Controller

One of Southern California's largest and fastest-growing plaintiff-side personal injury firms, with approximately 150+ employees. The firm handles personal injury and plaintiff mass tort matters from its Los Angeles headquarters. As a contingency-fee firm, we have no traditional accounts receivable. Revenue is recognized at settlement — paid by insurance carriers, defendants, or QSF distributions. The financial model is high-volume, case-driven, and requires close coordination between settlement receipts, trust accounting, cost recovery, and claimant disbursements. We are a firm that values building strong systems and scalable processes as we continue to grow. The opportunity We are hiring our first dedicated Controller — an experienced, process-oriented finance leader who will own the accuracy, integrity, and operational efficiency of our accounting function. You will report directly to the Managing Partner, lead a four-person team, and serve as the firm's internal authority on financial controls, reporting, and process design. We are looking for someone who brings a builder's mindset to this role: a professional who sees process gaps as opportunities, reaches for technology to solve recurring problems, and takes pride in building accounting infrastructure that runs reliably without constant intervention. The firm's stack includes QuickBooks Online, Salesforce, a QSF settlement administration platform, and Tableau — comfort operating across all four, and integrating them where beneficial, will be important to success in this role. In year one, we would expect this person to establish a disciplined monthly close process, tighten internal controls across trust accounting and AP, build out financial reporting that gives leadership clear visibility into firm performance, and take day-to-day financial operations off the Managing Partner's plate entirely. Specific priorities include: A documented, repeatable monthly close process with defined ownership, timelines, and checklists. Internal controls across trust accounting, AP, and settlement disbursements that are enforced through process and system design. A functioning Salesforce to QuickBooks Online reconciliation that accurately tracks case cost advances, gross settlements, and net distributions. QSF settlement administration workflow owned end-to-end — from settlement receipt through claimant disbursement — with clear stage gates and exception handling. Executive-ready Tableau dashboards providing leadership with real-time visibility into P&L, cash position, cost recovery, and matter-level financials. Core responsibilities Document, standardize, and continuously improve all accounting workflows — close process, AP cycle, trust reconciliation, settlement accounting, and reporting cadence. Own the monthly close end to end: GL accuracy, reconciliations, accruals, and financial statements delivered on a defined, reliable calendar. Implement checklists, stage-gate controls, and escalation protocols so processes run predictably. Identify manual and email-driven workflows in the accounting function and develop a roadmap to streamline or automate them. Technology & systems integration Own the Salesforce to QuickBooks Online integration — designing and maintaining the data flow that keeps case costs, settlement proceeds, and disbursements reconciled across systems. Administer QuickBooks Online: chart of accounts, class tracking, approval workflows, and reporting structure. Build and maintain Tableau dashboards for firm leadership covering P&L, cash flow, WIP, cost recovery rates, and matter-type performance. Manage and optimize the QSF settlement administration platform workflow for mass tort settlement distribution — tracking distribution worksheets, lien resolutions, fee allocation, and claimant disbursements. Evaluate and implement additional financial technology as the firm scales. Internal controls & compliance Design and enforce internal controls across all accounting functions, with particular attention to trust accounting segregation of duties and AP authorization. Ensure compliance with California State Bar IOLTA rules governing client funds, settlement proceeds, and cost advance accounting. Maintain audit-ready documentation for all trust account activity and settlement disbursements. Oversee AP approval workflow, vendor payment authorization, and disbursement controls. Settlement & QSF accounting Manage the QSF settlement administration workflow for mass tort and wildfire dockets — tracking settlement receipts, lien resolutions, fee allocation, and net claimant distributions. Reconcile settlement accounting across Salesforce, QuickBooks Online, and the QSF platform on a defined cycle. Maintain gross-to-net settlement schedules, advanced cost recovery tracking, and IRC §139/R&TC §17138.7 disclosure records. Serve as the firm's internal point of contact for QSF administrator relationships and distribution cycle mechanics. Oversee the trust accountant's case closure workflow: ensuring settled matters are reconciled with fully executed settlement documents prior to disbursement, and that outstanding insurance carrier payments are tracked and followed up on a defined schedule. Prepare and present monthly P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow reports to firm leadership. Own the budgeting and forecasting process; monitor performance to budget and surface variances with supporting analysis. Coordinate with outside tax advisors on year-end close, pass-through income allocations, and supporting schedules. Team leadership Directly manage and develop four direct reports: AP Specialist (x2), Bookkeeper, and Trust Accountant. The trust accountant owns the firm's settlement receipt function — confirm case closure documentation, track inbound insurance carrier payments, and follow up on outstanding balances. The Controller will define and maintain the process that makes this function predictable and auditable. Set clear performance standards, define role ownership, and build a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. Develop the team through training on systems and workflows, and reduce single points of failure through documentation and cross-training. Hold full hiring and termination authority for the accounting team — recruit, onboard, and when necessary, make staffing changes to maintain a high-performing function. What we're looking for: Required 7+ years of progressive accounting experience, with at least 2-3 years in a controller or senior accounting manager role. A track record of building or improving accounting processes, not just maintaining them. Hands-on experience using accounting and operational technology to reduce manual work — system integrations, automated reconciliations, BI reporting, and workflow tools. Deep proficiency in QuickBooks Online, including chart of accounts design, class tracking, and approval workflow configuration. Experience with trust accounting, IOLTA compliance, or client fund management in a professional services setting. Fluency with Tableau or a comparable BI/reporting platform. Proven ability to lead and develop accounting teams in a high-volume environment. Strong attention to detail and a methodical approach to reconciliations and process gaps. Strongly preferred Experience at a plaintiff-side personal injury, mass tort, or contingency-fee law firm. Familiarity with QSF settlement administration platforms such as Archer, EPTC, or Verus. Salesforce experience, particularly with financial data workflows, case management integrations, or CRM-to-accounting reconciliation. CPA license (active or inactive). Working knowledge of California tax treatment of wildfire/disaster settlements (IRC §139, R&TC §17138.7). Base salary: $180,000+, commensurate with experience. Performance bonus eligibility. #J-18808-Ljbffr