Duty to identify

GMW lawyers is obliged under the Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism Act (Wwft)* to identify clients and representatives of clients in case of certain services by means of passports or driving licences, extracts from official trade registers or other documents designated by the Wwft for that purpose. In addition, the Regulation on the Legal Profession applies from 1 July 2015. Under this regulation, a lawyer is obliged to identify every client. A duty of verification applies to all cases and to the entire legal profession.

Company policy

For business organisational reasons, our policy is to identify all clients, regardless of whether the service being provided is covered by the Wwft or not. The (copies of) identity documents are kept centrally by us. These personal data are used to fulfil the legal obligations to which GMW Lawyers is subject, as well as for the purpose of the requested work. Identification may take place as follows:

in the case of legal entities:

  • using an (online) extract from the Commercial Register at the Chamber of Commerce and a copy of a valid identification document (passport/driving licence/identity card) of the representative of that legal person;

in the case of natural persons:

  • using a copy of a valid identification document (passport/driving licence/identity card).

 

GMW lawyers therefore requests its clients to provide these details to the lawyer, who has taken charge of handling a case, at the start of the case.

* Formerly Identification in Services Act (WID)