Find an AML & Financial Crime Compliance Lawyer

I'm applying for a VARA, DFSA, or FSRA licence and need an AML programme in place.

A regulator has flagged a gap in our AML compliance and I need to understand our options.

We need an MLRO appointed or our existing compliance policies reviewed.

I want to understand whether my business has AML obligations at all.

If any of this sounds familiar, tell us what happened, AML matters often benefit from prompt, clear guidance.

Anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing law governs how businesses identify, monitor, and report activity that could involve illicit funds, covering both a federal UAE framework and sector-specific rules from regulators like VARA, the DFSA, and the FSRA.

This area serves businesses at very different stages, some are designing a compliance programme from scratch as part of a licence application, others are responding to a specific regulatory finding or inquiry.

AML/CFT obligations apply differently depending on sector and jurisdiction, a mainland Dubai company, a DIFC entity, and an ADGM entity can face materially different supervisory requirements even for similar activity.

Understanding which framework actually applies to your business is usually the necessary first step before any programme design or remediation work begins.

You might need AML-specific legal support if you are applying for a VARA, DFSA, or FSRA licence, since AML compliance is typically assessed as part of that process.

Businesses often need this guidance after a regulatory finding or inquiry, where understanding realistic remediation options matters.

You may need support if your business is a real estate brokerage, corporate service provider, or other Designated Non-Financial Business and Profession with specific AML duties.

Companies restructuring their compliance function, appointing an MLRO, or reviewing existing policies for adequacy often benefit from experienced legal input.

AML/CFT programme design, covering risk assessment, customer due diligence procedures, and transaction monitoring approach.

MLRO appointment and support, including the ongoing responsibilities that come with the role.

Suspicious transaction reporting, addressing the practical and legal considerations of filing a report.

Regulatory findings and remediation, responding to a gap identified by VARA, the DFSA, the FSRA, or another relevant authority.

Sanctions screening and targeted financial sanctions compliance, often overlapping with core AML/CFT obligations.

LEXNOVA is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Legal Connect exists to help you describe your AML compliance matter clearly, then explore potentially suitable legal professionals from our network.

We consider whether your matter involves an active licence application, an existing regulatory relationship, or general programme design, along with your jurisdiction and urgency.

Every potential match involves human review before an introduction, given how sensitive and often time-pressured regulatory compliance matters can be.

Once we identify a potential match, we help facilitate an introduction, and the professional discusses your matter directly with you from that point.

The process starts with a short guided form asking about the nature of your AML matter, your jurisdiction, a general description, and urgency.

We ask that you avoid sharing highly sensitive compliance documents or regulator correspondence at this stage, general context is enough for us to identify potentially suitable professionals.

After submission, our team reviews your request and considers lawyers or consultants whose AML/CFT experience aligns with your specific sector and regulator.

If your matter falls outside what our network can currently support well, we'll tell you honestly rather than force an unsuitable introduction.

At the federal level, UAE AML/CFT law applies across the country to businesses and Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions.

Within Dubai's virtual asset sector, VARA sets AML/CFT expectations as part of its licensing framework.

Within the DIFC, the DFSA governs AML/CFT compliance for regulated financial services firms, including those dealing in Crypto Tokens.

Within ADGM, the FSRA governs AML/CFT compliance for regulated firms, including virtual asset businesses.

Which regulator, or regulators, actually apply depends on where your business is licensed and what it does, a lawyer can clarify this for your specific structure.

For VARA, DFSA, or FSRA-regulated activity, AML/CFT compliance is typically not a separate step, it is assessed as part of the licence application itself.

Regulators generally expect a documented risk assessment, customer due diligence procedures, and a named individual responsible for compliance oversight before granting or maintaining a licence.

Businesses that treat AML as an afterthought after licensing often face more difficult remediation later than those who build it into the application from the outset.

If a regulator has identified a gap in your AML programme, understanding the specific finding and its severity is an important first step.

Depending on the situation, options may range from a straightforward policy update to a more substantial remediation plan with regulator oversight.

A lawyer experienced in AML/CFT matters can help you understand the realistic path forward given your specific finding and regulator.

MLRO: the Money Laundering Reporting Officer, the individual responsible for AML/CFT oversight within a regulated business.

CDD: Customer Due Diligence, the process of verifying a customer’s identity and assessing their risk profile.

STR: Suspicious Transaction Report, a formal report filed when activity raises money laundering or terrorist financing concerns.

UBO: Ultimate Beneficial Owner, the individual who ultimately owns or controls a business, a core element of AML due diligence.

Have they handled matters involving your specific regulator, VARA, DFSA, FSRA, or the federal UAE framework?

What is their honest assessment of your current compliance position and realistic next steps?

What is their fee structure, and roughly what should you expect for a matter like yours?

Fees vary depending on scope, a one-off programme review is often available at a fixed fee, while ongoing advisory or active remediation work may be billed differently.

LEXNOVA does not set or control fees, this is communicated directly by each professional, and it's reasonable to request a clear estimate before engaging anyone.

When describing your needs through Legal Connect, we ask that you avoid sharing highly sensitive compliance documents or regulator correspondence at the initial stage.

Once introduced to a lawyer or consultant, you can share full documentation directly as part of your professional relationship with them.

You are applying for a VARA, DFSA, or FSRA licence and have not yet finalized your AML programme.

A regulator has raised a finding or query about your existing compliance arrangements.

Your business has grown into a Designated Non-Financial Business or Profession category and you are unsure of your current obligations.

You need to appoint an MLRO or are unsure whether your current arrangements are adequate.

We only introduce professionals who have joined our network and been verified for matching; we never invent a professional or their experience.

Every potential introduction involves human review, and we're transparent that LEXNOVA is not a law firm and does not guarantee outcomes.

AML and financial crime compliance now affects a wide range of UAE businesses beyond banks, particularly those licensed by VARA, the DFSA, or the FSRA, or operating as a Designated Non-Financial Business or Profession.

LEXNOVA Legal Connect exists to make this first step easier, helping you describe your needs and explore potentially suitable professionals from our network.

The professional relationship remains directly between you and the lawyer or consultant you're introduced to.