With over 30 years’ experience in working with solicitors (including 8 years at Shoosmiths LLP as Director of Quality and Risk, 11 years at a top 10 law firm and 12 years in professional ethics at the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)), Alison Matthews is truly expert in all aspects of law firm regulation and compliance. Alison understands how law firms need to operate in the compliance field, and has a wealth of practical experience.

Alison is renowned as one of the UK’s leading experts on money laundering and professional conduct for solicitors. She has built an excellent reputation as a well-respected and trusted compliance expert. Pragmatic yet commercial, she has encyclopaedic knowledge of the relevant law and regulations.

Alison chaired the Law Society’s highly respected Money Laundering Taskforce, having been an inaugural member. She was a key member of the Government’s Money Laundering Advisory Committee and the National Crime Agency’s (previously SOCA) SARs Regime Committee. She is well regarded in Government circles, as well as within the higher echelons of the legal profession.

She is a member of the Editorial Board of the Legal Compliance Bulletin, and lectures for Law Society of England and Wales and the Law Society of Northern Ireland. The first, second and third editions of her AML toolkit have been published by the Law Society. The first and second editions of her Data Protection Toolkit have been published by the Law Society.

Alison has a deep understanding of regulation, particularly the SRA Code of Conduct and what lies behind it. Her detailed knowledge of how a diverse business model operates enables her to give practical and commercial advice. She has advised at the board level on major strategic issues.