AML Training for Law Firms: Online vs In-Person Methods Compared

Anti-money laundering (AML) training is a frontline control for solicitors, helping fee-earners and support staff spot risks with the intention of avoiding their firm from becoming unwittingly involved in money laundering. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) have made clear that staff awareness and training are among the most effective AML controls, and that firms must be able to evidence how training is planned, delivered and assessed. 

It has been announced that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will be stepping in to monitor AML compliance for some law firms. Whilst further news and clarification of the ramifications of this development are anticipated soon, it is understood that the FCA places a very high value upon effective and measured AML training.

The SRA emphasises that training must be tailored, documented, and verifiable; after all, regulators are concerned about effectiveness and evidence, not format. For compliance officers, MLROs, and managing partners, this guide explains what regulators expect and how to choose a training model that actually reduces risk – from live-online to in-person. 

Contents

• What Is AML Training for Solicitors & Other Legal Practitioners?
• Regulator Requirements for AML Training
• How Is AML Training Usually Delivered?
• How Do Online & In-Person AML Training Compare?
• What Does Effective AML Training Look Like?
• Which Training Method Is Best for Your Firm?

Regulator Requirements for AML Training

AML training is clearly stated across multiple regulations and professional codes, underlining its role as a key compliance obligation. Let’s take a look at some of the key regulatory  requirements for AML training:

Regulation 24 of the Money Laundering Regulations 2017

Under Regulation 24 of the MLR 2017, law firms must ensure that relevant employees receive regular AML training. This establishes AML training as a mandatory control, not an optional compliance exercise. 

The regulation states that:

“A relevant person must take appropriate measures to ensure that their relevant employees are regularly given training in how to recognise and deal with transactions and other activities or situations which may be related to money laundering, terrorist financing, or proliferation financing.”

SRA Expectations: Risk-Based, Documented, & Verifiable

The SRA is clear that AML training must be risk-based, aligned to the firm’s practice areas and client risk profile, and tailored by role. Crucially, training must also be documented and verifiable on inspection. Firms should be able to evidence what training was delivered, who attended, when it took place, and how understanding was assessed. 

This emphasis on evidence is shared by other legal sector regulators. For example, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) has highlighted training and record-keeping as a recurring weakness during inspections, with a significant proportion of practices unable to produce adequate AML training records. This reinforces the importance of not just delivering training but being able to demonstrate its effectiveness and coverage.

The SRA’s free AML training checklist reflects this focus on evidence and effectiveness, rather than delivery format. The checklist is based on the “ROLE” model, which can be broken down as:

• Relatable
• Ongoing
• Leadership support
• Engaging

Codes of Conduct: Individual & Firm-Wide Duties

AML training is reinforced by the SRA’s Codes of Conduct: 

• Paragraph 3.3 of the Code for Solicitors (2019) requires individuals to maintain their competence and keep their professional knowledge and skills up to date. 
• Paragraph 3.6 of the same Code extends this responsibility to those who manage others, requiring them to ensure that the staff they supervise are competent and appropriately trained. 
• At firm level, paragraph 3.1 of the Code for Firms (2019) requires firms to keep up to date with, and comply with, the legal and regulatory framework governing their work, which includes the MLR training obligations.

Similarly, AML training expectations are reflected in the Council for Licensed Conveyancers’ regulatory framework:

• The CLC Code of Conduct: Ethical Principles requires that skills and knowledge are kept up to date (Principle 4.4), reinforcing the expectation of ongoing training and competence.
• The CLC AML and Combating Terrorist Financing Code goes further, requiring firms to ensure their management arrangements, systems and controls include appropriate and regular AML/CTF training for employees, with records of that training retained (Requirement 8(b)).

LSAG Guidance

The Legal Sector Affinity Group (LSAG) AML guidance provides the sector standard for interpreting the Money Laundering Regulations in practice. The guidance is recognised by the SRA and is taken into account during supervision and enforcement. Firms are therefore expected to align their AML training programmes, including content, frequency, and record-keeping, with the latest version of the LSAG guidance.

How Is AML Training Usually Delivered?

AML training is typically delivered online, in-person, or a hybrid of both:

Online AML Training

Online anti-money laundering training courses are particularly popular across the UK, since firms can access them from anywhere, often at any time. However, the term “online” is a broad one – this training method is delivered in one of two ways:

• Asynchronous (Self-Paced): Short e-learning modules that learners complete on their own schedule. Typically includes multimedia lessons and end-of-module quizzes to test knowledge and provide proof of completion. They’re useful for baseline knowledge, large cohorts, and repeatable refresher training.
• Synchronous (Live Virtual): Instructor-led webinars or virtual classrooms delivered in real time, with slides and interactive Q&A. Combines the convenience of remote delivery with opportunities for discussion and clarification of complex scenarios, making this a particularly popular method.

In-Person AML Training

In-person “classroom” AML training involves face-to-face workshops led by an experienced trainer. Common elements include group discussion, roleplay and scenario work, observed exercises, and peer learning. This format is especially effective for testing decision-making, assessing judgment in realistic situations, and engaging senior fee-earners. At PDA Legal, more than 90% of the AML training we offer is delivered in person.

Hybrid AML Training

Hybrid AML training combines online pre-work or microlearning with a live component (either classroom or live virtual) for applied exercises and assessment. This offers the scalability of e-learning with the behavioural benefits of live practice, although it is less common than online and in-person AML training. 

How Do Online & In-Person AML Training Compare?

Solicitors can meet their AML training obligations through both online and in-person formats, but each approach offers different strengths. Understanding how these delivery methods compare helps firms choose a training model that balances effectiveness, engagement, cost, and regulatory confidence:

Effectiveness

Research shows that well-designed online and blended learning can achieve comparable knowledge outcomes to face-to-face training. However, in practice, online AML training is often generic and limited to passive content such as pre-recorded webinars. This restricts opportunities for real-time questions, discussion, and challenge, making it harder to test how delegates would apply the learning in real scenarios. 

Ultimately, while online delivery is convenient and cost-effective, in-person training is typically more effective at driving meaningful understanding and behavioural change.

Engagement & Retention

In-person workshops generally score higher for learner engagement and for producing behaviour change because they allow observed roleplay, group discussion, and immediate feedback. High-quality synchronous virtual sessions can narrow the gap, but pure asynchronous e-learning is less likely on its own to shift behaviour without follow-up.

Cost & Scalability

Virtual training is typically less expensive, but it is not more cost-effective since it has less long-term value as a training medium. In-person delivery has higher travel, venue, and trainer costs but can be more particularly efficient where depth and tailored scenario work are priorities.

Regulatory Inspection Risk

In short, poorly documented in-person training can fail just as badly as poorly designed online training.

Regulators focus on evidence and effectiveness, not the delivery mode. Firms that cannot demonstrate a risk-based training design, attendance records, assessment outcomes, and how training links to firm policy are at risk on inspection. SRA thematic reporting shows training shortfalls are a common cause of non-compliance.

Not sure which approach fits your firm’s risk profile and training needs? Get in touch today. 

What Does Effective AML Training Look Like?

An effective AML training programme should include:

• Role-based modules tailored to fee-earners, support staff, compliance teams, and senior management, reflecting different risk exposures and responsibilities.
• Short, focused microlearning sessions that deliver key concepts efficiently, followed by practical application scenarios that mirror real client and matter risks.
• Meaningful assessments that test judgment and decision-making (not just factual recall), such as scenario-based questions and case studies.
• Clear records and reporting, including attendance, completion dates, assessment results, and evidence of how training aligns to the firm’s risk assessment.
• Senior management oversight, with partners and managers actively involved in setting expectations, reviewing outcomes, and reinforcing a culture of compliance.
• A feedback loop that uses findings from ongoing monitoring, audits, and risk reviews to update and refine training content over time.

So, Which Training Method Is Best for Your Firm?

Ultimately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this. The right choice depends on a handful of practical factors, such as your firm’s risk profile, the knowledge gaps among fee-earners and support staff, how often you need to refresh training, and whether your team is geographically dispersed. 

If you’re unsure which will best reduce your regulatory and operational risk, speak to an AML training expert. A short conversation with PDA Legal will help match delivery format to your firm’s risks, budgets, and evidence requirements.

Get In Touch for a Free Consultation To Discuss Your AML Training Needs

If you’d like help choosing the right AML training approach for your firm, get in touch with PDA Legal today. We offer a free AML training consultation to assess your risk profile and recommend a training solution that is effective, compliant, and easy to evidence.

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FAQs

What are the SRA requirements for AML training?

The SRA expects training to be risk-based, tailored by role, documented and verifiable on inspection. Similarly, Regulation 24 of the MLR 2017 requires firms to regularly train relevant employees to recognise and respond to money laundering and terrorist financing risks, and to keep written records of that training.

How often should solicitors complete AML training?

At minimum, an annual baseline update for most staff, with more frequent or role-specific refreshers for higher-risk roles (e.g. fee-earners working on high-value property). 

Firms should set frequency according to their practice-wide risk assessment and evidence that training keeps competence up to date.

Is online AML training accepted by the SRA?

Yes. The SRA accepts online training provided it is effective, risk-based, tailored where necessary, and properly documented. 

What matters to regulators is evidence and effectiveness, not the delivery mode itself. Poorly designed or undocumented online training will fail on inspection just as much as poor in-person training.

What makes online training compliant?

Effective AML training involves the following aspects:

• Clear records of who completed what and when
• Assessments that demonstrate understanding (and, where needed, judgment)
• Role-tailored content or follow-up practical exercises for high-risk staff
• Senior-level sign-off and linkage to firm policy and risk assessment

How much does AML training cost for law firms?

Costs vary by format, scale, and level of tailoring. Fixed e-learning modules are the cheapest, since they are the least bespoke. Live online and in-person AML training is more expensive, but offers a wider range of benefits. 

What topics should AML training cover?

Core curriculum items should include:

• The law (MLR 2017, POCA, Terrorism Act)
• Your firm’s policies & PCPs
• Customer due diligence (CDD) & enhanced due diligence (EDD)
• Ongoing monitoring
• How to document risk and maintain effective records
• Source of funds/source of wealth checks
• The application of electronic checks
• Recognising money laundering red flags
• Suspicious activity reporting and internal reporting lines
• Sanctions screening and record-keeping.
• Proliferation Financing
• High Risk Third Countries

Role-specific additions should include tailored scenarios and practical exercises for decision-makers.

Do all law firm employees need AML training?

Under the MLR 2017, “relevant employees” are required to undertake AML training. In practice, this usually means that fee-earners, staff handling client money, client onboarding staff, and compliance teams must receive training. Non-client-facing or low-risk support staff may require proportionate awareness training. 

How long should AML training take?

There’s no single mandated duration. Effective programmes use a mix of short modules for baseline knowledge and longer applied sessions (2 to 3 hours or half/full-day workshops) for role-specific decision-making and scenario practice. 

The balance should be depth for high-risk roles and breadth for baseline learners; assessments and practical exercises should determine whether additional time is needed for competence.

What’s the difference between AML training and MLRO training?

AML training is broad and role-based (fee-earners, support staff, partners) and focuses on awareness, recognition, CDD, reporting lines, and firm policy. 

MLRO and AML officer training is specialist and deeper – it covers how to assess and escalate suspicious activity reports (SARs), conduct investigations, interact with law enforcement, manage disclosures, and oversee the firm’s AML controls. MLROs, MLCOs (and deputies) need more frequent and advanced training.

What happens if our AML training is found to be inadequate during an SRA inspection?

Consequences can include:

• Formal findings of non-compliance
• Regulatory enforcement action (fines or restrictions)
• Reputational harm and remedial directions