UK Sanctions Compliance Training for the Bar
Understand UK sanctions rules as they apply to barristers and chambers. Learn to identify sanctions risks, search the UK sanctions list, and recognise evasion techniques. Practical, Bar-specific, and essential for compliance.
Duration
1 Hour
Lessons
10
CPD Hours
1
Certificate
On Completion
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
Six outcomes from this training
Understand the scope and purpose of UK sanctions, and the types of sanctions that target individuals, entities, and sectors
Know how to search the UK sanctions list and interpret the results to establish whether a person or entity is sanctioned
Recognise the due diligence obligations that apply to barristers when taking on instructions or handling funds
Identify common sanctions evasion techniques and how they manifest in instructions to barristers
Understand the penalties for sanctions breaches and the Bar's professional expectations on compliance
Know how to report suspicions of sanctions evasion and the protections available to whistleblowers
About this training
Sanctions are complex and constantly changing. The UK sanctions regime applies to barristers and chambers just as it does to any other person or entity. Without sufficient understanding of how sanctions work and who is subject to them, barristers risk unwitting involvement in sanctions evasion.
This training provides a broad introduction to the UK sanctions framework as it applies to the Bar. It covers the types of sanctions that exist, how to use the UK sanctions list, what due diligence barristers must perform, and the common techniques used to evade sanctions. It also addresses the consequences of breaching sanctions, both for the individual barrister and for their chambers.
The course uses Bar-specific scenarios to make the concepts practical and immediately relevant. It is designed for any barrister who needs to understand their obligations under the UK sanctions regime, whether they are taking on instructions, handling funds, or advising clients on matters that touch sanctions compliance.
Key topics
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1
Introduction to UK sanctions
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2
The UK sanctions framework
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3
Types of sanctions
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4
Searching the UK sanctions list
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5
Sanctions due diligence for barristers
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6
Recognising evasion techniques
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7
Consequences of breaching sanctions
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8
Reporting obligations
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9
Bar-specific scenarios and case studies
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10
Maintaining compliance in practice
What learners say
“Clear, well-structured introduction to a complex area. The course breaks down sanctions compliance into manageable concepts and shows how they apply to barrister practice. Practical and immediately relevant.”
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Sanctions compliance is a Core Duty under the BSB Handbook. Barristers have a personal responsibility to comply with sanctions law and to understand what it requires. The UK sanctions regime is complex and constantly evolving. Without training, barristers risk unwitting involvement in sanctions evasion, which carries criminal penalties and can result in prosecution, fines, and imprisonment.
Chambers must ensure barristers and staff understand sanctions obligations and have procedures in place to check clients and opponents against sanctions lists. Due diligence procedures should cover client acceptance, fund handling, and identification of suspicious activity. Chambers should have a policy setting out how sanctions risks are managed. This training provides the foundation for developing effective chambers sanctions procedures and compliance culture.
OFSI is the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, part of the Treasury. It maintains the UK consolidated sanctions list, which lists all individuals and entities subject to UK financial sanctions. The training covers how to search the list, interpret results (including matches of similar names), assess the risk of a match, and document your due diligence process. You should check clients, opponents, and beneficial owners before taking instructions or handling funds.
Sanctions breaches can result in criminal prosecution, substantial fines, and imprisonment. Civil penalties can also be imposed. The BSB may also take disciplinary action. Chambers may face reputational damage and loss of client confidence. Even unwitting or inadvertent breaches can result in prosecution. This training covers how to recognise sanctions evasion techniques and the steps to take if you identify suspicious activity.
Sanctions evasion is the deliberate or reckless circumvention of sanctions, often using intermediaries, false documentation, or complex structures to conceal a sanctioned party's involvement. Red flags include unusual requests for cash payments, structuring of transactions, use of shell companies, or reluctance to disclose beneficial ownership. The training uses Bar-specific scenarios to help barristers identify common evasion techniques and understand their reporting obligations under anti-money laundering law.
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