It is understood that the SRA is working in tandem with the Financial Conduct Authority and several other bodies to uncover links to the Panamanian law firm at the centre of the recent data leak controversy. Last week, it was reported that the UK financial regulator had contacted banks and financial institutions to request a full report on any links to Mossack Fonseca and its clients. Now, it appears that the SRA has followed suit, asking for cooperation from several major firms including Simmons & Simmons, Holman Fenwick Willan and Child & Child.
'We are writing to those firms identified in the media as being linked to the Panama Papers and to ask for assurances that they have looked into the matter and have acted appropriately,' said an SRA statement.
Simmons & Simmons has been linked via an internal Mossack Fonseca document to Blairmore Holdings, the controversial investment fund established and co-run by the late father of UK Prime Minister David Cameron. Meanwhile, HFW has come up in the leak as an adviser to UAE President Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Legacy London firm Pettman Smith, which merged with Child & Child in 2007, has also been linked to Al Nayhan.
Source: The Lawyer
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