Law Firm Bookkeeping Services
IOLTA compliance built in. Trust accounting done right.
Clio Certified Partner • MyCase Partner • QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor
25+ Years in Legal Bookkeeping • Serving Law Firms Nationwide • Attorney at Work Contributor
Bookkeeping for Law Firms, Built Around Trust Compliance
Accounting Atelier provides bookkeeping services for solo and small law firms across the United States. Every engagement includes monthly three-way trust account reconciliation, IOLTA compliance documentation, client ledger maintenance, and financial reporting delivered by the 10th of each month.
Founded by Amy Coats, a QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor and Clio Certified Partner with more than 25 years in legal bookkeeping, the firm works exclusively with attorneys. Services typically range from $750 to $1,500 per month for solo and small firms, depending on transaction volume and trust account complexity.
Why Law Firms Need Specialized Bookkeeping
Standard bookkeepers reconcile bank accounts. They don't reconcile trust compliance.
If your bookkeeper has never completed a three-way trust reconciliation, your firm has a compliance gap. Standard bookkeepers reconcile bank accounts. Law firm bookkeeping requires IOLTA expertise, client ledger tracking, proper fund transfer timing, and documentation that satisfies your state bar's requirements.
Law firm bookkeeping requires IOLTA expertise - three-way reconciliation, client ledger tracking, proper fund transfer timing, and documentation that satisfies bar requirements. Most bookkeepers have never done a three-way reconciliation. They don't know the difference between earned and unearned funds. They treat your trust account like an operating account.
If your bookkeeper doesn't understand these rules, your books might look fine until the bar audits your trust account.
We provide bookkeeping services for law firms exclusively. IOLTA compliance is built into everything we do.
What's Included in Our Law Firm Bookkeeping Services
Complete Bookkeeping
Transaction categorization for all accounts
Bank and credit card reconciliation
Monthly P&L and balance sheet
Books closed by the 10th
IOLTA Trust Account Management
Monthly three-way reconciliation
Individual client ledger maintenance
Trust-to-operating transfer tracking
Audit-ready documentation
Financial Reporting
Profitability insights by practice area
Cash flow visibility
Accounts receivable aging
Reports formatted for your CPA
Your reports should show you where profit comes from and where it's disappearing. For more on what to track, see law firm financial metrics and our guide to law firm financial reports.
Who Our Legal Bookkeeping Services Are For
Solo Practitioners
You're practicing law and running the business. Bookkeeping keeps falling to the bottom of the list, and your trust account reconciliation is months behind.
You need a law firm bookkeeper who handles everything - IOLTA compliance included - so you can focus on clients. Books closed monthly, nothing for you to manage.
Small Firms (2-10 Attorneys)
You have staff, payroll, and enough transaction volume that complexity is increasing. Your current bookkeeper isn't sure about trust accounting, and you're not confident everything is being done correctly.
You need professional bookkeeping for lawyers that matches your firm's complexity. Full trust accounting, clean financials, and reports that help you make decisions about hiring and growth.
Firms Behind on Compliance
Your trust account hasn't been reconciled in months. You might have a bar audit coming—or you've already received notice.
You need someone to fix the mess. We offer trust account cleanup to get you current, followed by monthly legal bookkeeping services to keep you compliant. We've helped firms recover from years of backlog.
How Our Law Firm Bookkeeping Works
1. Consultation
We'll discuss your firm's situation, current state of your books, and trust accounting needs. We'll determine if we're the right fit.
2. Proposal
You'll receive a custom quote based on your firm's specific requirements - accounts, transaction volume, trust complexity, and any cleanup needed.
3. Onboarding
Within 48 hours of signing, you'll receive everything needed to get started. Our streamlined system makes providing information simple. We connect to Clio, MyCase, and QuickBooks Online.
4. Monthly Service
We take over. Books closed by the 10th. Trust account reconciled. Three-way reconciliation completed. Reports delivered. Ongoing support included.
Why Law Firms Choose Us
Because guessing isn’t a strategy.
“Amy fixed more in 60 days than our last two bookkeepers did in two years.”
— Managing Partner, Small Litigation Firm
“I didn’t even know we were doing it wrong. Now I sleep better.”
— Solo Attorney, Estate Planning
“Finally someone who actually understands IOLTA.”
— Boutique Firm, Immigration Law
“This is the first time I’ve felt like someone was protecting me.”
— Partner, Business Law Firm
Still with a bookkeeper who “mostly gets it”?
You don’t need to switch tomorrow.
But you do need to know where the risks are hiding.Let’s start there.
What Makes Our Legal Bookkeeping Services Different
Law Firm Exclusive
Our systems are built specifically for legal accounting and IOLTA compliance. When you hire a bookkeeper for your law firm, you want one who does this every day.
IOLTA Specialists
Three-way reconciliation completed every month. Client ledgers maintained. Documentation audit-ready. We've seen what bar auditors look for.
Certified & Integrated
Clio Certified Partner. MyCase Partner. QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor. We work within your existing practice management software - not around it.
Month-to-Month
No long-term contracts after onboarding. Clients stay because the work is done right.
Your Investment
Monthly bookkeeping for solo attorneys typically runs $750 to $1,000 per month. Small firms with higher transaction volume and multiple trust accounts fall in the $1,000 to $1,500 per month range. Trust account cleanup projects are quoted separately based on how many months of reconciliation are outstanding and the complexity of the client ledger.
Every engagement includes three-way trust reconciliation, monthly financial reporting, and ongoing coordination with your CPA. No long-term contracts after onboarding.
We provide custom quotes based on your firm's transaction volume, number of accounts, trust account complexity, and current state of your books. Book a consultation to get a proposal specific to your firm.
Frequently Asked Questions About Law Firm Bookkeeping
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Yes. Accounting Atelier provides bookkeeping services for law firms exclusively. We don't serve other industries. Our systems, workflows, and expertise are built specifically for legal accounting and IOLTA compliance.
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A law firm bookkeeper understands trust accounting rules, three-way reconciliation requirements, the difference between earned and unearned funds, and bar compliance documentation. General bookkeepers typically lack this specialized knowledge - which puts your license at risk.
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Many clients come to us behind on reconciliation. We offer trust account cleanup as a one-time project to get you current and compliant, followed by monthly legal bookkeeping services to maintain it. We've cleaned up backlogs spanning years.
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Yes, every month. We reconcile your trust bank balance, trust ledger, and individual client ledgers as part of our standard service. This is non-negotiable and included in every engagement.
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We work in QuickBooks Online and are certified ProAdvisors. We also integrate with Clio (Certified Partner), MyCase (Partner), and LeanLaw for legal-specific billing and trust accounting.
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CPAs focus on tax preparation and planning. We focus on day-to-day bookkeeping, monthly IOLTA compliance, and delivering financials that help you run your firm - not just file your taxes. We work with your CPA to confirm they have what they need.
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By the 10th of each month. Earlier timelines available if needed - let us know during your consultation.
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Book a consultation. We'll discuss your needs, current state of your books, and trust accounting requirements. If we're aligned, you'll receive a custom proposal within a few business days.
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Yes. We're a Clio Certified Partner and provide bookkeeping for lawyers using Clio, MyCase, PracticePanther, and other legal practice management software. We integrate your practice management data with QuickBooks Online for complete financial visibility.
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Professional bookkeeping for solo and small law firms typically costs $750 to $1,500 per month, depending on transaction volume and trust account complexity. That includes monthly bank and trust reconciliation, three-way reconciliation with documentation, financial reporting, and coordination with your CPA. Compare that to the cost of doing it yourself: an attorney billing $200 per hour who spends three hours per week on bookkeeping is losing $2,400 per month in billable time.
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The best bookkeeping service for a law firm is one that specializes in legal accounting and includes IOLTA trust compliance as part of its standard service. Look for a provider that completes monthly three-way trust reconciliation, maintains individual client ledgers, integrates with your practice management software (Clio, MyCase, or similar), and delivers books by a predictable date each month. General bookkeeping firms that serve multiple industries rarely have the trust accounting expertise that bar compliance requires.
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Both, but for different reasons. A bookkeeper handles day-to-day transaction coding, monthly reconciliation, trust accounting, and financial reporting. A CPA handles tax preparation, tax planning, and advisory work. Most solo and small law firms need a specialized bookkeeper for ongoing monthly work and a CPA for annual tax prep. Your bookkeeper should deliver financials in the format your CPA needs, reducing year-end scramble and CPA fees.