Practice Manager
Practice Manager
Brief
Key Tasks
Financial
- Create budget, cashflow forecast and P & L prior to year-end for the following financial year.
- Complete month end and year end as well as dealing with the auditors in completing the year end accounts.
- Provide monthly management accounts to Jeremy Boyle as requested.
- Provide a monthly cashflow to see where any outgoings appear particularly high.
- Ensure that all private fee-paying clients are invoiced on the 25th of each month so that we do not miss client pay runs.
- Pay suppliers taking care to ensure that the invoices are genuine and that the account numbers are correct.
- Ensure all bank reconciliations are completed in accordance with the Solicitors Accounts Rules
- Ensure that the credit control process is implemented for invoices over 7 days old without delay, in accordance with the Office Procedures Manual.
- Be self-motivated in implementing systems to ensure that the firm (i) maximises profitability and (ii) has the best cash-flow that can reasonably be achieved.
People
- Act as line manager for office administrator
- Ensure that the system of performance review meetings runs efficiently, and records are kept of the meetings.
- As part of the management team work to create a positive workplace with high levels of morale.
- Conduct training on all systems for any new starters and to provide refresher training should it be needed.
- Provide guidance to all secretaries including temporary and junior when required to do so.
- Deal with holiday requests
- Be responsible for all offer letters and contracts for new starters.
- Assist with all HR matters and being the first point of contact for any issues.
- Undertake any specific training when required to do so and overall to have a responsibility towards self-development.
Compliance
- Report any potential financial or operational management breach of SRA regulations to Jeremy Boyle
- Complete the Lexcel renewals each year and ensure the firm remains compliant with the relevant Lexcel standard.
- Liaise with our compliance company to ensure our registers are updated and we are compliant.
- Complete the PI Insurance renewals.
- Complete the Practicing Certificates renewal.
- Ensure the confidentiality of all the firm’s and client’s documentation and information.
Office
- Ensure that the offices are kept tidy and all files that need destroying or archiving are done so in a timely manner.
- Continually look at ways to keep the office running to maximum efficiency.
Suppliers
- Deal with all suppliers and ensure you are the main point of contact for all of them including any IT, Accounts/Case Management, and dictation systems.
- Maintaining and updating the website as well as advertising and marketing
- Continually look at ways to save money from existing suppliers.
Management Team
- Have regular management meetings with Jeremy Boyle – Reporting any issues that need Jeremy’s attention.
- Conduct monthly financial management meetings with each Fee Earner to ensure all WIP is billed, any files are closed, and any time is written off.
- Assist with staff interviews where required
The Successful Candidate
You will have experience of working in the accounts department of a UK law firm.
You will need knowledge of the Solicitors Accounts Rules.
Prior experience of LEAP is preferred but not essential.
You will need to have a good understanding of Microsoft especially with using Excel.
You will need to be able to work autonomously.
The Opportunity
The salary on offer will be competitive, we offer 25 days a year of annual leave plus a day off for your birthday! We provide laptops so can offer a hybrid working environment with only 2 days a week currently expected in the office.
At Summit Law we have always looked to do things a little differently. For example, way before the pandemic we had already introduced a dress down policy every day so unless you are seeing new clients or are in court, there is no need to wear a business suit. After all, who likes going to the dry cleaners.
We are proud of our Team Member Award to reward hard work where team members have gone the extra mile. We also have team bonding and collaboration lunches in Covent Garden.
About the Firm
Summit Law is a Law Society Lexcel accredited law firm formed by Jeremy Boyle over 14 years ago with a view to providing specialist contentious insolvency advice. Since then, we have carefully earmarked and grown other areas of practice which complement the insolvency related work for which we are recognised.
We have a long-standing reputation for delivering high-quality legal advice rooted in our belief that clients are our major asset and client care is paramount. Our global reach via ILAS and cross-border ‘know how’ ensures that we are well-placed to assist with matters in Europe and further afield alike.
We have recently moved premises into modern serviced offices near Royal Courts of Justice and most barrister’s chambers.
We champion change and promote progress to make business work better for people. Summit Law has embedded a range of team initiatives to create an environment in which our team can flourish. We operate an agile working scheme, which offers our employees flexibility in terms of where, and how, they work. The latter is supported by our Cloud-based IT system which means you can work on your smartphone or tablet, from anywhere in the world utilising our Cloud based technology and Microsoft 365.