Reflecting on change: 2025’s defining shifts and what’s next for the legal industry

As we reach the end of 2025, the legal landscape has seen some of its most significant transformation in years. From nationwide progress towards Tranche 2 AML/CTF reforms to Queensland’s introduction of mandatory seller disclosure requirements, firms have faced both challenge and opportunity in adapting to new expectations of transparency, compliance, and efficiency.

 

Looking ahead to 2026, these shifts will continue to shape how firms work, and how technology supports them in staying ahead.

Strengthening compliance across the nation

Across Australia, AML/CTF compliance has reached a pivotal point, with AUSTRAC, the country’s anti-money laundering and counterterrorism financing regulator, leading the charge. Tranche 2 reforms were announced in March 2025, with firms required to comply from 1 July 2026.

 

These changes expand obligations across multiple areas:

  • Enhanced client due diligence: Verifying the identity of all clients, including additional checks for politically exposed persons (PEPs), adverse media, and high-risk clients.
  • Ongoing monitoring: Continuous processes to detect suspicious transactions or changes in client risk profiles.
  • Record-keeping and reporting: Maintaining detailed records of all verification, monitoring, and reporting activities.

 

AUSTRAC has stressed that firms are not expected to be perfect from day one. The regulator makes it clear that only those who completely ignore their obligations or turn a blind eye to blatant criminal activity face the highest risk of penalties. For most firms, these reforms are about strengthening processes, improving transparency, and reducing exposure to risk, which inevitably brings operational changes.

 

Balancing compliance with efficiency is key. Firms must ensure these new obligations do not slow down client onboarding or transactional workflows. That’s where technology can make a difference. InfoTrack’s AML/CTF Compliance Centre provides a centralised, end-to-end platform to simplify managing these obligations. From onboarding to ongoing monitoring, the platform helps firms maintain consistent, auditable processes while reducing manual effort. 

 

“Tranche 2 represents a significant step forward for AML/CTF compliance, and our goal with the Compliance Centre is to make it as seamless as possible for firms,” says Kristy Lee Bullock, Executive Head of Product and Client Experience at InfoTrack. “We’re not just providing tools. We’re building a platform that helps firms stay ahead, reduce risk, and integrate compliance into their day-to-day workflows.”

 

As part of our commitment to helping firms prepare for these changes, the Ready-Set-Go AML/CTF Roadshow kicks off in March 2026bringing hands-on learning and expert guidance to over 25 locations nationwide. Join leading voices in law and compliance for an engaging, scenario-based session that helps your firm take practical steps towards Tranche 2 readiness, with insights aligned to AUSTRAC’s latest expectations. But it’s more than just a workshop. It’s a chance to connect with hundreds of practitioners who are all navigating the same challenges. Register now to secure your spot at your nearest location. 

Queensland’s 2025 reforms redefine seller disclosure

From 1 August 2025, Queensland’s property landscape changed. The commencement of the Property Law Act 2023 (Qld) introduces a standardised seller disclosure regime designed to improve transparency, reduce the risk of disputes, and better inform buyers before signing on the dotted line. 

 

Under the new legislation, sellers, or their representatives, must provide: 

  • Form 2: Seller Disclosure Statement: a prescribed form detailing key information about the property, including contamination status, zoning, and unregistered encumbrances. 
  • Prescribed Certificates: including title searches, body corporate certificates, contaminated land notices, and other documents specified in the Property Law Regulation 2024. 

 

These requirements mark a significant shift from the previous regime, placing greater responsibility on sellers to disclose key information upfront. For property lawyers and conveyancers, this represents an opportunity to strengthen client service, reduce legal risk, and deliver a smooth, confident transaction experience. 

 

InfoTrack’s Queensland Seller Disclosure solution supports professionals in navigating these requirements efficiently. By combining all necessary searches and documents in a single space, it ensures that statements are compliant, accurate, and easy to generate, saving time while maintaining confidence in every transaction. 

Technology as a trusted partner

If 2025 has shown us anything, it’s that compliance and technology are no longer separate conversations. They’re intertwined and central to the way firms manage risk and deliver value to their clients. 

 

At InfoTrack, we’re proud to partner with firms as they navigate these evolving requirements, offering not just tools and searches, but trusted technology that underpins smarter, more confident practice management. 

 

As 2026 begins, our focus remains clear: empowering firms to turn regulatory change into opportunity through innovation, connection, and collaboration.