framework. We do not store a copy of your biometric data.
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Short questionnaire at the consultation
At your initial consultation we will complete a shorter questionnaire together. This covers the background information that helps us understand you, your matter, and its risk profile. We go through it with you rather than asking you to complete it alone, so that we can explain any question that is unclear and record your answers accurately.
The questions in this questionnaire address the risk factors that are most important to establish at the outset. They include questions about high risk country connections, business connections, Politically Exposed Person status, and the nature and purpose of the matter.
This questionnaire is not optional. It is part of our legal and regulatory obligation to carry out a client and matter risk assessment before any engagement begins.
If a question feels intrusive, please say so we will explain why it is asked and how the answer is used. Honest answers to these questions protect both of us.
Is this a new requirement? Professional service providers have increasingly been required by government and regulators to obtain this information. You will notice this more prominately with estate agents, banks, accountants, recruitment services, employers and other professional service providers.
What the questionnaire cover
- Your personal background and relevant connection
- Connections to high risk countries as defined by the FATF
- Whether you are or are connected to a politically exposed person
- Business connection and entity involvement
- The nature, purpose and anticipated value of the matter
- Source of fund / source of wealth where relevant
Your answers to the questionnaire inform our client and matter risk assessment. This assessment determines the level of due diligence required for your matter and whether we are able to proceed. We will discuss our assessment with you at the consultation.
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Full questionnaire before we proceed
If, following the initial consultation, you decide you wish to proceed, a more detailed questionnaire will be sent to you for completion. This questionnaire covers the fuller picture of your circumstances, your matter, and the funds involved.
This is the stage that clients sometimes find most demanding and we understand that. The questionnaire is longer and more detailed than the one completed at the initial consultation. We ask for it because the fuller information it provides is necessary for us to comply with our ongoing due diligence obligations and to carry out your matter properly.
You will not be able to access further services with us until the full questionnaire has been completed, returned and reviewed.
What the full questionnaire covers
- Detailed personal and financial background
- Source of funds and source of wealth documentation, where relevant
- Business and entity structures, where relevant
- Counterpart and third party information, where relevant
- More detailed risk factor assessment
- Beneficial ownership information for entities
Not all the questions may be relevant to your individual circumstances.
We are working to streamline the questionnaire to make it as targeted and efficient as possible. If you have questions about any question in the form, please contact us before completing it. We would rather discuss a question than receive an incomplete or inaccurate answer.
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Client care letter and signed terms and conditions of business
Once the full questionnaire has been reviewed and we are satisfied that the compliance requirements for your matter have been met, we will prepare and send you a client care letter and terms and conditions of business. These set out the terms of the engagement, the scope of the work, the fee structure, and our regulatory obligations.
Please read the client care letter carefully before signing. It contains important information about your matter, your rights, and our obligations to you. If anything is unclear, contact us before signing.
Work on your matter begins once the signed terms and conditions of business has been returned and the initial payment on account, or fixed fee has been received. We cannot begin substantive work before this point.
The client care letter and terms and conditions of business covers
- The scope and nature of the work we have agreed to undertake
- The fee structure: fixed fee, hourly rate or a combination and other costs
- Regulatory obligations
- Ongoing due diligence
- What we may need from you
Understanding the questionnaires
Two questionnaires. Two purposes.
The two questionnaires serve different purposes at different stages of the engagement.
Understanding why each exists helps to understand why each question is asked.
The short questionnaire
Completed together at the initial consultation. It is designed to establish the basic risk profile of the matter and the client quickly and efficiently. The questions are targeted they address the risk factors that are most significant at the outset.
By completing it together we can explain any question that is unclear, note your answers accurately, and address any concerns immediately. This is also the point at which we discuss whether the matter is within our risk appetite and whether we are the right firm to act for you.
The full questionnaire
Sent after the initial consultation, before the retainer. It is more detailed because the engagement is now more certain and the compliance requirements are more specific.
The full questionnaire is the foundation of our ongoing monitoring obligations. Throughout your matter we may refer back to it, update it, or ask for additional information if your circumstances change or if new risk factors emerge.
The information you provide is held securely, used only for compliance purposes, and treated as confidential. It is not shared with third parties except as required by law or regulation.
The consequences of not completing them
We understand that the questionnaires take time and can feel intrusive. But the consequences of not completing them for us and for you are serious.
For us: a solicitor who fails to carry out proper client due diligence and who later discovers that the client or the transaction involved criminal property faces regulatory action by our regulator, a potential criminal prosecution under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, Sanctions regulations, and the possibility of a custodial sentence. These are not theoretical risks. They are the reason we take them seriously.
For you: if your matter involves funds or property that are later found to have a criminal origin even if you were unaware of this the absence of proper due diligence makes it significantly harder to establish your good faith. Proper documentation of the compliance process protects you as well as us.
If a question is unclear or feels disproportionate, please ask us to explain it. We will always do so. What we cannot do is proceed without the answers.
If you do not comply
What happens if the information is not provided
If you do not complete the e-verification on request within 2 days of it being sent to you,we will not be able to mutually arrange an initial consultation.
If you do not complete the short questionnaire at the initial consultation, or if the answers you provide raise concerns that cannot be resolved at the meeting, we will not be able to proceed with the engagement.
If you do not return the full questionnaire, we will not be able to undertake any further work for you. This is not a discretionary decision.
If, during the course of your matter, you fail to provide updated information when requested, or if you do not inform us of a material change in your circumstances, we will not be able to continue the engagement and the retainer will be terminated. We will bill you for the work carried out to that point.
Making it straightforward
Three things that help the process run smoothly
Complete the e-verification promptly
When you receive the verification link, complete it as soon as you can ideally the same day, but no later than within 2 days. Delays at this stage delay everything that follows. The link expires after a set period.
Answer questions honestly and fully
Incomplete or vague answers slow the process. If you are not sure whether something is relevant, include it and let us make the assessment. If a question is unclear, ask us before you answer rather than guessing. We would rather spend five minutes explaining a question than review an inaccurate answer.
Tell us about changes promptly
If anything relevant changes during the course of your matter your address, your financial circumstances, business connections, travel to high risk countries, or anything else that might be relevant to the compliance assessment please tell us promptly. Early disclosure is always better than late disclosure.
Practical details
What you need to know before you book
Initial Consultations
Format
In person
Location
Harrow Business Centre, 429-433 Pinner Road, North Harrow, London HA1 4HN
Booking
By pre-arrangement only contact us to book
Fees for compliance checks
Ready to begin?
Book your
initial consultation
Contact us to arrange an appointment.
We will send you the e-verification link. The process begins from that moment.
Quick Contact -
Get in Touch at Any Time
Do not hesitate to contact us with any queries.
Alexander Christian
Harrow Business Centre
429-433 Pinner Road
North Harrow
Middlesex
Greater London
HA1 4HN
Phone : 020 4578 4684
We offer initial consultations by pre-arranged appointment only on:
Mondays and Tuesdays
- Pre- booked in advance
- In‑person at Harrow Business Centre
Office Hours
10am–4pm - Monday to Fridays
Contact Form: To help us respond efficiently, please complete the contact form. We may be with a client or have limited availability, and the form ensures we can follow up promptly and with the right information.
