Law firm accounting software without a separate bookkeeping tool
A double-entry general ledger, bank feeds, and financial reports sit in the same system as your bills and trust records.
Connect your bank feeds
Bank and credit card transactions arrive through Plaid in near real time, with suggested matches you accept or correct.
Reconcile trust three ways
Confirm that your bank balance, book balance, and client trust listing match, and keep current and past reconciliation reports on hand.
Capture expenses from receipts
Upload a receipt and Clio pre-fills the vendor, date, and line items for you to check.
Invite your accountant
Give an outside accountant or bookkeeper access to the books without opening the rest of your account.
Trust records that reconcile when you need them
Clio records each trust transaction against its client and matter, which supports your compliance work without replacing it.
Keep trust and operating accounts separate
Payments apply to the bill they cover and record to trust or operating, so client funds stay where they belong.
Group trust withdrawals
Combine several trust payments into one withdrawal instead of moving money line by line.
Set up a dedicated trust account
Create a separate trust account for client funds, and confirm your law society’s requirements as you configure it.
Reports that show where the firm stands
Read the core statements
Run a balance sheet, profit and loss, and cash flow report from the same records your bills come from.
See profit by matter
Profitability reports break results down by matter and across the firm.
Pay vendors from Clio
Track vendor bills and print cheques without switching to another program.
AI that prepares the books for your review
Clio’s AI handles the matching and pre-filling, and you keep the review and the approval. Clio doesn’t use your firm’s data to train AI.
Accept suggested matches
Clio proposes a match for each bank transaction, and you confirm or change it.
Set rules for recurring charges
Rules categorize repeat transactions and either confirm on their own or hold until you sign off.
Draft bills from recorded time
On select plans, Clio’s AI drafts bills from recorded time, and your team approves each one before it goes out.
Legal accounting software resources
Legal accounting software FAQs
What is legal accounting software?
Legal accounting software records a law firm’s income, expenses, and client funds in a general ledger built for legal work, with trust money kept apart from operating money. In Clio, the ledger sits beside your bills and matters, so bills and payments reach the books as soon as they’re approved and received. Get a demo.
How is legal accounting different from general accounting?
Law firms hold money that belongs to clients. Legal accounting tracks those trust funds by client and matter, supports three-way reconciliation, and keeps trust separate from operating income, which general bookkeeping tools aren’t set up to do. Get a demo.
Is accounting included in my Clio plan?
Yes. Accounting is included in every Clio plan, from Starter up, rather than sold as a separate add-on, and it comes with a free accountant licence. Bank feeds, reconciliation, and financial reports are part of the same subscription, so there’s no second bookkeeping product to buy. Compare plans.
Does Clio support three-way reconciliation?
Yes. Clio supports three-way trust reconciliation, confirming that your bank balance, book balance, and client trust listing match, and reconciles operating accounts two ways. Current and past reconciliation reports stay available. Get a demo.
Will Clio help me meet my law society’s trust rules?
Clio lets you set up a dedicated trust account and records each trust transaction against its client and matter. That supports compliance rather than replacing it, and your firm remains responsible for its law society’s rules. Get a demo.
Can I do law firm bookkeeping in Clio?
Yes. Track vendor bills, print cheques, capture expenses from receipts, and match bank transactions in the same place you bill clients. You can also invite an outside bookkeeper whose access is limited to the books, so they can work without seeing the rest of your account. Start a free trial.
Does Clio use AI for accounting?
Yes. On every plan, Clio suggests bank matches, pre-fills expenses from receipts, and applies rules you set. On select plans, Clio’s AI also drafts bills from recorded time and builds profitability reports. You review and approve the results. Get a demo.
Which banks and accounting tools connect to Clio?
Clio connects bank and credit card accounts through Plaid, with transactions arriving in near real time. Banks that aren’t on Plaid can upload a bank file instead. On select plans, Clio also integrates with QuickBooks Online and Xero if your accountant prefers to keep working there. Get a demo.
What’s the best accounting software for law firms?
Look for software that keeps trust and operating accounts separate, reconciles trust three ways, connects to your bank, and shares records with your billing. Clio does this in the same system as your matters, so the books reflect the work. Start a free trial.