The lawyer's identity was suppressed on Tuesday by a magistrate who made the order out of concern for the defendant's safety after she read a confidential affidavit from police.

A gang dressed as road workers stole the money on June 22, 1994, after they stopped traffic at an off ramp on the Monash Freeway in Richmond.

Police believe the van was followed from the city by a gang member and that once it was halted by a "worker" in overalls with a stop sign a cohort opened the back door with a skeleton key, then put a gun to a guard's head.

Two more guards in the front seat were removed then all three were tied by their hands and ordered not to move.

The van was driven to a nearby lane where the guards were handcuffed together and had plastic bags put over their heads before crates holding the money were unloaded. The guards heard a vehicle drive away.

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Fontana in March described the heist as an "exceptionally well-planned" crime.

Mr Fontana said police wanted to identify two people who later tried to launder $40,000 from the robbery in a city bank.

The man and woman were filmed by a security camera trying to exchange the cash two months after the heist, but fled the bank when challenged, leaving the money behind.

Mr Fontana said the unnamed Melbourne lawyer had recently been charged with money laundering in connection with the original 1994 robbery.

The lawyer, 55, did not appear by arrangement on Tuesday in Melbourne Magistrates Court for a filing hearing of a charge of money laundering and one of obtaining a financial advantage by deception.

It is alleged the offences were committed at various locations in Victoria on or about August 11, 1994, and July 21, 1995.

The deception charge relates to the accused avoiding stamp duty and associated taxes and fees by under-quoting the sale and purchase price of land.

Prosecutor David Bosso applied for a "proceeding" suppression order and told magistrate Luisa Bazzani the affidavit set out the "concerns and reasons" for the order.

Mr Bosso told the court the charges were originally listed to be heard in a magistrates court, but that the Director of Public Prosecutions had recently decided to "take over" the case.

He said the defendant was charged on March 18 and the prosecution brief of evidence would be served by Wednesday.

Defence barrister Markorius Habib told Ms Bazzani his client was not present by consent but could appear later in the day if required.

Ms Bazzani extended the defendant's bail with conditions that included a residential address and strict limits on travel.

The case was adjourned for a committal mention in August.