Our AML/CFT Obligations 

As a law firm, we are required by New Zealand’s Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 (AML/CFT Act) to carry out Customer Due Diligence (CDD) checks on our clients. Before we can start certain legal work for you, we must verify your identity and, in some cases, the source of your funds or wealth.

What will we need from you?
We need to be able to demonstrate we know who you are and take reasonable steps to ensure the information you provide us about yourself is true and correct. The information required will depend on the nature of the work you would like us to undertake for you.  

For starters, we’ll need:

  • Proof of identity (e.g., passport or driver’s licence)
  • Proof of address (e.g., utility bill or bank statement)

We will let you know what information we require and what documents you need to provide. 

For existing clients, we might already have some, if not all, of the necessary information on file already. We will only ask you for what we don’t already have.

Entities & Trusts
If we are acting for a company, partnership, or trust, we will need additional information about the entity and the people controlling it. We may also need to verify the source of funds or wealth in such cases.

Source of Funds & Wealth
For certain matters, we may need to confirm the source of your funds or wealth. This could involve providing documents like bank statements, tax returns, or sale agreements.

How to Provide Information
You can provide your documents in one of three ways:

  1. Electronic verification: Use mobile verification for certain documents (NZ or Australian passport/driver’s licence holders only).
  2. In-person verification: Bring your original documents to our office for face-to-face verification.
  3. Certified copies: If you can’t visit us, you can have your documents certified by an approved professional.

When to Provide Information
Our onboarding team will contact you to outline the required documents. These must be provided before we can proceed with any legal work. Without the necessary documentation, we won’t be able to act for you.

What if we don’t receive the required information?
These requirements apply to all of our client relationships – whether you’re new to our firm, or even if we’ve known you for years. 

Unfortunately, if we do not have the required information and documents, we will not be able to act for you. 

We understand these requirements can feel intrusive, but they are designed to protect everyone — including our clients — from being unknowingly involved in illegal activities. Please be assured that any information you provide will be handled securely and confidentially.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to raise these with your lawyer, or contact our in-house AML Compliance Officer, Jacinta Halliday, who can be reached on 03 443 0900, or by emailing jacinta.halliday@aspiringlaw.co.nz