Legal Aid Billing Manager
22 hours ago
Liverpool
Job Title: Legal Aid Billing & Compliance Manager Location: Manchester / Hybrid Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience The Opportunity We are working with an established multi-office legal practice with a significant Legal Aid practice across civil and criminal work to recruit an experienced Legal Aid Billing & Compliance Manager. This is a specialist role for someone who understands the Legal Aid environment from within a law firm and can combine detailed technical knowledge with strong billing management, compliance and process improvement skills. This is not a general finance, credit control or billing role. Candidates must have substantial experience working within a legal practice and strong technical knowledge of Legal Aid billing and the Legal Aid Agency (LAA). You will work closely with the wider billing function and senior finance stakeholders, with a key focus on improving billing turnaround, cash collection, payments on account and Legal Aid compliance. Key Responsibilities: Legal Aid Billing & Cash Collection • Oversee civil final bills, from case conclusion through CCMS submission and payment., • Manage Payments on Account (POAs), ensuring claims are accurate, timely and fully tracked., • Oversee disbursements, controlled work submissions and Legal Help escape claims., • Review LAA assessments and reductions, supporting appeals where appropriate., • Manage external costs drafting providers and support bringing suitable work in-house., • Identify and reduce billing delays, aged WIP and lock-up.Legal Aid Compliance, • Act as the technical point of contact for Legal Aid billing and compliance., • Prepare for and support LAA contract audits across civil and criminal work., • Manage contract branches, statutory charges, recoupments, file transfers and out-of-time bills., • Support VHCCs and case plans, ensuring billing and compliance requirements are met., • Maintain accurate Legal Aid supervision and compliance records.Civil & Criminal Legal Aid, • Provide technical billing support across civil and criminal Legal Aid work., • Apply knowledge of hourly rates, fixed fees, FAS, escape cases and graduated fee schemes., • Advise solicitors and fee earners on Legal Aid billing requirements and submission processes.Reporting & Controls, • Produce MI covering fees, cash, WIP, live matters and billing performance., • Monitor LAA remittances, expected income and aged balances., • Review matter balances, including client balances and office credits., • Reconcile billing data and maintain accurate billing trackers and reporting.Team & Process Improvement, • Work with the Billing Manager to allocate workloads and improve billing turnaround., • Train and support costs draftsmen, legal cashiers and administrators on Legal Aid requirements., • Develop clear procedures covering billing, POAs, new matters and file closure., • Lead initiatives to clear historic billing backlogs and improve cash collection. About You: • Proven experience in a Legal Aid billing management or senior legal billing role within a law firm., • A legal/law firm background is essential., • Detailed working knowledge of CCMS and CWA., • Strong knowledge of Payments on Account, final bills, assessments and LAA billing processes., • Understanding of civil Legal Aid remuneration, including hourly rates, fixed fees, FAS and escape cases., • Working knowledge of the SRA Accounts Rules, particularly client money, disbursements and office credits., • Experience with LAA contract audits and compliance., • Knowledge of contract branches, statutory charges, recoupments, file transfers and out-of-time bills., • Strong Excel and reporting skills, including data reconciliation and management information., • Ability to explain complex Legal Aid billing requirements clearly to solicitors, fee earners and support teams., • A demonstrable track record of improving billing turnaround, cash collection, lock-up, POA backlogs or LAA compliance.Desirable:, • Experience of care proceedings and family Legal Aid billing., • Experience with VHCCs and case plans., • Knowledge of criminal Legal Aid billing, including crime lower and graduated fee schemes., • Experience using a legal case management or legal accounts system., • Experience managing external costs drafting providers or bringing drafting in-house., • Relevant costs drafting or legal cashiering qualification, such as ACL or ILFM., • Previous experience supervising, mentoring or training a small team. Please send your CV to Rosie Hutcheon, or call 0141 468 6396 via the ‘Apply Now' option to be considered for the role. JBRP1_UKTJ