Basic Solicitors Fundamentals (Live date - 30 March 2022)

Aimed at staff in law firms and accountancy practices with little or no knowledge of the rules, and ‘returners’ who need to get back up to speed. This session will cover:

• A detailed walkthrough of the 2019 SRA Accounts Rules, key principles and definitions
• The supporting guidance covering the key risk areas
• Key controls that law firms must have in place
• Our requirements as Reporting Accountants to identify and report breaches
• Common breach of the Accounts Rules

Reasons to attend:

• This is for those who do not have an up to date knowledge of the SRA Accounts Rules, those who are brand new to the rules, or those that feel they need a more in depth refresher of the principles.
• Gives an understanding of the guidance that supports the rules and how that guidance should be practically applied.
• Gives an overview of the role of the Reporting Accountant for those who are unfamiliar with what we do and how we focus our work
  
  

Advanced Solicitors Fundamentals (Live date - 31 March 2022)

Aimed at those who already have a good working knowledge of the SRA Accounts Rules, this session will cover:

• A brief reminder of the content of the 2019 SRA Accounts Rules and guidance. 
• A deeper look at the critical areas – in particular:
  • Provision of prohibited banking facilities
  • Residual balances
  • Taking money for fees and disbursements
• What areas Reporting Accountant’s should be focusing their work on
• Lessons learned in the last year
• Reportable vs. non reportable breaches of the rules
• The role of the COFA and how we should be advising them
• Common compliance questions from law firms
• Other hot topics and issues on the minds of law firms

Reasons to attend:

• A refresher for those who are already familiar with the Accounts Rules.
• Will fill in the gaps for anybody who is unaware of guidance issued since the rules were released.
• Gives pointers on the key areas that Reporting Accountants should be focusing on and areas they should be advising their clients.
• Shares insights and lessons that Reporting Accountants have seen emerging over the past year or so, particularly around where Reporting Accountants have been qualifying their reports.

Expert Speaker

Ian Johnson, Johnson Consulting
Ian is a qualified accountant and auditor and has spent his professional life working almost exclusively with law firms, ranging from small sole practitioners to large international LLPs, Limited Companies and PLCs. Ian spent a number of years as an auditor at the Big 4 accountancy firm KPMG, working with some of the UK’s largest law firms. He then spent more than 15 years as a legal sector specialist with a number of large national accountancy firms and is currently Chair of The Institute of Legal Finance and Management (ILFM) and Vice Chair of the ICAEW Solicitors Advisory Committee.