Regulatory Compliance Support

Regulatory compliance obligations apply across every sector, from AML requirements and corporate governance frameworks to regulatory investigations and outsourced compliance functions. Our solicitors advise businesses of all sizes on understanding their obligations, building the processes to meet them and managing regulatory risk before it becomes a problem.

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CQC inspections and enforcement support for regulated providers in the UK

Why cross sector compliance advice matters

Many regulatory obligations cut across sectors and regulators. AML requirements apply to law firms, financial services businesses, accountants and estate agents. Corporate governance frameworks are expected of companies regardless of whether they are publicly listed. Regulatory investigations can be initiated by any number of bodies depending on the sector and the nature of the issue. Our solicitors work with businesses across Manchester and the UK to navigate those obligations clearly, whatever sector they operate in.

How our solicitors help with regulatory compliance

Advice across the core regulatory compliance obligations that apply to businesses operating in regulated and semi-regulated environments.

AML (All Sectors)

Anti-money laundering obligations apply across a wide range of sectors beyond financial services. Our solicitors advise businesses on AML policy frameworks, risk assessments, customer due diligence procedures, suspicious activity reporting and how to respond when AML controls are questioned by a supervisor or regulator.

Regulatory Investigations

When a regulator opens an investigation, the way a business responds from the outset matters. Our solicitors advise on how to engage with regulatory bodies, what to disclose, how to manage internal communications during an investigation and what the range of possible outcomes looks like before the process begins.

Corporate Governance

Good corporate governance reduces regulatory risk and supports sound decision-making. Our solicitors advise on governance frameworks, board responsibilities, conflicts of interest policies and the documentation businesses need to demonstrate that decisions are made and recorded appropriately.

Outsourced Compliance

For businesses that need compliance support without the cost of a full-time function, our solicitors provide outsourced compliance advisory services. That includes policy development, regulatory monitoring, staff training and acting as a compliance resource for businesses that want external expertise on an ongoing basis.

What this means for your business

  • Regulatory obligations identified and actively managed across your sector
  • AML frameworks that meet supervisory expectations
  • Regulatory investigations handled from the point of first contact
  • Corporate governance structures that reduce risk and support decision-making
  • External compliance resource without the overhead of a full-time hire

When to seek regulatory compliance advice

  • Your business has received correspondence from a regulator that requires a response
  • You want to review your AML controls before your next supervisory visit
  • Your board needs to understand its governance obligations more clearly
  • You are looking for ongoing compliance support without hiring a full-time compliance officer
  • A regulatory issue has arisen internally, and you need advice on whether and how to report it

Meet the Founder

Marium brings 22 years of experience advising businesses on regulatory compliance, AML, corporate governance and regulatory investigations across the UK and internationally. A solicitor regulated by the SRA (ID: 277854), MCIArb, and DIFC Courts mediator, she founded MAR Legal to give individuals and businesses direct access to senior legal advice without the overhead of a traditional firm.

Marium Razzaq - Solicitors in Manchester
Marium Razzaq
Solicitor & Director Mar Legal
MCIArb

Why businesses choose MAR Legal for regulatory compliance

Solicitor Led Advice

Regulatory compliance advice delivered by solicitors with direct experience.

Clear Timescales

Delivery dates agreed at the outset and met without the need to chase.

Fixed Fee Pricing

Clear pricing on compliance audits, governance frameworks and documentation before work begins.

Commercial Focus

Compliance advice shaped around how your business operates.

Trusted by businesses across all sectors in the UK for clear, practical advice on regulatory compliance, AML and corporate governance.

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How our regulatory compliance process works

01

Initial assessment

We discuss your business’s regulatory position, identify the relevant obligations and confirm exactly how we can help.

02

Advice and documentation

We provide written advice, draft or review the required policies and frameworks, and identify any gaps in your current compliance arrangements.

03

Implementation support

We work with your team to put the right processes in place and ensure the people responsible understand what is required of them.

04

Ongoing support

For businesses requiring continued input, we provide regular compliance reviews, regulatory monitoring and support as your obligations evolve.

What Our Clients Say

Regulatory Compliance FAQs

AML obligations under the Money Laundering Regulations apply to a defined list of sectors known as the regulated sector, which includes financial services firms, law firms, accountants, estate agents, high value dealers, crypto asset businesses and trust and company service providers. Each sector has a designated supervisory body responsible for monitoring compliance, and the requirements, while broadly similar across sectors, are interpreted and enforced differently depending on who the supervisor is. If you are uncertain whether your business falls within the regulated sector, taking advice before deciding you do not is the right approach.

Corporate governance refers to the systems and processes by which a company is directed and controlled. It covers how decisions are made, how responsibilities are allocated, how conflicts of interest are managed and how the company accounts for its actions to its shareholders and other stakeholders. Good governance reduces the risk of regulatory issues arising, supports sound decision-making and is increasingly expected by counterparties, investors and regulators as a baseline standard regardless of a company’s size or sector.

A regulatory investigation typically begins with a formal request for information or documents. The business is expected to cooperate and respond within the timeframe given. Depending on the regulator and the nature of the issue, the investigation may be closed with no further action, resolved through a regulatory settlement, or result in enforcement action including financial penalties, public censure or restrictions on the business’s ability to operate. The way a business responds at the outset has a material bearing on how the matter develops.

Outsourced compliance support provides businesses with access to compliance expertise on a retained or project basis without the cost of a full-time hire. In practice that covers developing and maintaining compliance policies, monitoring regulatory developments, advising on how changes affect the business, supporting staff training and acting as a point of contact for regulators. The scope is agreed based on the business’s size, sector and specific compliance needs, and can be scaled up or down as those needs change.

If your business operates in a regulated sector, handles client money, processes sensitive data, employs staff or enters into commercial contracts of any significance, it needs some form of compliance framework in place. The question is not whether you need one but how developed it needs to be given your size and risk profile. Businesses that treat compliance as an active function rather than a reactive one tend to face fewer regulatory issues, resolve problems more quickly when they do arise and present a more credible position to regulators and counterparties.

Our solicitors advise businesses that are subject to obligations across more than one regulatory regime, which is common for businesses that operate across sectors or that have both FCA and AML obligations. We take a joined-up approach that maps out the full regulatory picture before advising on how to prioritise and address each obligation. Where a matter requires input from a specialist in a particular regulatory area, we advise on how to structure that alongside our own involvement.

In practice the distinction is often less clear than it appears. Compliance advice covers what a business needs to do to meet its regulatory obligations, while legal advice covers the legal analysis underpinning that assessment. For regulated businesses, the two are closely connected, understanding what a regulation requires is a legal question, and the advice on how to meet it is a compliance question. Our solicitors provide both, which means the advice you receive is grounded in the legal framework rather than being a generic process recommendation.

MAR Legal provides advisory and documentation support on regulatory compliance matters across all sectors. Where a matter involves regulated representation before a tribunal or regulatory body, we work alongside appropriately regulated professionals.