Compliant, connected and client focussed: rethinking onboarding in a globalised legal landscape

The legal profession in New Zealand is undergoing a quiet transformation. As global mobility increases and borders become more permeable, legal professionals are finding themselves advising a broader spectrum of clients from outside the country, whether they’re international investors, expats returning home, or new arrivals building new lives in Aotearoa.

This growing diversity brings both opportunity and complexity, especially when it comes to one of the most fundamental parts of legal service – client onboarding.

Onboarding challenge: No NZ ID, no easy verification

Traditional onboarding processes often presume that clients possess New Zealand-issued identification, such as a local driver’s license or passport.

But what happens when this isn’t the case? Consider:

• A client based in London seeking to purchase property in Queenstown.
• A recently arrived family from South Africa in need of legal advice but without local documentation.
• A business partner in Singapore forming a joint venture with a New Zealand company.

For these clients, conventional verification methods can cause unnecessary delays and uncertainty, and if handled manually, may even expose firms to compliance risks.

Navigating trust, efficiency and AML obligations

New Zealand’s anti-money laundering and counter financing terrorism (AML/CTF) regulations are unequivocal: law firms must conduct thorough client due diligence (CDD) and maintain robust records. Yet verifying the identity of overseas clients, or those without local documents, is rarely straightforward.

This challenge invites a shift in perspective: onboarding should not be seen as a mere administrative hurdle, but as an opportunity to deliver a secure, inclusive, and digitally enabled client experience.

Embracing digital identity verification

Recent advances in digital identity verification are reshaping what’s possible. Legal professionals can now:

1. Verify international passports and government issued IDs from over 50 countries.
2. Leverage facial biometrics and document checks to confirm authenticity.
3. Validate identity data against trusted sources.
4. Complete the entire process remotely and securely.

These capabilities mean that verifying a client in Australia, Canada or Singapore can be as seamless as working with someone across the desk, without compromising compliance or client care.

Balancing compliance with user experience

Businesses must stay up to date with regulations relevant to online identity verification, such as Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML). Staying up to date with the latest regulations helps businesses stay compliant and protects against losses resulting from legal penalties. However, they must also meet the need for compliance without introducing too much friction into their onboarding process and dissuading customers.

Meeting the realities of modern practice:

Digital identity verification offers clear advantages:

• streamlined, frictionless onboarding for clients, wherever they are
• reliable compliance with New Zealand’s AML/CFT Phase 2 requirements
• an inclusive approach the realities of a global client base
• access to comprehensive global data sources
• reduced reliance on manual paperwork and overseas notarisation.

Most importantly, these tools help protect firms against identity fraud while upholding the trust and professionalism that clients expect.

A case in point: Seamless onboarding from overseas

Consider a boutique law firm assisting a Canadian client with a property in Wellington. Where once the process involved a flurry of emails, notarised documents and days of waiting, today’s digital solutions allow clients to upload a passport, complete a facial scan, and be verified, remotely, within minutes, and in full compliance with regulatory standards.

A more connected way forward

As the legal landscape in New Zealand continues to evolve, so too must the systems that underpin it. Client verification need not be a bottleneck. Instead, it can become a moment to build trust, demonstrate professionalism and confidently meet the demands of a globalised era.

By adopting secure, intelligent onboarding tools, law firms can remain both connected and compliant, ready to serve clients wherever they are in the world.

If your firm is onboarding clients from overseas or navigating the challenges of AML/CFT requirements, we’re here to help. Explore more.