Our CEO wants our attorney to review a SAR before we file it.
Our BSA officer is reluctant to tell him no. How can she
say 'no' and get her message across?

Very good question. Five years ago our CEO read a SAR and told the BSA Officer to delete the narrative and just write "see attached" The BSA Officer just did it instead of dealing with it. When we were cited a violation at the next exam guess who took the heat? If you guess the CEO you are wrong.

I totally agree. The CEO is wrong with this request and you and your FI are at risk involving someone that do not need to know the details

By "our attorney," I assume you mean Bank Counsel? If so, its not completely out of the ordinary. This is of course, assuming that the attorney has a very good understanding of the BSA rules and requirements. Some do, some do not.

If not, I would agree with the other posters in that it serves no purpose at all.

If your bank's attorney knows more about SAR filing than your BSA officer, your bank is in sad shape. All you're going to get is an over anxious editor @ $200 an hour...

Telling the CEO "No?" Naaah, just tell him or her it's a profound waste of money and it is simply not necessary. I have no patience with BSA officers who will not step up to the plate, but I don't expect people to hang their career on straightening out the CEO. Leave a paper trail and go on to what's next.