FREE for ILFM Members (Inc. iCOFA) - Non-Members £100
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Keynote Speaker
‘How to Think about AI’
- The mindset that we should have in thinking about the future.
- Some remarkable examples of AI in action.
- Trends in digital technology generally.
- Six hypotheses about where AI is heading.
- What this means for professional work.
Professor Richard Susskind CBE KC (Hon) is the world’s most cited author on the future of legal services. He has been President of the Society for Computers and Law since 2011. From 1998 to 2023, he was Technology Adviser to the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales. His work has been translated into 20 languages and he has been invited to speak in more than 60 countries. He has written eleven books, including Tomorrow’s Lawyers (2013, 2017, 2023), The Future of the Professions (2015, 2022, with Daniel Susskind), and How to Think about AI: A Guide for the Perplexed (2025). In the mid-1980s, Richard wrote his doctorate on AI and law at Oxford University and in the late-1980s, he co-developed the world’s first fully operational AI system for lawyers.
ILFM Members and Booked Conference Delegates - 30% off 'How to Think about AI'
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The Future of Client Money: Real-World Insights. Unfiltered Advice. Actionable Strategies.
Join us at the ILFM Autumn Virtual Conference, where legal finance meets frontline expertise for a day packed full of insider knowledge from seasoned professionals who have lived through the challenges, tackled the regulations, and delivered results under pressure.
Topics and speakers on the day:
Law Firm Benchmarking
Financial highlights from law firms results in 2025 - a candid review of the key findings from the 2025 NatWest legal survey along with additional unpublished statistics.
The session will be introduced by David Weaver, head of professions at NatWest and delivered by Andrew Allen author of the survey and head of PKF Francis Clarks’ legal sector team.
COFA – Thinking about your compliance culture
With nearly a decade of experience at Hazlewoods and as an SRA Accounts Rules Auditor and ILFM Trainer, Luke Dickinson understands that the role of the COFA goes far beyond a job title.
In this session, he’ll explore what a strong compliance culture can look like in practice, and how COFAs can foster meaningful engagement from fee earners to support it. Expect practical insights, real-world examples, and strategies to embed compliance into the everyday mindset of your legal team.
VAT – Updates and common queries
PKF Francis Clark will provide an update regarding bank interest received by legal practices, how this may impact VAT recovery and update everyone on how HMRC currently view this matter. Other common queries raised by legal practices with PKF Francis Clark will also be discussed.
SRA Accounts Rules view from the trenches - Keep Calm & Carry on
Join Mark Adderley for a fast-paced, insightful, and honest look at the SRA Accounts Rules and what changes may be happening. With a blend of real-world examples, practical advice and insight of future changes effecting client money, this session will cover common pitfalls, real life examples and the critical role finance professionals play in safeguarding client money and firm reputation. Whether you're a seasoned legal finance professional or just trying to make sense of reconciliations and residual balances, this is your chance to hear the rules decoded by someone who is daily amongst the hustle & bustle.
And more….
Why You Should Attend:
• Hear from experts who’ve walked the walk
• Gain actionable takeaways for immediate implementation
• Stay compliant with the latest updates & changes
This is more than a conference — it’s your competitive advantage in legal finance.
Don’t miss it.
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Sponsored by:
PAST CONFERENCE
The ILFM Spring Conference 2025
Navigating the Future of Legal Finance & Management: Innovation, Compliance, and Excellence
The ILFM's Spring Conference 2025 took place on 22 May at The Law Society's prestigious London office. A huge Thank You to our sponsors who make it possible for us to hold our cornerstone in-person event each year. As ever, it was wonderful to see so many of our members in attendance.
Having led what was the UK's fastest-growing law firm, via McCrum Legal and The McCrum Academy, Simon McCrum, our keynote speaker, shared his insights into how teams and firms can become The Perfect Legal Business.
Lucy Brennan, Partner, Saffery gave her Reporting Accountant update. As we come into the season for SRA accountant’s reports, Lucy reviewed what pitfalls were seen last year, common mistakes, and how to rectify, combined with a consideration of the consumer protection review on the model of solicitors holding client money.
After a year of back-to-back AML fines, where are we heading from here? Who better to explain The now & next of AML than Amy Bell, Chair of the Law Society’s Economic Crime Task Force, CEO and Founder of Teal Compliance and ILFM AML Trainer. Amy highlighted how firms are leaving themselves open to fines. With a potential change of supervisors and Regulations and a government calling for a Money Laundering Offence the focus won’t shift for a while. Amy examined what needs to be on firm's AML to do lists this year.
Law firm finance teams are often seen as a reactive, back-office function, managing payments, compliance, and financial reporting. But in a rapidly changing legal landscape, the role of finance is evolving. With the right strategies and technology, finance teams can transform from a bottleneck into a business enabler; improving efficiency, reducing costs, and driving firm-wide profitability. Our panel of speakers, included Marcus Oulds - VP of Sales, Legl; Charlie Kraus, Platform & Industry Lead, Adyen and; Jason Parry, Head of Finance & COFA at Doyle Clayton was hosted by Arrun Ramadoss, Head of Marketing at Legl shared their knowledge and expertise in streamlining finance processes for law firms.
Getting the right legal software for your firm is an essential. Kevin Horlock, CEO, LSSA (Legal Software Suppliers Association) shared his knowledge and tips on how the right software can transform your working life and the success of your firm.
David Thorpe and Nigel Wilson, Directors at Financial Eye and Legal Abacus columnists discussed how residual balances arise, how you can monitor the position, how you can rectify them, and most importantly how you put processes in place to stop them arising in future. This session gave delegates the chance to talk “off the record” about specific issues they face and get some handy hints for dealing with them.
As artificial intelligence continues to rapidly evolve, its presence in the legal profession shall become increasingly ubiquitous. While some amongst us may understandably view AI as a threat, fearing job displacement or ethical dilemmas, others may view it as a transformative opportunity that will facilitate the streamlining of routine tasks, enhancement of legal research, and ever improving provision of data-driven insights. Mark Hailwood, Senior Director of Product, Dye & Durham, asked the question; is AI a threat or opportunity?
Finally, it wouldn't be an ILFM Conference without a regulatory updated. Jonathan Chambers, Forensic Investigation Manager at the SRA gave everyone the latest news including consultation updates and the technical issues involved in the investigation of Accounts Rules compliance.
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Review of 2024 Conference
The ILFM Legal Compliance Conference, held on 16 May 2024 at the Law Society in Chancery Lane, was a significant event for legal professionals. The conference focused on enhancing knowledge in finance and management excellence. With over 150 attendees, it provided a day filled with insightful sessions and valuable networking opportunities.