GACO & LSRA Announce Advanced AML/CFT/CPF Training: Session 3 Focuses on Red Flags and Case Studies - For Lawyers, Solicitors and Legal Specialists

Following the successful first two sessions that covered general AML concepts, POCA, CDD/EDD, SARs, PEPs, and sanctions, the Gibraltar Association of Compliance Officers (GACO) and the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) are pleased to announce the third and final installment of our specialized training series for the legal sector.

 

This advanced and highly practical session is specifically tailored for 3+ Years Post-Qualification Experience (PQE) Associates, Partners, and Compliance Staff at Law and Solicitor Companies. 

Session 3 Focus: AML Red Flags and Case Studies

 

This session will move to a more open and collaborative format, utilizing real-world case studies and small group work to facilitate deeper discussion and knowledge-sharing. Attendees will gain a critical understanding of the most pressing AML Red Flags specific to the legal profession and how to apply the risk-based approach effectively in complex scenarios.

The session will again be expertly delivered by Michael Adamberry, Crown Counsel, Ministry of Justice, Trade and Industry, HM Government of Gibraltar, and will feature the vital involvement of the Gibraltar Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and Paul Kahn a specialist from Metropolitan Police Service, the National Criminal Intelligence Service, Europol, Serious Fraud Office and HM Revenue & Customs.

 

 

Target Audience: 3yr+ PQE Associates, Partners, & Compliance Staff

Date: 12th November 2025

Venue: Borealis Room, Sunborn Gibraltar Yacht Hotel, Gibraltar GX11 1AA

9.00hrs - 9.30hrs - Welcome coffees and address by the LSRA

9.30hrs to 12.15hrs - Seminar (with breaks)

12.15hrs to 12.30hrs - Q&A

Fees: £25 per attendee

Michael Adamberry is a Crown Counsel at the Ministry of Justice, Trade and Industry, at His Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar (HMGoG). 

 

Michael is a dually qualified solicitor and barrister and has prior experience as a legal professional in private practice specialising in Regulatory Compliance advisory services, including AML/CFT/CPF and Data Protection compliance. As a former regulator at the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission, Michael was also called upon for his expertise in Banking & Regulatory Compliance Services, with focus on AML/CFT/CPF & Financial Crime.

 

Michael has advised a wide range of clients ranging from sole traders and SMEs, to large multi-national corporates, public authorities, HMGoG, financial institutions, real estate agents, and insurance companies. 

He is presently seconded to the Royal Gibraltar Police’s Economic Crime Unit, where he is at the forefront of money laundering and other financial crime investigations. 

 

Michael also assisted in edits to the first edition of the anti-money laundering guidance notes for Gibraltar’s legal profession, and has advised HMGoG on the implementation of legislative amendments concerning the 5th and 6th Anti-Money Laundering Directives. 

 

One of his key contributions in this space was assisting HMGoG in the drafting of the Proceeds of Crime (Miscellaneous Amendments Act) 2021 and related legislation as part of remediation work following the Mutual Evaluation Report for Gibraltar issued by the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL). He is also recently trained as an assessor by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and will be looking to participate in Mutual Evaluations Reports on other jurisdictions in due course. 

 

As a trained lawyer and having been active in the local compliance industry, Michael is well qualified to provide legal professionals and other RFBs with key insight into these topics, as they were and remain part and parcel of his day-to-day responsibilities and duties. 

 

Paul has over 38 years operational law enforcement experience which has been served across the Metropolitan Police Service, the National Criminal Intelligence Service, Europol, Serious Fraud Office and HM Revenue & Customs.

 

He has been a financial investigator since 1994 and has worked at local, national, and international levels. For the last 33 years Paul has been involved in the investigation and management of illicit finance and economic crime investigations.

 

Paul is an accredited money laundering expert and sits within a cadre of UK money laundering experts who assist law enforcement agencies within the UK and abroad in analysing, reviewing, and interpreting evidence in respect of illicit finance and money laundering and providing expert witness testimony within UK Courts and abroad. His expertise sits within Informal Value Transfer Systems, Trade based money laundering, the use of professional enablers in money laundering and money laundering through corporate/ shell companies.

 

Paul has provided operational investigative support to foreign jurisdiction in terms of assisting to plan and manage complex money laundering investigations. He is a qualified trainer and provides money laundering and illicit finance training to the OECD and within HMRC to train and accredit financial investigators.

 

Paul also works closely with the UK’s National Counter Terrorism Policing in providing money laundering and terrorist financing training to both their national and international financial investigation courses.

 

Paul remains in an operational role as a Senior Investigations Manager with HMRC’s Economic Crime Operations directorate where he leads a team of seventeen criminal/financial investigators tackling complex money laundering investigations.

 

Edgar has had a distinguished career serving as a police officer in the Royal Gibraltar Police, primarily working in specialist departments within the Crime and Protective Services Division. He was the Head of Special Branch before becoming the Head of Interpol Gibraltar Sub-Bureau, gaining experience in criminal and counter-terrorism intelligence. He holds a Masters on International Affairs specialising in Cybersecurity at King’s College London. His dissertation focused on the use of the cyber domain by state actors to fund illicit nuclear weapons and missile programs.

 

With experience in the MONEYVAL and Financial Action Task Force (FATF) processes, Edgar brings in a wealth of knowledge in the FATF Recommendations and Standards. He remains focused on tackling proceeds of crime specifically on victim-based crime such as Human Trafficking, Cyber-enabled Fraud and Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation. He is keen to exploit all opportunities to enhance information sharing between the public and private sector. He currently chairs the Financial Liaison and Intelligence Network (FLINT) and the Royal Gibraltar Police’s Ethics Committee. He has been Chair of the Quad Island Forum since June 2022 and as the Director of the GFIU represents Gibraltar at the Egmont Group and the Council of Europe’s MONEYVAL plenaries.

 

The CEO of the LSRA, Francis Muscat will open the seminar and address the attendees of the event.

 

Francis Muscat, is currently the Chief Executive Officer at Legal Services Regulatory Authority. Francis Muscat brings experience from previous roles at the Office of Fair Trading, Gibraltar Financial Services Commission, Line Group Limited and Hassans.

 

Francis holds a 2006 - 2007 Bar Vocational Course (BVC) as Barrister @ Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd. With a robust skill set that includes Leadership, Restructuring, Corporate Finance, Legal Assistance, Tax and more.