Chief Financial Officer

Job Description

Job Description

We are seeking a strategic and experienced Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to lead the financial operations and long-term planning initiatives of a mid-sized legal firm in New York, NY. Reporting directly to the Managing Shareholder, Executive Committee, and Executive Director, the CFO will act as a key business advisor and operational leader responsible for financial strategy, profitability analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and overall financial management. The ideal candidate will have extensive financial leadership experience within the legal industry and the ability to collaborate closely with firm leadership in a fast-paced, professional environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and evaluate short- and long-term financial strategies and objectives.
• Partner with firm leadership to set and monitor profitability targets across practice areas.
• Analyze practice group performance and advise on pricing strategies, billing rates, realization, and profitability improvements.
• Advise the Executive Committee on shareholder compensation models, origination credit, billable expectations, and collections performance.
• Evaluate financial implications of hiring lateral shareholders and shareholder groups.
• Oversee finance, accounting, billing, collections, payroll, and cash management functions.
• Manage cash flow, working capital, accounts receivable, shareholder distributions, and banking relationships.
• Direct annual budgeting, financial forecasting, and reporting processes.
• Monitor overhead expenses and identify opportunities for operational efficiency and ROI improvement.
• Ensure compliance with financial covenants and oversee the firm’s capital structure and credit facilities.
• Maintain and strengthen internal financial controls and risk management procedures.
• Prepare and present financial reports and analyses to senior leadership.
• Provide timely and accurate financial information to shareholders.
• Advise on the financial impact of business initiatives and long-range planning decisions.
• Recommend strategies to enhance financial performance and business development opportunities.

Required Qualifications

• CPA designation preferred.
• 5–10 years of financial leadership experience within the legal industry.
• Proficiency with legal accounting and financial management systems such as Aderant (Iridium) and/or Elite.
• Expertise in budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, and operational finance.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Strong organizational, project management, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Excellent stakeholder management and customer service abilities.
• Detail-oriented, reliable, and highly responsive.