Your Trust Account Doesn’t Care How Busy You Are.

That $100 transfer you meant to fix? It could cost you your license.

“We had no idea anything was wrong… until the bar emailed us.”

Most Bookkeepers Don’t Understand IOLTA

And most law firms don’t realize that - until it’s too late.

You delegate the books.
You assume your CPA or admin is keeping it clean.
You trust that if something was wrong, you’d know.

You wouldn’t.

Here’s what we see again and again:

  • Trust deposits going into operating - “just for a day”

  • Earned fees left in trust - a violation in most states

  • Bookkeepers reconciling bank balances, but never touching client ledgers

  • Three-way reports skipped entirely - or done wrong

  • Firms relying on QuickBooks alone, without oversight

None of this is malicious.
But the bar won’t care.

If your trust account isn’t compliant, your license is at risk.

Commingling Is the Most Common Trust Accounting Violation

It’s also the easiest one to miss.

You don’t need to commit fraud to be in violation.
You just need to move the wrong $100 at the wrong time.

Here’s how it happens:

  • Earned fees are left sitting in trust for months

  • A client’s retainer goes into the operating account instead of trust

  • A balance looks fine… but the client ledger tells a different story

  • A three-way reconciliation is skipped - and no one notices

  • Filing fees are paid from trust before funds have cleared

These are mistakes made by firms who care.
But the bar won’t care why it happened.
Only that it did.

In most states, one violation is all it takes to trigger an investigation.

And yes — we’ve seen firms get suspended over less.

You Didn’t Go to Law School to Explain Trust Accounting

That’s our job.

Your books shouldn’t be a question mark.
And your trust account shouldn’t need a second opinion.

At Accounting Atelier, we specialize exclusively in law firm bookkeeping - with monthly IOLTA compliance baked into every service.

No templates.
No generic “reconciling.”
No crossed fingers at audit time.

Here’s what we do instead:

  • Three-way trust reconciliations completed every month — not once a quarter

  • Client ledger tracking so every balance ties to a real matter

  • Earned fees flagged and transferred so trust accounts don’t become holding tanks

  • Audit-ready reports that match bar expectations — not just your tax return

  • Clean monthly financials delivered by the 15th of the following month

  • Hands-on support, structured communication, and a system you never have to micromanage

In short?
While others reconcile balances, we reconcile compliance.

And we don’t just know how IOLTA works - we know what gets firms in trouble.

Why Law Firms Like Yours Hire Accounting Atelier

Outsourced virtual bookkeeping services for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

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 Attorneys Usually Ask Us

  • Yes. Accounting Atelier specializes exclusively in law firm bookkeeping services with a focus on IOLTA trust compliance. We don't work with general businesses or unrelated industries - our systems are built specifically for attorneys.

    Our law firm bookkeeping process here.

  • You're not alone. Many firms come to us mid-crisis - often during audits or after discovering violations. We offer trust account cleanups as a one-time service to get you current, compliant, and ready to transition into monthly support.

  • Yes. We complete a full three-way reconciliation every month - matching your trust bank balance, client ledger balances, and liability accounts. This is a non-negotiable in our process, and it’s included in all of our legal bookkeeping packages.

  • We primarily work in QuickBooks Online and are certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors. We also support law firms using Clio, LeanLaw, or other legal billing platforms. If you're not sure if your current tools are compliant, we’ll review that during your consult.

  • Most CPAs focus on taxes. Most office managers aren’t trained in legal trust accounting. We focus on day-to-day financial operations, IOLTA compliance, and audit readiness - not just year-end reporting. We're not a generalist - we’re your financial partner in compliance.

  • Our monthly law firm bookkeeping services are month-to-month after onboarding. Most firms stay long-term because they no longer want to worry about trust compliance - but there’s no lock-in or long-term obligation.

  • We price based on your firm’s complexity, volume, and trust account setup - not flat tiers. After your consult, we’ll provide a custom quote based on exactly what your firm needs, and nothing you don’t.