Overview

Engage offers a comprehensive suite of checks to help law firms comply with the Solicitors Regulation Authority's (SRA) Money Laundering and Client ID Verification regulations.

Checks can be tailored to fit different practice areas and client risk profiles, and are typically used to manage Client Due Diligence (CDD), AML screening, and Source of Funds requirements.

What you can use Engage checks for

You can use Engage to:

Validate identity documents
Complete biometric verification checks
Screen clients against international watchlists
Access financial history checks, including insolvency and CCJs
Verify a client's identity and proof of address
Collect and review Source of Funds information
Customise workflows to match different levels of due diligence

Available checks in Engage

ID Data Validation

Accepts government-issued ID documents for 185+ countries
Processes and authenticates the document
Cross-references the document against the client's provided name, date of birth, and address
Provides the law firm with a copy of the ID document

ℹ️ Important

Legl also offers NFC Verification (Enhanced CDD) if you would like to enable this please contact our Support team.

Identity Validation

Verifies the client's existence by matching their name and address against secure databases for clients who live in the UK.

Requires the client to submit their name, date of birth, and address
Confirms identity and address against public databases such as the electoral roll, credit agencies, and phone directories
Requires at least two matches to confirm proof of address

Biometrics

The client submits a video or selfie
The submission is validated against the provided ID document
The law firm receives an image of the client to cross-check against the ID document

Financial Screening (CCJs & decrees, Insolvency & Debt Collection)

Provides information about a client's financial history, including:

Bankruptcy or insolvency records
County Court Judgments (CCJs) ordering the individual to pay off debt
Debt collection searches: whether a credit check was made against the individual by a debt collection agency in the last 24 months

Information returned includes:

The date and amount of any judgment
Whether it has been satisfied by the client

Watchlist Screening (AML): PEPs, Sanctions, and Adverse Media

Screens client details against international watchlists to identify:

Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs)
Sanctions listings
Warnings
Fitness and Probity
Adverse media coverage

ℹ️ Further guidance

Watchlist screening for individual clients

Proof of Address: Manual Collection (Verified by User)

For clients outside the UK, a second proof of address document is collected
Clients provide proof of address documentation as part of the workflow
The documentation is provided directly to the law firm for review

Proof of Address Verification (Automated Verification)

Checks document authenticity by:

Detecting tampering, forgery, and image manipulation
Confirming the document is genuine and compliant with local rules
Checking that the name and address match the client
Confirming the document type is supported and within date
Ensuring the file is readable and properly classified
Meeting jurisdiction-specific requirements across 80+ countries

ℹ️ Further guidance

Proof of Address verification

Fraud Check (DIATF-certified plans only)

For firms on a DIATF-certified plan, Engage automatically includes a fraud check as part of every Standard CDD and Enhanced CDD request.

The fraud check:

Screens the client's identity against the SIRA national fraud database
Uses the same database that major UK banks and insurers use when assessing applicants for mortgages and loans
Returns a result alongside the other checks in the CDD report
Flags any previous reports of fraudulent activity associated with the client's identity for your firm's review

ℹ️ Further guidance

For detail on what fraud check results mean and what to do when a Consider result appears, see Understanding fraud check results.

What each workflow includes

Screening ➡️ Workflow ⬇️	Watchlist screening	Financial Screening	Identity Validation	ID Document Validation	Biometric
Watchlist Screening (PEPs & Sanctions)	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Financial Screening	❌	✅	❌	❌	❌
Basic CDD	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌
Standard CDD	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Standard CDD (In-Person)	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌ Optional Visual Verification
Standard CDD: No ID Document Validation	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌
Enhanced CDD (NFC)	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅

ℹ️ Important

Source of Funds and Proof of Address verification can both be added as additional steps to any workflow, including Enhanced CDD (NFC).

ℹ️ Important

For firms on a DIATF-certified plan, a Fraud Check is automatically included in Standard CDD and Enhanced CDD workflows. The fraud check runs alongside the existing checks in the table above and does not require a separate workflow step.

See What is Legl's DIATF certification? for more detail.

Important information

Identity Validation uses UK databases only. For clients based outside the UK, a Proof of Address document should be collected instead.
NFC chip reading requires a compatible mobile device. Clients completing an Enhanced CDD (NFC) workflow will need a device with NFC capability (most modern smartphones).
Watchlist screening results may require manual review. Matches are not automatically conclusive. A fee earner should review any flagged results before proceeding.
Admin access is required to build and edit workflows. Fee earners can complete checks, but only admins can configure workflow steps.
Financial Screening returns information at the point of check. Results reflect data available at the time the check is run and are not updated retrospectively.
The Fraud Check is only available for firms on a DIATF-certified plan.