Legal Finance Manager

Job Description:

Job Summary:

The Finance Manager is primarily responsible for managing and overseeing the firm’s accounting, client billing, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, financial reporting as well as functioning as a trusted business partner to the firm’s partners and Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Primary Responsibilities:

• Prepare monthly financial reports and communicate significant variances on a timely basis.

• Execute changes to procedures, policies, and systems to reduce risk and help the firm scale.

• Synthesize, interpret, and challenge data to develop meaningful insights that inform recommendations.

• Maintain and manage all accounts payable/receivable (AP/AR) transactions, controls, and accounting

procedures.

• Review the semi-monthly and monthly payroll files to ensure accuracy and completeness.

• Keep financial files organized, up-to-date, and accessible for COO, partners, auditors, etc.

• Own the annual budget processes and partner with other functional leaders to develop budgets.

• Own monthly/quarterly closing processes.

• Prepare timely journal entries; perform requisite reconciliations including reconciliation of partner equity accounts.

• Monitor cash flow and bank transfer needs with COO oversight.

• Manage retainer, billing, vendor, and user data in the billing, accounting, and expense systems.

• Input client payments as cash receipt batches, ensuring payments are correctly applied to outstanding client bills.

• Assist with ad-hoc financial analysis, modeling and special projects.

• Cross-train with COO on payroll duties and treasury management to perform in COO’s absence.

Job Requirements:

Experience & Qualifications:

• B.A. or B.S. degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related field and 7+ years of

accounting/finance experience, with at least 2 years experience at a law firm.

• Prior management/supervisory experience, including direct supervision of law firm billing teams required.

• Must be comfortable coding transactions and handling routine questions about budgets and compensation.

• Experience with financial management, compensation and budgeting within a mid-size organization.

• Deep and recent working knowledge of Aderant Expert Sierra is required, covering Billing, Accounts Payable, Disbursements, General Ledger, and Time.

• Strong understanding of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), cash/accrual accounting, and IOLTA compliance requirements.

• Self-driven with the ability to anticipate work needs, requires minimal direction, takes initiative to follow up and follow through, and functions as a key team player.

• Able to communicate effectively and present information to partners, attorneys, professional staff and external stakeholders.

• Expert skill level in Excel with ability to rapidly adopt new tools and systems.

• Track record of driving process improvement and driving efficiencies.

• Excellent time management and project management skills, combined with the ability to manage competing priorities in a calm, collected manner