The back office behind growing law firms.
Bookkeeping, billing, trust accounting and forensic accounting for law firms, led by CPAs whose experience spans public accounting, executive finance and the FBI.
No pitch. Just answers.
Trusted by firms like:
in accounting, fraud examination and federal investigations
run their back office with SMALL every month
fluent in the practice-management systems your firm already uses
partner programs we hold; we also run payroll in Gusto, QuickBooks Payroll or ADP, through PEOs such as Armhr, and payables in Bill.com, when that fits your firm
Three practices
One firm. Three ways we help.
Monthly close, billing, trust accounting, payables, payroll and the reporting that ties it together. One team, inside the systems you already use.
Fund tracing, fraud investigations and expert testimony for counsel, led by a former FBI Special Agent. Clear findings that hold up when the stakes are highest.
Clean books, accurate payroll and reports that answer your questions, for owner-led professional-service businesses and the people who run them.
Everything behind the practice of law, handled every month.
Bookkeeping and monthly close
Every account reconciled and the books closed on schedule, in QuickBooks Online or Xero.
Billing and collections
Pre-bills and invoices out of Clio, MyCase or CARET Legal on time, and receivables followed up.
Trust accounting
Client trust ledgers kept clean and reconciled, ready for any bar or client inquiry.
Payables and client costs
Vendor bills and card spend coded to the right matter, so costs get billed back.
Payroll and partner compensation
Payroll on the platform that fits your firm, plus partner allocations your partners can follow line by line.
CFO-level insight
Reporting, budgets and the hard questions a managing partner should be asking.
When the numbers are the case.
Tracing funds across dozens of accounts, investigating fraud, untangling partner and business disputes, and writing reports that hold up. Led by a former FBI Special Agent and Certified Fraud Examiner.
Founded by a forensic accountant. Run by CPAs. Built for law firms.
Douglas Small spent 14 years as an FBI Special Agent following money through fraud cases. He built SMALL after watching attorney friends leave Big Law to start their own firms and struggle with the finance side.
Lucy MacGinnis, a Clio Certified CPA who has served as CFO and COO for asset managers and law firms, runs the operation day to day. Every client has a senior accountant who knows their firm, and every number is traced the way an investigator would trace it.
- Certified Public Accountants
- Certified Fraud Examiner
- Former FBI Special Agent
- Former CFO and COO
- Clio Certified
- QuickBooks ProAdvisor Platinum
From first call to a steady monthly rhythm.
A 30-minute call
Tell us how your firm runs today and what keeps you up at night. No pitch.
A review of your books
We look at your QuickBooks file, billing system and trust accounts, and tell you plainly what needs fixing.
Typically within 30 days, the back office is off your desk
We take over the close, billing and reporting, with a team that knows your firm from day one.
How pricing works. We’re in this together. Ongoing back-office work is a fixed monthly fee, scoped to your firm’s size and complexity once we’ve seen your books. Clean-up projects and forensic matters are quoted separately, hourly or by scope, before any work begins.
Founding partners, in their own words.
We don’t ask for reviews. Our clients volunteer them.
Founding Partner - Clark Smith Villazor LLP
"Since our firm's inception, SMALL has been our back-office accounting team, expertly managing billing, bill payments, payroll, and financial reporting. They've supported us in several forensic accounting matters, including complex case tracing funds, cryptocurrency fiat, and real estate purchases across the Americas. Their analysis of over 50 bank accounts spanning a decade provided crucial insights. I've referred several colleagues starting their own law firms to SMALL for their financial management."
Founding Partner - Weddle Law PLLC
"SMALL was referred to me when I opened my firm, and they've been with us for six years. They expertly manage our back-office needs, including QuickBooks Online, Payroll, and billing. Their forensic accounting services have also been invaluable for analyzing financial and tax records for my clients. SMALL is a true partner in our success."
Our Team
The people who will know your firm.
You’re trusting someone with your firm’s financial foundation. That demands more than technical skill; it demands integrity, experience, and obsessive attention to detail. Our team brings all three. Every engagement. Every time.
Douglas Small
Founder & Principal
Ex-FBI Special Agent.
CPA with 35 years of experience. Built SMALL to solve problems
others miss.
Lucy MacGinnis
Director of Operations
Clio Certified CPA who has run finance as CFO and COO for asset managers and law firms. Runs the operation day to day.
Sunny Small
Client Success Manager
Your first call when something’s urgent. Your last worry when it’s handled.
Our Awards and Certificates:
Stop carrying the back office alone.
Book 30 minutes with Douglas Small, or send us a note and we’ll reply within one business day. Tell us what’s slowing your firm down, and leave with a clear next step.
Prefer the phone? (256) 474-5921
Kenneth Abell
Founding Partner - Abell Eskew Landau LLP