Lodders keeps firms on the straight and narrow

Warwickshire law firm Lodders is offering to share its expertise with other professional firms in the county to make sure they stay within the law in areas like money laundering and data protection.

Lodders’ recently-appointed compliance officer, Samantha Haines, is a former professional ethics adviser at the Law Society. In addition to overseeing the work of Lodders’ 57 fee earners, she can provide training and advice to outside businesses on a range of key compliance areas.

Lodders managing partner Rod Bird said: "The appointment of a compliance officer for a firm of our size is quite unusual, but we believe it to be an extremely shrewd step, both internally and as a new service for other firms in the area.

"We are aware that changing rules and regulations, especially in the regulatory field of finance, mean we must ensure we keep up with all the changing requirements of various regulatory authorities.

"Samantha is involved in advising, assisting, reviewing and implementing new and existing processes and procedures at Lodders to ensure compliance with all statutory regulation and professional requirements."

Samantha has presented to the Warwickshire Law Society practice managers’ forum on anti-money laundering and she aims to establish a Warwickshire money laundering reporting officers support group.

She said: "I am enjoying working with Lodders, a long-established firm with an excellent reputation.

"My experience in anti-money laundering, data protection, freedom of information and other areas of regulation adds value both to our firm and to clients outside."

Her previous experience includes work at Birmingham City Council, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Office for Supervision of Solicitors and the Law Society.

After graduating from Leicester University Ms Haines, who was born in Yorkshire, qualified as a solicitor and was in private practice in Nottinghamshire.

She is married with two children and lives in Warwickshire.