Frequently Asked Questions
You didn’t go to law school to do your books – leave it to us
Why choose a legal accounting firm instead of a general accounting firm?
At JSC, we do all kinds of accounting – corporate, financial, managerial – but we specialize in legal accounting. All accountants must follow the rules and laws set out by the government and other regulatory boards, but the Law Society of British Columbia (and other provincial Law Societies) has a whole new level of rules and regulations that are detailed and required. With over forty years of experience in this niche sector of accounting, we have seen and dealt with everything and can make sure that every aspect of your firm is in compliance with all Law Society rules and regulations.
What is included with your services?
I like to follow this question with another question – what accounting services do you need help with? We will always strive to make sure all your accounting needs are met. Whether handling your year end, management of general and trust accounts, GST/PST/HST, payroll, client billing, posting disbursements, accounts receivable and payable, bank and credit card reconciliations, conversions to less paper-centric record keeping – trust us with any accounting needs you have. We are always looking for new ways to tailor our services to ensure your business runs efficiently and accurately.
Do you have package services? How are your fees set?
As our firm has grown and our clients have diversified, we recognized that there isn’t such a thing as a “flat rate” or a “package deal”. We have developed a rate sheet that encompasses a variety of hourly fees that reflects the work that we perform. Trust that our services are performed efficiently, accurately, and customized to your individual needs. You will only be charged for the services you have been provided.
Credit: Bob Anderson
"Janet Clothier and her team at JSC Legal Accounting have reliably and efficiently handled all our legal accounting, payroll and administration for over 7 years. I am grateful for their competent service and don’t know how we’d manage without them!"
- Sandra Banister, Banister & Company
What do I need to do to get started with JSC?
Our business has been set up to work as a virtual office for almost ten years and we tailor our remote services to your individual firm. We work with many different sizes of law firms and recognize that no two law firms are the same. If you have an IT department, we can work with them, and if you don’t, we have that service for you as well. From setting up a new practice, choosing the software that would work best for you, converting you to a new software that would work better for you – we can help you with all of these decisions. To ensure a seamless transition.
I have other business(es) besides my law practice, can you help me with those?
Yes! Of course we can. We can handle all your accounting needs for any business!
I have my legal assistant do our payroll – why would I have you assist?
Just as you went to law school to be a lawyer, your legal assistant is trained in the legal field… not accounting… and not payroll! Payroll is extremely complicated. We have a full department that specializes in payroll with Ceridian and can ensure your business is in compliance with all labour rules and guidelines. Our help also ensures that Ceridian will maintain the privacy and confidentiality of all your employees. Ceridian will process all payments, file CRA submissions and submit monthly reports so that everything is done correctly, on time, and you don’t have to worry (or even think) about a thing.
Credit: Bob Anderson
How do you ensure client confidentiality and security?
With the constantly evolving threats and scams regarding security to our personal and private information, this is a daunting – and frightening! – topic. We take extensive measures to ensure we can control our client’s security and information and stay current in the world of cyber security. We have an inhouse IT department that works closely with our clients to keep the threats to their security to a minimum and stay up to date with new protocols and procedures.
I have a LSBC audit coming up, what do I need to do?
Our process at JSC is streamlined to be a quick, efficient and painless process. LSBC now works exclusively remotely, so all data they need and all data we have is accessible online. It is a worry free, stick-handle-through-it process – we work directly with the auditor, keeping the lawyers at a distance. Everything can be handled on our end so that you can get on with your business.
Why is banking becoming so difficult and time consuming?
Bank administration can be a full-time job – banks are constantly updating their security measures and each bank is different with the services they offer and how you can access these features. With more and more transactions becoming electronic, it can be difficult to figure out what method would be best from the many different types of electronic transactions available. Credit card merchant companies can also be confusing and managing those transactions – especially with a growing business – can be incredibly time consuming. Banking is expensive and exhaustive! We have a banking administrative specialist that can set-up, assist, and manage all of your banking requirements.