It's our three-year anniversary and we're kicking off Season 4!

In this episode, Lynda, Sarah, and Steve celebrate the milestone and dive into one of the most important things every law firm and accounting practice should be doing right now: the mid-year business review.

From checking payroll and 1099s to evaluating your tech stack, forecasting cash flow, and setting financial priorities for the second half of the year, this conversation is packed with practical, timely advice. Plus the team gets into AI, the new QuickBooks interface, and why the human touch still matters more than ever.

00:00 Podcast Anniversary Shoutout
00:35 Meet the Producer Teaira
01:22 Season Four Milestones
03:06 Midyear Review Kickoff
03:42 Client Check-Ins and Cleanup
05:38 Payroll and Tax Estimates
06:15 Software Costs and Tool Audit
07:47 AI Hype and Human Touch
11:28 AI Pitfalls and Verification
17:40 Planning Priorities and Vision
20:07 Hiring Interns and Apprentices
21:10 Cash Flow and Economic Risks
22:46 AR Review and Key Takeaways
23:42 Subscribe and Community Links

🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes covering law firm bookkeeping, legal tech, and accounting practice tips.

📩 Have a question or topic idea? Email us at info@accountantslawpod.com

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🌐 Visit us at accountantslawpod.com

Accountants Law Pod is hosted by Lynda Artesani, Sarah Prevost, and Steve Libhart and directed/produced by Teaira Burge and The Proper Trust. Music by ComaStudio from Pixabay - Edited by audiovideo_uk

Disclaimer: The content presented in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as legal, financial, or professional advice.

Sarah is back, and she has a story to tell!

Fresh off an unexpected keynote at the Kudo Digital Accounting Conference in Kosovo, Sarah shares what it was like to present to a sold-out crowd on working with US-based accounting firms, complete with surprise keynote status, a massive curved screen, live translators, and an audience that was fully present and phone-free.

Lynda and Steve dig into the cultural differences, the energy of a young and engaged crowd, and why going global is more relevant than ever for accounting professionals.

A fun, candid episode you won't want to miss.

00:24 Sarah Returns and Kosovo Trip
00:52 Keynote Surprise and Tech Hiccups
02:37 Conference Highlights and Leaders
04:00 Cultural Differences and Translation
05:31 Audience Reactions and Etiquette
08:01 Sold Out Crowd and Media Coverage
09:53 Travel Notes and Local Impressions
10:46 Next Year Plans and Sign Off

🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes covering law firm bookkeeping, legal tech, and accounting practice tips.

📩 Have a question or topic idea? Email us at info@accountantslawpod.com

🧑‍💼 Join the Accountants Law Lab Mastermind: accountantslawlab.com

🌐 Visit us at accountantslawpod.com

Accountants Law Pod is hosted by Lynda Artesani, Sarah Prevost, and Steve Libhart and directed/produced by Teaira Burge and The Proper Trust. Music by ComaStudio from Pixabay - Edited by audiovideo_uk D

Disclaimer: The content presented in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as legal, financial, or professional advice.

Here are the updated versions without em dashes: Spotify Description Trust accounting is one of the most compliance-heavy areas in legal bookkeeping, and post-tax season is exactly the right time to audit where things stand. In this episode, Lynda and Steve dig into the common traps law firms fall into with their IOLTA and trust accounts: timing issues with Clio Pay and e-checks, commingling funds (intentional or not), the danger of moving money before it clears, and why switching bank accounts doesn't fix underlying reconciliation problems.

They cover the three-way reconciliation that every firm should be doing (bank, billing software, accounting system), how to structure your chart of accounts with proper sub-accounts and a trust suspense account, and what to expect and do if the bar's attorney regulation counsel comes knocking for an audit.

Whether you're new to legal accounting or doing a post-tax-season cleanup, this episode is packed with practical guidance on protecting both your clients and your license.

Topics covered: IOLTA trust accounting, Clio Pay timing, three-way reconciliation, chart of accounts setup, QuickBooks Online, bar compliance, trust audits, personal injury disbursements, and more.

00:53 Trust Accounting Reset
01:28 Tax Return Reporting
02:27 One File vs Two
03:46 Bar Rules First
05:15 Clio Pay Timing Risks
07:31 PI Checks and Disbursements
11:21 Client Loans and Compliance
13:14 Choosing Legal Software
15:20 Clio vs LeanLaw Workflows
16:09 Spotting Date Errors
16:35 Retainers and Payments
17:30 Three Way Reconciliation
17:59 Account Bucketing Setup
19:06 QuickBooks Lock Feature
20:41 Trust Suspense Accounts
21:53 Reconciliation Misconceptions
22:59 Avoiding Commingling
24:43 Handling Trust Audits
25:53 Cleanup and Opening Balances
28:06 Outsourced Help and Notes

🌐 Website: accountantslawpod.com
💬 Community: accountantslawlab.com
📩 Contact: info@accountantslawpod.com

Disclaimer: The content presented in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as legal, financial, or professional advice.