Legal Finance Professionals Limited (LFP) is a specialist recruitment and training company which aims to service the needs of law firms in two important areas:

• The recruitment of legal cashiers and other finance staff
• The provision of training services

One of LFP’s founders is Richard Lane who qualified as a Chartered Accountant whilst working for Baker Tilly. In 1996 he moved out of private practice and joined the Law Society's Forensic Investigation Unit where he was responsible for managing a team of investigation officers and overseeing investigations into firms of solicitors checking, amongst other things, compliance with the Solicitors' Accounts Rules and Solicitors' Practice Rules.

From his experience gained whilst working for the Law Society, Richard recognised the importance of ensuring that the finance function within legal firms runs as smoothly as possible and that a knowledgeable and experienced legal cashier is an essential element of most successful practices. LFP was formed to meet the needs of law firms throughout England & Wales in the niche area of the recruitment of legal finance professionals.

The wealth of knowledge and experience gained during his career, puts Richard in a unique position to identify the specific requirements of each client firm and to match them to suitable candidates.

FOR CLIENTS
LFP is committed to providing its clients with a professional, focused and confidential recruitment service. By specialising in legal finance staff recruitment, LFP can enhance its clients' recruitment campaigns ensuring that they have the best chance of recruiting candidates whose attributes most closely match their requirements.

All client firms benefit from:

• Pre-recruitment onsite assessment of requirements
• National coverage
• Knowledgeable and experienced consultants
• Candidate screening
• Database and/or advertised campaigns
• Co-ordination of interviews

The unique candidate assessment service, available to clients on the payment of an additional fee, is designed to test candidates' knowledge and abilities in the following areas:

• Bookkeeping
• Solicitors' Accounts Rules
• PAYE/VAT
• Specific relevant areas (e.g. Legal Aid, Conveyancing, Personal Injury, Probate)

FOR CANDIDATES
LFP recognise that finding high quality candidates is a vital part of their business. For this reason, the LFP consultants will seek to work in partnership with prospective candidates to assess their requirements and to identify the most advantageous career move for them when they feel the time is right.

The service offered to candidates includes:

• Total confidentiality
• Career evaluation and constructive advice on future options
• Guidance on market salaries
• Help and advice with CV preparation
• E-mail updates of suitable vacancies
• Feedback on all interviews

LFP guarantee:

• Only ever to contact candidates by their preferred method and at times specified by them
• Never to charge candidates a fee for their recruitment service
• Never to send candidate details to a client without express instructions to do so
• Never to disclose details of a candidate’s current employment unless authorised to do so
• Not to pressurise candidates to accept a position

TRAINING SERVICES

Richard Lane is well known in the legal arena as an expert both in relation to the Solicitors' Accounts Rules and all aspects of the organisation and operation of a solicitor's practice. Richard has spoken extensively throughout the UK at conferences and training events.

LFP are able to offer a range of courses on subjects including the Solicitors’ Accounts Rules, Bookkeeping and Solicitors’ Accounts, VAT for Solicitors, Preparing for an Inspection Visit, Money Laundering, Risk Management or they can deliver bespoke courses tailored to meet a firm’s precise needs.

From September 2007, LFP is offering a range of courses at venues across England & Wales including a full-day course, entitled “Solicitors’ Accounts Rules and Beyond”. This course starts off by providing delegates with a practical guide to the Solicitors’ Accounts Rules before moving on to consider the common problem areas and the warning signs which will help those attending spot fraud or other irregularities in their own firms. To conclude, Richard Lane looks at the work of Forensic Investigations, explaining the inspection process and providing guidance on how to survive an inspection visit from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

LFP are authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority as an external CPD provider.

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