Join Astraea Linskills

Criminal Paralegal/Accredited Police Station Representative

An exciting and unique opportunity has arisen for a criminal paralegal/accredited police station representative at Astraea Linskills.

We are a Legal 500 law firm who are family friendly, flexible and encourage all staff to fulfil their true potential.

Based in the city centre of Liverpool, we are very eager to grow our firm further and invite candidates to become a part of the exciting challenge.

Joining the practices highly regarded criminal law team, the successful candidate will work closely with the senior members of the department and run a busy case load of all criminal, regulatory and POCA matters from instruction to conclusion.

Responsibilities

• Working alongside the firm’s solicitors with a mixed case load of privately and publicly funded work
• Working on all types of criminal offences from Summary only to serious Crown Court cases
• File management

• Adhering to monthly file reviews and ensuring files are compliant, making adjustments when necessary
• Manage and run full case load
• Preparing client letters

• Drafting statements
• Preparing briefs for counsel
• Liaising with clients in person, over the telephone and via video conferencing
• Instructing experts
• Briefs to counsel
• Keeping up to date with case law and legal developments
• If not already qualified as a police station representative, after successful completion of probation period will be helped through the process of gaining the qualification to represent clients at the police station and join the firm’s out of hours on call rota (evenings and weekends)
• Opportunity to apply for a training contract

The Candidate

• A paralegal/police station rep/graduate with at least 12 months experience in criminal law
• Excellent communication skills and is able to explain complex matters in clear, accessible language
• Works well as individual and as part of a team
• Must have a keen interest in developing their career in criminal law
• Highly organised, good initiative and able to work well when under pressure
• Personable and client-focused
• Professional and well presented
• Preferably have a full clean driving licence and access to a car
• Should be comfortable working remotely/digitally as well as office based

Benefits

• Competitive salary dependant on experience
• 25 days holiday (not including bank holidays)
• Continued peer support
• Ongoing support for professional development
• Working with an approachable team

Job Types: Full-time, permanent

Please send your CV and covering letter to angeladempsey@a-l.law

In responding to this vacancy, please state your salary expectations.

An exciting and unique opportunity has arisen for a Senior Legal Cashier at Astraea Linskills.

We are a Legal 500 law firm who are family friendly, flexible and encourage all staff to fulfil their true potential.

Based in the city centre of Liverpool, we are very eager to grow our firm further and invite candidates to become a part of the exciting challenge.

We are seeking an Senior Legal Cashier to join our busy firm. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing day-to-day legal cashiering duties, ensuring compliance with the Solicitors Regulation Authority Accounts Rules, and supporting the smooth financial operation of the firm.

Responsibilities

• Process client and office account transactions accurately and in accordance with the SRA Accounts Rules.
• Private and Legal Aid matters.
• Manage daily banking, including receipts, payments, transfers, and electronic banking transactions.
• Prepare and process CHAPS, BACS, Faster Payments, and cheque requests where required.
• Post bills, disbursements, counsels’ fees, and other financial entries to the practice management system.
• Prepare reports.
• Carry out client-to-office transfers and ensure all postings are properly authorised and documented.
• Complete daily and monthly bank reconciliations across client and office accounts.
• Assist with residual balance reviews, client ledger checks, and matter balance reporting.
• Monitor client account activity and escalate any potential compliance issues promptly.
• Liaise with fee earners, support staff, suppliers, clients, and external stakeholders regarding finance-related queries.
• Support month-end and year-end processes, including reporting and audit preparation.
• Maintain accurate financial records and ensure confidentiality at all times.
• Assist with compliance reviews, internal procedures, and continuous improvement of cashiering processes.

The Candidate

• Reliable, methodical, and calm under pressure.
• Professional and approachable manner.
• Proactive problem solver with a willingness to support the wider team.
• Committed to maintaining high standards of compliance and client service.
• Previous experience in a legal cashiering role dealing with both Legal Aid and private matters is essential.
• Strong working knowledge of the SRA Accounts Rules.
• Experience using legal accounts and practice management systems (LEAP, Clio, Xero or similar).
• Excellent attention to detail and a high level of accuracy.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Confident communication skills and the ability to work effectively with fee earners and support teams.
• Good understanding of client account procedures, office account postings, billing, reconciliations, and compliance requirements.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Outlook.
• Institute of Legal Finance and Management qualification or equivalent experience.
• Experience working in a solicitors’ firm across multiple departments or practice areas.
• Knowledge of VAT treatment, disbursements, and private and legal aid billing processes.

Benefits

• Competitive salary dependant on experience
• 25 days holiday (not including bank holidays)
• Ongoing support for professional development
• Working with an approachable team

Job Types: Full-time, permanent

Please send your CV and covering letter to angeladempsey@a-l.law

In responding to this vacancy, please state your salary expectations.

An exciting and unique opportunity has arisen for an experienced Head of Finance and COFA at Astraea Linskills.

We are a Legal 500 law firm who are family friendly, flexible and encourage all staff to fulfil their true potential.

Based in the city centre of Liverpool, we are very eager to grow our firm further and invite candidates to become a part of the exciting challenge.

The successful candidate will lead the firm’s finance function and take responsibility for accurate financial management, client money protection, regulatory compliance and robust financial controls. The postholder will act as the firm’s Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration, ensuring the firm, its managers and employees comply with the SRA Accounts Rules and that any serious breach is reported promptly.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the firm’s finance function, including legal cashiering, accounts administration, financial reporting and day-to-day financial operations.
• Act as the firm’s COFA and take reasonable steps to ensure compliance with the SRA Accounts Rules and related financial regulatory obligations.
• Maintain accurate client and office account records, ensuring all receipts, payments, transfers and ledger postings are processed correctly and promptly.
• Oversee client and office account reconciliations, including regular review, investigation and resolution of unreconciled items.
• Legal Aid and private billing.
• Supervise client account withdrawals, office transfers, disbursements and supplier payments, ensuring appropriate authorisation and audit trails are maintained.
• Prepare monthly management accounts, cashflow reports, budgets, forecasts and financial information for the partners, board or senior leadership team.
• Maintain and review financial controls, systems, policies and procedures to support compliance, efficiency and growth.
• Process client and office account receipts and payments in accordance with internal procedures and regulatory requirements.
• Post transactions accurately to the correct client, matter and nominal ledgers.
• Prepare and process bank payments, CHAPS, Faster Payments, transfers, supplier payments and disbursements within agreed deadlines.
• Support billing, credit control, VAT processing, write-offs and ledger adjustments as authorised.
• Monitor aged debt, unpaid bills, residual balances and unusual ledger activity, escalating issues to senior management where appropriate.
• Assist fee earners and support staff with financial queries, matter balances, billing information and payment processes.

COFA and Compliance Duties

• Ensure the firm has effective systems to comply with the SRA Accounts Rules, including controls for client money, residual balances, office credit balances and suspense ledgers.
• Keep a breach register and ensure potential breaches are identified, recorded, investigated, remediated and escalated where required.
• Report serious or material breaches of the SRA Accounts Rules promptly to the SRA.
• Review and sign off client account reconciliations and ensure reconciliation evidence is complete and retained.
• Prepare for and liaise with external accountants, auditors and regulatory bodies in relation to annual accounts, accountants’ reports and compliance reviews.
• Support the COLP, MLRO and senior management team with wider risk management, governance and compliance initiatives where finance controls are relevant

The Candidate

• Significant finance experience within a solicitors’ practice or SRA-regulated legal environment.
• Strong working knowledge of the SRA Accounts Rules and client money requirements.
• Previous experience as a Head of Finance, Finance Manager, Legal Cashier, Head Cashier, COFA or similar senior legal finance role.
• Previous experience dealing with both Legal Aid and private matters is essential.
• Ability to manage client and office account transactions, reconciliations, ledgers, management reporting and financial controls.
• High level of accuracy, attention to detail and professional judgement.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work confidently with partners, fee earners, support teams, banks, accountants and regulators.
• Ability to identify financial risk, improve processes and support commercial decision-making.
• Formal accountancy, bookkeeping or legal finance qualification, such as ILFM, AAT, CIMA, ACCA or equivalent experience.
• Experience using legal accounts and case management systems (LEAP, Clio, Xero or similar)
• Experience with audits, SRA accountants’ reports, funder reporting, VAT returns and statutory accounts preparation.
• Experience managing or mentoring finance staff.
• Trustworthy, discreet and able to handle confidential financial information.
• Commercially aware, proactive and comfortable taking ownership of the finance function.
• Organised and deadline-focused, with the ability to manage competing priorities. Excellent attention to detail and a high level of accuracy.
• Confident challenging processes, escalating risk and advising senior stakeholders.
• Committed to client money protection, regulatory compliance and continuous improvement.

Benefits

• Competitive salary dependant on experience
• 28 days holiday (plus bank holidays)
• Ongoing support for professional development
• Working with an approachable team

Job Types: Full-time, permanent

Please send your CV and covering letter to angeladempsey@a-l.law

In responding to this vacancy, please state your salary expectations.