The Institute of Legal Finance & Management

𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿

A high growth and well regarded professional services group supporting the insurance industry is seeing significant expansion in its Legal firm and is consequently seeking a talented Finance Manager to add to the team. Reporting into the COFA (Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration) you will also engage with the wider operational senior leadership across the firm, and with the finance team of the wider group.

This key role involves overseeing the legal firm’s financial operations, ensuring robust financial controls and processes, whilst ensuring strict compliance with the Solicitors Accounts Rules (SAR).

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who thrives in a strict regulated law firm environment albeit with the ability to keep pace with growth and change.

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀:
🟣Qualifications: An ILFM (Institute of Legal Finance & Management) or similar qualification is desirable
🟣Experience: Proven experience in legal finance management within a law firm
🟣Technical Skills: Deep knowledge of Solicitors Accounts Rules (SAR) and familiarity with legal practice management software
🟣Compliance Knowledge: Strong understanding of the Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration (COFA) role and anti-money laundering (AML) regulations
🟣Communication: Capable of presenting financial insights to non-financial stakeholders, such as law firm partners
🟣Meticulous Nature: Extreme attention to detail, especially regarding client account reconciliations and statutory deductions

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀:
🟣Compliance & Regulatory Oversight: Ensure full adherence to SRA Accounts Rules and manage annual SAR audits. Monitor for potential breaches and take immediate remedial action.
🟣Transactional Management: Oversee daily banking operations, legal cashiering, billing, and credit control to maximise cash flow.
🟣Financial Reporting: Contribute to the reporting procedures for the firm in conjunction with the wider group finance team.
🟣Team Leadership: Support others who are involved in the firm’s finance function as and when the team grows to support the ongoing growth of the firm.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗲:
🟣Competitive salary
🟣Enhanced contributory pension
🟣Performance related bonus
🟣Flexible benefits
🟣Enhanced family leave
🟣Electric car scheme via salary sacrifice
🟣Voluntary benefits schemes
🟣Birthday holiday
🟣Share purchase scheme with interest free loans

𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸:
Standard working week is 35 hours, Monday to Friday with flexibility to work from home.

𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 including how to apply via the link:

We are looking for a Legal Finance Manager - The Institute of Legal Finance and Management We are seeking a talented Legal Finance Manager to add to the team....

This month's Lunch & Learn will take place on Wednesday 17 June 2026 12:00 - 12:30

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲
with guest speaker Kat Thorne, Founder of the Morning Gamechanger

In high-pressure environments where competing demands, constant communication and complex workloads are the norm, small daily behaviours have a powerful impact on focus, resilience, organisation and decision-making.

In this engaging session, Kat Thorne shares how building the right habits can improve performance under pressure, strengthen resilience and help professionals work with greater clarity, consistency and control.

Attendees will leave with practical tools, science-backed insight and one positive habit change they can implement immediately to create lasting impact at work and beyond.

The Lunch & Learns are not recorded.

FREE for ILFM members / £45 non-members.
https://www.ilfm.org.uk/site/training-and-events/memevents/lunch-and-learn/

2026 Legal Accounts Salary Survey: The Results!

To start, with a big thank you to all the ILFM members who took time out to participate in this year's survey run in association with Balance Recruitment.

Legal finance professionals from across the UK responded to the survey, giving us our most comprehensive dataset yet. The picture that emerges is one of a market that has stabilised, pay rises remain common, and whilst movement slowed towards the end of 2025, with the majority of professionals settled where they are; beneath the surface, a significant portion of the market are quietly keeping their options open. This has seen the first quarter of 2026 welcome a solid increase in vacancies due to both expansion and replacement.

Read the full results in our upcoming Legal Abacus magazine and over on the ILFM blog: https://www.ilfm.org.uk/site/blog/ilfm-blog/2026_Legal_Accounts_Salary_Survey

𝗤: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗢𝗙𝗔 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴? Answered by Luke Dickinson, Hazlewoods LLP

𝗔: Most firms I work with have good compliance processes. The problem is they exist in someone's head rather than on paper - and that creates a vulnerability that training helps to address.

When a COFA leaves, their replacement inherits the role but not the institutional knowledge. How does this firm handle residual balances? What gets recorded on the breaches register, and how? How are reconciliations across multiple client accounts managed? If the answers to those questions aren't documented, the new COFA is piecing it together from fragments at exactly the moment the firm needs continuity.

Training does two things. It equips the COFA with the knowledge and confidence to do the role properly. But it also creates the opportunity to formalise what the firm actually does - turning informal practice into written policy that survives a change in personnel.

The firms that invest in this not only reduce their regulatory risk but they also create a compliance framework that doesn't depend on any one individual. Against the cost of a regulatory breach - financial or reputational - the investment rarely needs much justification.

Luke Dickinson, SRA Accounts Rules Specialist, Hazlewoods LLP & ILFM Trainer

For more on this topic, including a case study on what happens when documentation is absent, read the full article in Legal Abacus here: https://www.ilfm.org.uk/site/members/legal-abacus/

New job listing on ILFM Recruitment & Vacancies!

𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺.
We are seeking a meticulous and reliable Senior Legal Credit Controller to join our busy and professional law firm. This is a key role within our finance team, responsible for ensuring full compliance with Solicitors Accounts Rules and maintaining accurate financial records.

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀:
Managing office account transactions, including receipts, payments, and transfers
Processing invoices, bills, and disbursements
Performing daily bank reconciliations
Handling CHAPS, and BACS payments
Ensuring compliance with regulatory and audit requirements
Assisting with weekly, month-end and year-end accounting procedures
Liaising with fee earners and support staff regarding financial queries. Chasing aged debtors and ensuring all payments are made in a timely manner

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂:
Previous experience as a Legal Cashier or in a similar finance role within a law firm
Strong knowledge of Solicitors Accounts Rules
High level of accuracy and attention to detail
Excellent organisational and time management skills
Proficient in legal accounting software and Microsoft Office, particularly Excel
Ability to work independently and as part of a team

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗲 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿:
Competitive salary, dependent on experience
Supportive and collaborative working environment
Opportunities for professional development
Flexible working options (where applicable)
This is an excellent opportunity for a dedicated Legal Cashier looking to develop their career within a respected and forward-thinking firm.

Full details including how to reply via our website:

We are looking for a Senior Legal Credit Controller - The Institute of Legal Finance and Management We are looking for a Senior Legal Credit Controller to join our growing law firm....

📃New Freelancer listed on ILFM Recruitment & Job Vacancies!

𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗿 – 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟰𝟬 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

I’ve been working as a legal cashier for several years and still enjoy working in the industry.

Are you looking for a freelance legal cashier to provide a reliable and efficient legal accounts service to support your business needs on a contract, temporary, onsite/remote cover?

With over 40 years’ experience working with legal practices both large and small.

I provide an a efficient and thorough, compliant legal cashiering service tailored for your business needs.

Full details here:
https://www.ilfm.org.uk/site/publications/classified-jobs/classified-fl-aph #

I am available... - The Institute of Legal Finance and Management Are you looking for a freelance legal cashier to provide a reliable and efficient legal accounts service to support your business needs on a contract, temporary, ...

Today marks the first Legal Cashier Day, and the ILFM is proud to support a day dedicated to recognising the legal cashiers and legal finance professionals who play such a vital role within law firms.

Legal cashiers are central to the smooth running of legal practices. Their knowledge, diligence and understanding of the SRA Accounts Rules help protect client money, support compliance and maintain trust in the legal profession.

We are delighted to share the support of Sarah Rapson, CEO of the Solicitors Regulation Authority, who said:

“𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘓𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘋𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘙𝘈 𝘈𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴, 𝘦𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩, 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘒’𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮.”

At the ILFM, we see every day how much skill, judgement and responsibility sits within legal finance teams. Legal Cashiers Day is an important opportunity to say thank you, but also to shine a light on the expertise that helps firms operate securely, responsibly and effectively.

To all legal cashiers, COFAs and legal finance professionals - thank you for the work you do and the standards you help uphold.

Do you work with a brilliant legal cashier?

Tag them below to recognise the contribution they make to your firm, and use to enter the Legal Cashiers Day prize draw.

Don't forget it's Legal Cashier Day on Friday!

Your chance to recognise the people behind the crucial role of legal cashier. Say thank you to those in your legal finance team in person, tag them in a post on social media or simply make them a cuppa to show your appreciation.

Celebrate in whichever way you like and share it on socials with and you'll be entered into a fabulous prize draw with prizes including a helicopter ride, Fortnum & Mason hamper, £100 Amazon gift card and much more!

Behind every well-run law firm is a legal cashier making sure everything adds up - and we want to celebrate them!

This Friday, 22 May, is Legal Cashier Day, and the ILFM is proud to be supporting it alongside The Society of Law Accountants Scotland. If you work in legal finance, this one's for you. And if you work with someone in legal finance, this is your chance to say thank you for all they do to keep your firm compliant and ensure trust.

Get involved, share what you're doing with the hashtag , and you'll be entered into a prize draw with the chance to win a helicopter ride courtesy of the ILFM among other fantastic prizes!

How will your firm be marking the day?