Senior
Plymouth,
Professional practices
Professional practices
Specialist accounting for law firms
Build a legal-sector career where your expertise influences firm strategy, risk and compliance – alongside a nationally recognised specialist team.
We advise law firms and legal businesses across the UK, typically ranging from £3m to £30m turnover. You’ll work closely with legal partners, Compliance Officers for Finance and Administration (COFAs) and finance leaders on key issues including governance, cash and partner funding, regulatory compliance, and sustainable growth.
As part of our specialist professional practices team, you’ll take on a broad portfolio of technical work with the opportunity to lead assignments and shape client outcomes. Your work could include statutory accounts and audits, Solicitors Accounts Rules (SRA) client money audits, LLP and partnership accounts, partner and personal tax planning and compliance, VAT and pensions, and specialist advisory projects.
What sets PKF Francis Clark apart is the depth of our sector leadership. Our experts in accounting for law firms help to shape thinking and best practice across the profession – including representation on the ICAEW Solicitors Community Group and authorship of the Law Society’s Solicitors and the Accounts Rules compliance handbook. We know where the sector is going because we’re actively influencing the direction on the national stage.
We’re forward-thinking and approachable, with a strong team ethos – and as a team of 50 people we also give senior people the space to lead. You’ll be trusted to build client relationships, challenge thinking, and bring ideas that improve how we deliver. If you enjoy technically complex work, thrive on managing change, and like working directly with clients as part of a sociable team, you’ll fit right in.
Who this suits
We’re keen to hear from experienced professionals who want to specialise in the legal sector, including:
- Auditors with experience of owner-managed businesses and LLPs
- Accounts specialists with LLP and partnership accounts exposure
- Tax professionals with an analytical mindset who are keen to deepen sector expertise
- Advisors interested in governance, funding, strategy, risk and regulatory compliance
Meet the team
"My advice to others is simple: be proactive, embrace opportunities, and take ownership of your career. You never know where saying “yes” might lead."
Sonia, Professional practices partner
"Being part of the professional practices team is great as you can work on a variety of areas including accounts, audit and tax all in one department. I particularly like getting to know each client on a personal level and have opportunities to gain exposure to various different taxes based on client backgrounds."
Lydia, Professional practices senior
"I started out at a small local accounting firm and moved to PKF Francis Clark to progress my training. I’ve had a lot of opportunities here, developing from being an AAT trainee to a Director."
Nick, DirectorSupportive culture and clear progression
When you join us, you’ll have a clear route to grow your impact. We have a clear progression path from assistant, to senior, assistant manager, manager and then senior manager, director, partner – with expectations set out at each stage. As you progress, you’ll move from supporting day-to-day compliance work to leading client relationships, developing specialisms (for example SRA client money, LLP structures or VAT), and contributing to our thought leadership about the legal sector.
You’ll get regular feedback, coaching and development support to help you take the next step. We invest heavily in structured training to build both technical capability and the soft skills that matter in client-facing and management roles.
The pinnacle is our in-house leadership programme, designed for those who aspire to senior and partner roles. Many of our leaders have built their careers here, combining long-term client relationships with deep technical expertise – and the personal development to lead with confidence.
Our 50-strong team is based across multiple offices and works in a hybrid way, with flexibility over where you work while always putting clients’ and the wider team’s needs first. Your exact arrangement will depend on your role and the needs of your clients.
We’re intentional about staying connected. Alongside regular group planning sessions and one-to-ones, we get together for whole team strategy days, volunteering days and in-work social events, with additional after-work socials for anyone who wants them.
Professional practice jobs FAQs
Whilst we are a specialist team we also offer team members the opportunity to experience all aspects of accountancy, tax and audit which makes us an intriguing opportunity both for experienced accountants and those looking to enter or progress in the profession.
We have a breadth of knowledge and share this by working collaboratively and closely with oen another. It is this aspect of the team that most people say they enjoy, coupled with flexible and hybrid working and building close relationships with clients.
No. If you bring strong audit, accounts, tax or advisory experience and you’re motivated to specialise in the legal sector, we’ll support your transition to specialising in law firms.
People do well here when they combine strong technical fundamentals with curiosity about how law firms operate and can communicate clearly with legal partners and their finance teams. You’ll also be collaborative – sharing knowledge and supporting colleagues to deliver consistently high-quality work.
