Industry Focus · LAW Firms
Bookkeeping & accounting built for how law firms actually bill
Trust & IOLTA compliance, matter-level cost tracking, partner profit allocation and three-way reconciliation — built for solo practices, boutique firms and multi-partner law firms, from time entry to close.
35+ Firms
law firms served nationwide
Zero Trust Errors
IOLTA accounts reconciled clean, on record
10+ Yrs
years helping law firms master their numbers
Platforms We Manage
Your systems, reconciled — not replaced
Whatever practice management or trust accounting stack you run, we plug in and keep your books — and your trust ledgers — accurate every month.
9+
Platforms supported
0
Systems you need to switch
Clio Manage
Matter-level trust accounting, time entry sync, three-way reconciliation.
QuickBooks Online
IOLTA-compliant class tracking, matter & partner-level GL.
PracticePanther
Trust ledger sync, retainer replenishment, billing automation.
Tabs3 & PracticeMaster
Time & billing, trust accounting, conflict-checked ledgers.
Xero
Multi-currency practice reporting, trust-compliant bank feeds.
LEAP
Matter-centric trust accounting and billing for AU/UK/US firms.
Gusto & ADP
Payroll processing, partner draws, associate bonus tracking.
Bill.com
Vendor bill approval, payment routing, AP automation.
LawPay
Trust-compliant payment processing, retainer & invoice matching.
Services by Client Type
Built for How Each Type of Practice Actually Runs
Litigation Firms
Matter cost & expert fee tracking
Advanced client cost reimbursement
Timekeeper billable rate tracking
Contingency fee revenue recognition
Partner & shareholder distributions
Matter-level profitability reporting
Corporate & Transactional Firms
Retainer vs. flat-fee billing tracking
Closing cost & escrow pass-throughs
Associate utilization tracking
Deferred revenue on flat-fee matters
Trust-to-operating transfer tracking
Client & matter profitability reporting
Workflow
Bookkeeping built around how your firm bills
| WORKFLOW | CADENCE | WHAT'S COVERED |
|---|---|---|
|
Bookkeeping & AP/AR
|
WEEKLY |
•
Transaction categorization by matter & client
•
Vendor bill entry & payment processing
•
Retainer & invoice payment tracking
•
Cost advance & reimbursement tracking
|
|
Trust & IOLTA Reconciliation
|
WEEKLY |
•
Three-way trust account reconciliation
•
Client trust ledger balancing
•
Unclaimed funds & escheatment tracking
•
Trust-to-operating transfer review
|
|
Financial Reporting
|
MONTHLY |
•
P&L, balance sheet & cash flow statements
•
Practice-group & partner-level reports
•
Budget vs. actual variance reporting
•
Partner & management committee packages
|
|
WIP & Time Tracking
|
AS NEEDED |
•
WIP & unbilled time reconciliation
•
Realization & utilization tracking
•
Matter cost allocation
•
Write-off & write-down reporting
|
|
Payroll & Partner Draws
|
BI-WEEKLY |
•
Payroll processing & tax deposits
•
Partner & shareholder draw tracking
•
Associate bonus & benefits sync
•
Contractor 1099 tracking
|
|
Tax & Advisory
|
QUARTERLY |
•
Tax-ready books & CPA handoff
•
1099 preparation for vendors & experts
•
Entity structure & partner tax coordination
•
Quarterly strategy & planning reviews
|
Onboarding
Live on your books in under two weeks
Discovery & systems audit
We map your practice groups, billing model and current software.
Chart of accounts & trust setup
Clean, matter-specific chart of accounts and IOLTA structure built or repaired.
Historical catch-up
Books and trust ledgers brought current, discrepancies resolved.
Ongoing monthly close
Reconciliations, statements and reporting on schedule.
Monthly strategy review
A standing session on performance and planning.
How We Compare
The real problems a generic firm won't solve
| CLIENT PROBLEM | GENERIC OUTSOURCED FIRM | SMARTLEDGER |
|---|---|---|
|
Trust account reconciliation done right
|
Trust reconciled sporadically, often behind
|
Three-way trust reconciliation every week
|
|
WIP and unbilled time under control
|
WIP tracked loosely, if at all
|
WIP & unbilled time reconciled every close
|
|
Retainer replenishment tracked correctly
|
Retainers tracked in a spreadsheet
|
Retainer burn-down reconciled to trust every close
|
|
Partner draws & profit splits, calculated correctly
|
Partner splits calculated manually
|
Automated, accurate partner distribution tracking
|
|
Accurate AP/AR aging, always current
|
Aging reports run once a quarter
|
AP/AR aging updated and reviewed every week
|
|
Audit-ready books, all year, not just at bar audit time
|
Year-end scramble before filing
|
Bar-audit-ready books, reconciled every month
|
|
One system of record for every matter and document
|
Documents scattered, untracked
|
Every document attached & tied to its entry
|
Trusted Partner
Why Law Firms Choose Smartledger
Growth changes what your books need. We’re built to keep pace with every deal, entity and milestone.
Legal Accounting Specialists
Our team lives in trust ledgers and matter data, not generic bookkeeping.
IOLTA Compliance Focus
Trust account compliance is our core specialty, not a side offering.
Maker-Checker Review
A second reviewer verifies every close and trust reconciliation before it reaches you.
Secure Cloud Systems
Bank-grade encryption and access controls protect every record.
24-Hour Response
Questions get a same-or-next-business-day answer, always.
Testimonials
A full-stack finance function,
built around your business.
FAQ’S
The Answers You're Probably Looking For
The questions that matter most when choosing a finance partner — clearly answered.
Can you manage IOLTA and client trust accounts?
Yes. We perform three-way trust reconciliation every week and keep every client ledger balanced, so you stay compliant and audit-ready at all times.
How do you handle WIP and unbilled time?
We reconcile work-in-progress and unbilled time every close, so realization and write-offs are visible well before invoicing — not discovered after the fact.
Can you calculate partner draws and profit splits?
Yes. We build your partnership or shareholder agreement into a repeatable distribution model, so draws and profit allocations are accurate and consistent every period.
What happens when we add a new partner, practice group, or office?
We plug the new entity straight into your existing chart of accounts and reconciliation workflow — no rebuilding your books, no disruption to your monthly close.