Law firms must go beyond traditional document checks as AI-driven identity fraud and deepfake technology make fake identities harder to detect, warns legal expert Yazad Bajina.
Law firms can no longer rely on a scanned passport and utility bill to satisfy themselves that a new client is who they claim to be, according to Yazad Bajina, chief commercial officer at Legal Futures Associate Checkboard.
In a blog for Legal Futures, he argues that the old habit of saying “we did a document check” is no longer a credible response when a compliance review goes wrong. The reason, he says, is that the risk environment has changed faster than many firms’ onboarding processes.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Legal Sector Affinity Group have both pushed firms towards a more risk-based approach to client due diligence, one that reflects the matter, the transaction and the level of exposure involved. Bajina says that means firms need to go well beyond a box-ticking exercise based on uploaded identity documents.
That warning is echoed by commentary elsewhere in the legal and compliance market. A separate piece on conveyancing and AML risk warns of the rise of synthetic, or “ghost”, clients in 2026, created from a mix of real personal data and AI-generated material. Such identities can slip through standard checks, especially where firms depend on visual inspection alone.
The concern is not limited to forged passports. Deepfake images, video and audio are becoming harder to spot, making it increasingly unsafe to depend on what can be seen or heard at face value. In that environment, Bajina says law firms need controls that verify not only that a document exists, but that it is current, authentic and tied to the person presenting it.
He points to broader data sources, including credit files and HM Land Registry records, as part of a more reliable process. The aim is to build a repeatable system with a proper audit trail, rather than a one-off manual review that leaves little evidence if regulators later ask how a client was cleared.
The risks are particularly acute for law firms because their involvement can lend legitimacy to transactions and ownership structures, giving criminals a route to move illicit funds or disguise control. That is why the SRA has been increasingly vocal on identity fraud and money laundering vulnerabilities.
Across adjacent sectors, the message is similar. Research cited by identity-verification providers in banking and wealth management points to a move towards integrated systems that combine multiple checks, improve record-keeping and reduce friction for genuine clients. For legal practices, the pressure is now to match that pace without making onboarding so cumbersome that it slows business.
Bajina’s central argument is that compliance in 2026 is no longer about whether a check was performed, but whether it actually proves anything. For firms still treating document inspection as the endpoint, he says, the real risk is not just regulatory criticism but exposure to increasingly sophisticated fraud.
- https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/blog/law-firms-need-to-go-beyond-document-checks – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://blog.aboutconveyancing.com/2026/03/the-ghost-client-and-aml-risk-for-law-firms-in-2026.html – This article discusses the rise of synthetic identity fraud in 2026, where entirely fabricated identities are created using a mix of real data and AI-generated images. Such ‘ghost clients’ can pass standard onboarding checks, posing significant anti-money laundering (AML) risks for law firms. The piece highlights the inadequacy of traditional document-based verification methods and advocates for enhanced controls, including biometric checks and a risk-based approach, to detect sophisticated fraud and comply with regulatory expectations.
- https://www.proof.com/blog/what-wealth-management-firms-need-from-identity-in-2026 – This article explores the evolving identity verification needs of wealth management firms in 2026. It emphasises the importance of consistent verification, defensible authorisation, and audit-ready records without adding client friction. The piece highlights the shift from traditional identity checks to a more integrated, intelligent identity verification process, addressing challenges such as automation, integration, and user experience concerns, and underscores the need for firms to adapt to emerging threats like AI-driven fraud.
- https://blockidentity.com/industries/legal/ – This page outlines how Block Identity provides digital identity solutions tailored for the legal industry. It focuses on enhancing trust, compliance, and efficiency by offering verifiable identity, consent, and credential infrastructure. The platform aims to eliminate manual verification, reduce identity fraud, and digitise paper-heavy workflows, supporting legal professionals in client onboarding, legal document issuance, notarisation, and cross-jurisdictional data sharing, with features like biometric verification and secure audit trails.
- https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251125171096/en/How-Banks-and-Fintech-Will-Verify-in-2026-Regula-Study – This press release presents findings from Regula’s study on the future of identity verification in banking and fintech by 2026. It reveals that at least 30% of financial institutions report biometric verification as the most frequently targeted stage by fraudsters, highlighting the vulnerability of visual or behavioural data to AI-generated media and synthetic identities. The study advocates for integrated, intelligent identity verification platforms capable of analysing multiple signals simultaneously to counter emerging fraud tactics.
- https://verifymyclient.com/id-verification-for-solicitors/ – This page details VerifyMyClient’s ID verification services tailored for solicitors. It focuses on enhancing compliance with the Legal Sector Affinity Group (LSAG) 2025 guidelines, particularly in property transactions requiring source of funds verification. The service streamlines the client onboarding process by automating identity checks, integrating biometric liveness checks, and providing instant Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)-ready reports, thereby reducing non-billable compliance time and mitigating risks associated with manual document and identity checks.
- https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/?p=149928 – This article discusses the inadequacy of traditional identity verification methods in law firms, particularly in the face of advanced AI tools capable of bypassing single-stage verification processes. It highlights the rise of deepfakes and forged documents, emphasising the need for law firms to adopt more robust identity verification measures to prevent fraud and comply with regulatory standards. The piece calls for firms to move beyond basic checks and implement comprehensive, multi-layered verification processes.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article was published on 20 April 2026, making it current. However, similar themes have been discussed in earlier articles by the same author, such as ‘It’s time for law firms to ask tougher questions’ (13 February 2026) and ‘The legal profession needs to be wary of AI-generated fraud’ (13 January 2026). This suggests a recurring focus on the topic, which may indicate recycled content. ([legalfutures.co.uk](https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/?p=149928&utm_source=openai))
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from Yazad Bajina. However, these quotes are not independently verifiable through other sources, raising concerns about their authenticity. ([legalfutures.co.uk](https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/?p=149928&utm_source=openai))
Source reliability
Score:
6
Notes:
The article is published on Legal Futures, a reputable UK legal news platform. However, the author, Yazad Bajina, is the chief commercial officer at Checkboard, a company that offers compliance solutions. This dual role may introduce potential conflicts of interest, as the content could serve both informative and promotional purposes. ([legalfutures.co.uk](https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/?p=149928&utm_source=openai))
Plausibility check
Score:
8
Notes:
The concerns about AI-generated fraud and the inadequacy of traditional document checks are plausible and align with current discussions in the legal and compliance sectors. However, the article’s focus on Checkboard’s services may suggest a promotional angle, which could affect the objectivity of the claims. ([legalfutures.co.uk](https://www.legalfutures.co.uk/?p=149928&utm_source=openai))
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article presents valid concerns about the limitations of traditional document checks in the face of AI-generated fraud. However, the author’s position as chief commercial officer at Checkboard, a company offering compliance solutions, introduces potential conflicts of interest and raises questions about the objectivity of the content. Additionally, the lack of independently verifiable quotes and reliance on Checkboard’s own services for verification further diminish the article’s credibility. These factors collectively lead to a FAIL assessment.