How Anderson Strathern modernised client verification and reduced the cost of compliance
Anderson Strathern is a full-service law firm based predominantly in Scotland, operating across the UK with an annual turnover of approximately £40 million. The firm advises individuals, businesses, and public sector organisations across a wide range of practice areas, and as a regulated legal practice carries significant obligations around client identity verification, ongoing monitoring, and AML compliance.
Anderson Strathern has worked with a number of electronic ID verification providers over the years, taking a deliberate approach to reviewing the market regularly rather than sticking with the same supplier at renewal. When the firm went to tender, Credas was selected from a competitive field and has since become central to how the team manages its client due diligence obligations.
The Challenge
Keeping pace with a fast-moving market
Anderson Strathern has always taken an active approach to its choice of identity verification provider. Mike Ross, Head of Risk and Compliance, explains the thinking behind that:
“This is such an evolving area of regulation and tech that I prefer to look at the market frequently so as not to miss opportunities for growth by staying with the one provider. Providers tend to focus on one or two areas for developing their product, so changing allows us to pick a provider who is prioritising services that best align with our needs and objectives at that time.”
Mike Ross, Head of Risk and Compliance, Anderson Strathern
When the firm went back to market, the focus was on fast and cost-effective onboarding of individuals, and the flexibility to use selected parts of a platform rather than being locked into a single workflow. A structured evaluation covering several providers followed, with Credas selected as the preferred partner.
The choice: why Credas?
Credas was chosen for four reasons, each of which reflected something that genuinely stood out during the evaluation process.
The first was the people. In a sector where sales teams do not always have deep product or regulatory knowledge, the Credas representatives were notably well-informed, able to speak clearly about how the product works and how it meets regulatory requirements. As Mike put it, that is an unusual quality in a RegTech provider.
The second was responsiveness. Credas demonstrated a willingness to take on feedback and make improvements that would benefit clients from a risk and operational standpoint. That was not just a promise made during the sales process, it was backed up by action.
The third was price. Credas operates at a significantly lower price point than most competitors due to being largely proprietary rather than built on third-party components. The cost saving was meaningful, allowing Anderson Strathern to invest funds elsewhere.
The fourth was branding. At the time of the evaluation, Credas was one of the only providers that allowed the firm to present the verification journey under the Anderson Strathern brand. Rather than asking clients to engage with a third-party platform they might not recognise, the firm could keep the experience within its own identity.
The solution
Covering the full range of due diligence needs
Anderson Strathern uses Credas across three compliance use cases:
- Full remote identity and address verification for new clients, enabling efficient onboarding regardless of location.
- Low-impact re-verification at periodic reviews and trigger events, fulfilling ongoing monitoring obligations with minimal disruption to existing clients.
- PEPs, Sanctions and Adverse Media screening and rescreening, providing continuous visibility of client risk profiles beyond the initial onboarding check.
The ability to use these capabilities independently, rather than being required to follow a single bundled workflow, was important for the firm and remains a practical and cost effective benefit day to day.
A vulnerability identified and closed
During the due diligence process, Anderson Strathern identified a weakness in Credas’s verification process that could have been exploited. Credas responded swiftly, closing the gap and strengthening the checks. It was an early sign of the kind of collaborative approach the firm has continued to experience.
Cost savings reinvested in the risk function
The reduction in annual costs compared to previous providers allowed Anderson Strathern to reinvest in other products and services that improve its wider risk management practices and save time across the team. The savings from switching to Credas have had a tangible effect on what the compliance function can do.
A smooth transition
Moving to Credas was straightforward. The firm was well supported in porting existing information across, ensuring continuity of regulatory controls throughout. Training covered all members of the team, and where teething issues arose in the early stages, Credas dealt with them promptly.
“Inevitably there were some teething issues in the beginning, but Credas were and continue to be supportive and quick to resolve challenges.”
Mike Ross, Head of Risk and Compliance, Anderson Strathern
The results
Anderson Strathern now has a more flexible, cost-effective way of managing its client verification obligations. New clients can be verified remotely, existing clients can be re-verified at review points without friction, and PEPs and Sanctions screening runs continuously in the background.
Beyond the operational improvements, what Anderson Strathern values most is the nature of the relationship itself.
“The Credas team don’t operate as a separate organisation, despite that being the case. Every member of the team that I have engaged with encourages collaboration and gives the impression that they are part of your team.”
Mike Ross, Head of Risk and Compliance, Anderson Strathern
Looking ahead
Anderson Strathern has not yet integrated Credas directly into its wider systems, but the firm can see the opportunity that integration would unlock. Connecting Credas more deeply into the client journey has the potential to streamline compliance significantly, reducing both time and cost while improving the experience for clients and the internal team alike.
“Anderson Strathern is a great example of a firm that takes compliance seriously without treating it as a box-ticking exercise. Working with their team has been genuinely collaborative from day one, and it has been rewarding to see how Credas has helped them build a more efficient and robust due diligence process. We are looking forward to supporting them as they continue to grow.”
Rhian Del-Valle, Director of Enterprise Partnerships, Credas
