Bookkeeping for Law Firms & Solo Attorneys
For Houston law firms and solo attorneys who need IOLTA-compliant trust accounting, matter-level profitability, and a bookkeeping system that will not raise flags in a State Bar audit.
The bookkeeping problems specific to your industry
IOLTA trust account risk
One misapplied client payment in a trust account can trigger a State Bar audit and disciplinary action. Most generic bookkeepers do not understand three-way reconciliation.
Client cost advances aren't expenses
Costs advanced on behalf of a client (filing fees, expert witnesses) are receivables, not expenses. Booking them as expenses distorts both the P&L and what you can bill the client.
Retainers vs. earned fees
Unearned retainers sit in trust until earned. Moving them to operating too early is both an accounting error and an ethics problem.
Matter-level profitability is invisible
Without proper class or project tracking, you can't tell which practice area — or which specific matter — is actually paying the bills.
Contingency case accounting
Case costs on a contingency file accumulate for months or years before recovery. They need to be tracked matter-by-matter so settlement math is correct.
State Bar or malpractice-insurance requests
When the request comes, you have days — not weeks — to produce clean trust ledgers, three-way reconciliations, and matter records.
A bookkeeping system built for Legal Firms
- IOLTA-compliant chart of accounts
- Three-way reconciliation each month
- Client trust ledger by matter
- Cost advance tracking as receivables
- Retainer & earned-fee handling
- Matter-level profitability reporting
- State Bar audit-ready records
- Dedicated bookkeeper, monthly close
Common questions
Do you understand IOLTA and Texas trust accounting rules?
Yes. We set up separate operating and IOLTA accounts, maintain a client ledger per matter, and perform three-way reconciliation each month — the standard the State Bar of Texas expects.
Can you integrate with Clio, MyCase, or Smokeball?
Yes. Most of our law firm clients run Clio or a similar practice management platform. We sync it with QuickBooks Online so trust and operating flows stay clean on both sides.
What if my trust account is out of balance?
That's a triage situation. We start with a diagnostic, reconstruct the trust ledger matter by matter, and produce a corrected three-way reconciliation. Faster than trying to fix it yourself under pressure.
Let's talk about your books.
Free 30-minute consultation. No sales pressure — just a clear look at where your books stand.
Book a Free Consultation