Controller

Strategic Legal Practices•Los Angeles, CA

13d•$140,000 - $190,000•Onsite

About The Position

Excellent opportunity for an experienced finance and accounting professional who oversees all financial operations of the Strategic Legal Practices, APC (“Firm”). This role serves as a key advisor to the Managing Partner and management committees in business planning and establishing, measuring, and communicating the Firm's financial goals and financial position, as well as implementing best practice financial policies and procedures. The Firm expects a strategic leader who exercises a high level of professionalism and discretion while ensuring excellent client service and satisfaction in all areas. This is a technology-first finance leadership role. Using AI and automation to create scalable oversight as the Firm grows nationally. The candidate should be equally comfortable in a spreadsheet and evaluating new AI tools — as you're expected to always look for smarter, faster ways to work with data.

Requirements

ERPs: NetSuite, Sage Intacct, QuickBooks Online, or Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. The Firm currently runs Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Law practice management/billing: Clio, Elite, Tabs3, or similar.
Salesforce CRM and Salesforce-based timekeeping integrated into billing and revenue reporting.
SQL and/or BI tools (Power BI, Tableau, Looker); advanced Excel.
AI tools: contract review platforms, intelligent invoice processing, automated reporting.
Bachelor's in Accounting or Finance; CPA strongly preferred.
10+ years of experience with a law firm or other professional services firm is highly preferred.
Proven track record in high-volume contract, vendor, and invoice review with a focus on cost control and spending gap identification.
Fast adopter of financial technology and AI tools — energized by automation and always looking for smarter ways to work.
Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, as well as be flexible.
Strong business sense and strong financial analysis skills with ability to explain financial specifics and concepts in a business context.
Ability to communicate effectively and tactfully with individuals at all levels within and outside the Firm, be comfortable working with strong personalities, as well as deliver effective presentations.

Nice To Haves

A master’s degree in business administration or accounting is a plus.
Integration platforms (Workato, Zapier) and workflow tools (Asana, Jira) preferred.

Responsibilities

Champion AI-powered tools across finance — contract review, intelligent invoice processing, anomaly detection, and automated reporting.
Drive integrations between accounting platforms, practice management, HRIS/payroll, and Salesforce (CRM + timekeeping).
Build real-time financial dashboards and automate reporting workflows to eliminate manual data entry.
Evaluate and implement RPA, process orchestration, and emerging fintech tools; bring recommendations to leadership proactively.
Ensure financial data integrity across all integrated platforms; participate in IT security and access reviews tied to financial systems.
Own heavy financial and operational data analysis across large, complex datasets from billing systems, Salesforce, and practice management platforms.
Build scalable dashboards and management reports (P&L, KPIs, variance analyses) capable of handling massive report volumes with speed and accuracy.
Model case economics, cost recovery, and profitability to inform firm strategy and support fee petitions and cost recovery motions.
Deliver ad-hoc financial modeling for pricing, M&A, and multi-state expansion planning.
Review vendor contracts and engagement letters — flagging cost risks, spending gaps, and renegotiation opportunities.
Manage high-volume invoice validation and reconciliation; enforce procurement controls and AP recovery audit programs.
Maintain vendor repository tracking spend, renewals, and performance — with a sharp eye on cost control and financial risk mitigation.
Financial reporting and analysis, periodic forecasting, tax filings, audits, and financial reviews.
Maintaining relationships with bankers, tax accountants, auditors, and key vendors.
Oversee full-cycle accounting: month-end close, GL maintenance, financial statements, AP/AR, and payroll coordination.
Manage IOLTA/trust accounting, matter-based billing, client ledger reconciliations, and multi-jurisdictional cost reconciliation in compliance with State Bar requirements.
Develop internal controls, approval workflows, and SOPs that scale with firm growth.
Lead budgeting, cash flow forecasting, and the financial framework for national expansion.