- Oregon law requires attorneys to keep client funds in special trust accounts (IOLTA) separate from firm money, with interest forwarded to the Oregon Law Foundation to fund legal aid.
- Strict rules mandate no commingling of client funds, detailed recordkeeping, and regular reconciliations – mishandling trust accounts can lead to severe discipline, including suspension or disbarment.
- Legal accounting software like LeanLaw simplifies IOLTA compliance by automating trust tracking, three-way reconciliation, and reporting, helping small firms avoid common pitfalls and stay audit-ready.
Why Trust Accounting Matters for Oregon Law Firms
Trust accounting isn’t just a bureaucratic hassle – in Oregon, it’s an ethical cornerstone of practicing law. Every Oregon attorney who handles client money has a fiduciary duty to safeguard those funds with the utmost care. This means using dedicated client trust accounts and following specific rules established by the Oregon State Bar. Failure to comply can put clients’ money at risk and expose your firm to audits, bar complaints, and career-threatening sanctions. In short, trust accounting is serious business: it protects clients and preserves the integrity of your practice.
For small and mid-sized firms new to these requirements, Oregon’s trust accounting rules may seem daunting. But with the right understanding and tools, you can manage IOLTA accounts confidently. Proper trust accounting actually benefits your firm’s financial health – for example, retaining client funds in trust ensures you have money on hand when you bill, improving cash flow. The key is to learn Oregon’s specific rules and implement solid processes so that handling client funds becomes routine rather than scary. Let’s break down what Oregon lawyers need to know about IOLTA and trust accounting compliance.
Oregon Trust Accounting Rules and IOLTA Requirements
Every state has strict guidelines for lawyers managing client funds, and Oregon is no exception. The foundation is Rule 1.15-1 of the Oregon Rules of Professional Conduct (ORPC), which lays out how to safekeep client property. Below, we cover the core Oregon requirements – from setting up a trust account to recordkeeping – with an emphasis on IOLTA (Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts) and Oregon State Bar rules.
Separate Client Trust Account (No Commingling)
If you practice law in Oregon and handle any client money – whether it’s an advance fee, settlement funds, or court fees – you must use a separate lawyer trust account. ORPC 1.15-1(a) requires that client funds be kept in an account apart from your firm’s operating accounts. In other words, you cannot deposit client payments into your business or personal bank account. Even temporarily mixing client money with your own (known as commingling) is strictly prohibited and considered a serious ethics violation.
To comply, open a designated “Lawyer Trust Account” at a bank for holding client and third-party funds. All money that belongs to clients goes into this trust account – never into your general operating account – until you earn it or disburse it to the rightful recipient. For example, if a client pays a $5,000 retainer, that entire amount should go into the trust account, not your firm’s bank account. You may only transfer it to your firm’s account as you actually earn those fees (more on that below).
The no commingling rule also means you shouldn’t leave your own funds in trust. Oregon allows only a minimal amount of your firm’s money in the trust account, and solely to cover bank charges or minimum balance requirements. Aside from that token amount, trust money = client money. A good way to remember: client money in trust, your money in operating, no exceptions. Keeping this bright line is essential. Commingling – whether intentionally paying firm bills from trust or just failing to promptly remove earned fees – is the cardinal sin of trust accounting and a common cause of discipline.
IOLTA for Nominal or Short-Term Funds
Oregon, like most states, uses the IOLTA program to handle client funds that are nominal in amount or held only briefly. IOLTA stands for Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts. It’s a special type of pooled trust account where the interest earned on the account is not kept by the lawyer or clients, but instead is remitted to the Oregon Law Foundation (OLF) to fund legal aid programs.
How do you know if a client’s funds belong in the IOLTA account? Oregon’s rule (formerly ORPC 1.15-2) basically says that by default, all client funds go into your IOLTA trust account unless a particular deposit is large enough or will be held long enough to earn net interest for the client. “Net interest” means interest minus bank fees – if the amount is substantial and can earn interest that exceeds the costs of setting up a separate account, then those funds should get their own interest-bearing account for the benefit of that client. Otherwise, you use IOLTA.
In practice, most routine client retainers, advance fee deposits, and settlements that you hold briefly will be placed in your IOLTA account. Oregon rules provide factors to consider in determining whether funds can earn net interest for the client (such as the amount, expected duration, and interest rates). But you don’t have to calculate interest on each small deposit – IOLTA takes care of that by pooling many clients’ small funds together. The bank tracks the interest on the overall IOLTA account and sends it directly to the OLF. Neither you nor the client receive interest on IOLTA deposits (hence no taxable interest to worry about for clients on small amounts). This system ensures that client money is kept safe and benefits the public, without the overhead of creating separate accounts for every little deposit.
On the other hand, if you’re holding a large sum for a single client for a long period, Oregon ethics rules say you should go the extra step to earn interest for that client. In that case, you would open a separate interest-bearing trust account just for that client (or a pooled account with sub-accounting) and credit any interest to the client. For example, if you as a personal injury lawyer receive a $500,000 settlement that will be held for several months pending payouts, that likely should be in a separate interest-bearing escrow account for the client’s benefit, not in IOLTA. Determining the cutoff can involve judgment – when in doubt, many firms err on the side of IOLTA for simplicity, but be mindful of the net interest rule. The Oregon State Bar’s guidelines (ORPC 1.15-1(c) and ORPC 1.15-2(c)) spell out the considerations to ensure you act in the client’s best interest regarding interest earnings.
Bottom line: set up an IOLTA trust account for your firm and use it for all client monies unless a particular fund is large enough to justify a separate account. This is not optional – it’s required by bar rules. If you’re unsure, Oregon Law Foundation’s resources and the Bar’s ethics hotline can help you decide the proper handling for unusual situations.
Approved Financial Institutions & Overdraft Notifications
When choosing a bank for your trust account, be aware that Oregon law imposes some specific requirements on the institution. You must hold IOLTA funds at a bank or credit union that has agreed to certain terms with the Oregon Law Foundation and Oregon State Bar. In particular, the bank must:
- Be authorized to do business in Oregon and be federally insured (FDIC or equivalent).
- Agree to remit IOLTA interest to the Oregon Law Foundation. (Most major banks in Oregon participate in the IOLTA program; the OLF even designates “Leadership Banks” that voluntarily pay higher interest rates to benefit legal aid.)
- Sign an overdraft notification agreement with the Oregon State Bar. This means if your trust account ever bounces a check or goes negative, the bank is obligated to notify the Bar.
That last point is critical: a trust account overdraft will put you on the Bar’s radar quickly. The Bar set up the overdraft reporting system as a safety net to catch mismanagement. If a check on your IOLTA account is returned for insufficient funds, expect a letter from the Bar asking for an explanation. This is why diligent accounting is so important (and why keeping even a small cushion of your own funds in trust beyond what’s necessary is not allowed – it could mask a shortfall in client money).
To comply, simply open your trust account at a Bar-approved financial institution. Most Oregon banks that offer business accounts are already on board – you can check the Oregon Law Foundation’s list of approved or Leadership institutions. When you set up the account, ensure it’s clearly identified as a “Lawyer Trust Account, IOLTA.” You’ll usually need to provide the bank with the OLF’s tax ID number (93-0817536) so they can link your account for interest remittance. The OLF provides a Notice to Financial Institutions form that you can give to your banker if needed – even if not required, it helps the bank understand that this is a special account under IOLTA rules.
Once your trust account is open, your bank handles sending interest to OLF automatically. You don’t have to calculate or send the interest yourself. However, you are responsible for any fees on the account – bank service charges should be paid from that small amount of firm funds you maintain or billed to your firm, not taken from client money. Also, never opt for “overdraft protection” that pulls from another account – that could inadvertently commingle funds. It’s better to prevent overdrafts through careful management (more on reconciliations below).
Prompt Client Notification and Disbursement
Oregon’s trust accounting rule also addresses how you handle the funds while they’re in trust. When you receive money or property on a client’s behalf, you must promptly notify the client. For example, if you get a settlement check or an advance for costs, let the client know you’ve received those funds and deposited them into trust. Communication is key – clients should always know the status of their money.
You also have a duty to promptly deliver funds to the client or third party when due. This means you shouldn’t hold onto client money longer than necessary. Once funds have cleared and any contingencies are satisfied, pay out what the client is entitled to without undue delay. For instance, if a matter concludes and there is unused trust balance, refund it to the client in a timely manner. If you’ve billed for services and have the client’s advance in trust, you should transfer those earned fees to your operating account reasonably soon after invoicing the client (and of course, notify the client via the invoice or statement).
A related rule is how to handle disputed funds. If there’s a disagreement about money in the trust account – say, both the client and a third party (like a medical lienholder) claim a portion of settlement funds, or the client disputes your fee – then you must keep the disputed amount in trust until the dispute is resolved. Only the funds that are not in dispute can be disbursed. This prevents a lawyer from unilaterally taking contested funds. In such situations, it’s wise to clearly segregate the disputed sum (many lawyers even use a separate matter ledger or sub-account) and not touch it until all parties agree or there’s a court order.
In summary, Oregon expects lawyers to be transparent and timely with trust money: inform clients when you get funds, only use those funds for their intended purpose, and pay them out to the rightful party as soon as you’re entitled to do so. Keeping clients in the loop and promptly paying what’s owed not only meets your ethical duties, it also builds client trust. No client should ever be wondering “Where is my money?” when you are following best practices.
Recordkeeping and Three-Way Reconciliation
Proper recordkeeping is the backbone of trust account compliance. Oregon requires that you maintain complete records of all funds in the trust account and preserve those records for at least five years after the representation ends. These records include account statements, deposit slips, canceled checks (or digital images), wire confirmations, and detailed ledgers showing every transaction.
In practical terms, you should keep two sets of ledgers:
- A general trust account ledger (or check register) for the account as a whole, listing all deposits and withdrawals in chronological order, showing the running balance of the account.
- Individual client ledgers for each client matter that has funds in trust, showing all transactions for that specific client and the current balance of that client’s funds.
At any given time, if you add up all the individual client ledger balances, it must equal the balance in the overall trust account. Keeping this information is not optional – in an audit or if a client asks for an accounting, you’ll need to produce these records. Failing to track client funds separately is a common error that can lead to disciplinary trouble, because you might inadvertently use one client’s money for another if you lose track.
To stay on top of things, the Oregon State Bar strongly encourages doing a monthly reconciliation of your trust account. Best practice (and effectively the expectation) is to reconcile the trust account every month you have client funds. What does reconciliation mean? It means comparing three figures: (1) the balance per the bank statement, (2) the balance per your internal trust ledger, and (3) the total of all client ledger balances – and making sure all three numbers match exactly. This is often called a “three-way reconciliation.” If they don’t match, you need to find out why (e.g., is there an outstanding check? A data entry error? A bank fee taken that you didn’t record?).
Regular reconciliation is not just bean-counting – it’s how you catch and fix errors early. Many trust accounting mishaps (even fraud) start as small discrepancies that went unnoticed because the lawyer wasn’t reconciling regularly. By reconciling monthly, you’ll spot problems like a $100 deposit recorded to the wrong client or a check that cleared for $10 more than recorded. Oregon disciplinary authorities have noted that failing to reconcile is a common factor when lawyers mismanage trust funds. On the flip side, keeping a tight reconciliation schedule is your best protection: your trust records will always be audit-ready and you’ll have peace of mind that the books are balanced.
Oregon doesn’t require you to send your reconciliations to the Bar (unless asked), but you do need to keep them on file. The Professional Liability Fund’s materials recommend maintaining a Trust Account Reconciliation Report each month and retaining those reports for at least five years with your other trust records. In the event of a compliance audit or client complaint, being able to produce a binder (or electronic folder) of monthly reconciliation reports, along with ledgers and bank statements, will demonstrate that you’ve been diligent.
Tip: If math and manual ledgers aren’t your strong suit, consider using software (like LeanLaw + QuickBooks Online or another legal-specific accounting tool) that can automatically track these ledgers and even assist with three-way reconciliation. Many modern legal accounting platforms will generate client ledger reports and trust balance reports in a click, drastically reducing the chance of human error. We’ll discuss software benefits more later on, but suffice it to say that technology can make the recordkeeping burden much lighter – while keeping you in compliance with Oregon’s requirements.
Annual IOLTA Reporting to the Bar
One Oregon-specific requirement that often surprises new attorneys is the annual IOLTA certification. Under Oregon law (ORS 9.675), every active attorney must report their trust account status to the Oregon State Bar every year. This happens when you renew your bar membership (typically the Bar sends an online form or includes it with dues statements). On the IOLTA Reporting Form, you’ll disclose the bank name and account number of each IOLTA or lawyer trust account you maintain.
Even if you don’t have a trust account, you still must complete the certification – you’ll just check a box indicating either that you have no trust account because you don’t hold client funds, or that your office is out of state and your trust account is elsewhere. The Bar wants 100% of active members to certify annually, to ensure no one falls through the cracks.
Failure to submit the IOLTA report can lead to an administrative suspension of your law license. It’s an easy step to overlook if you’re not used to it – especially for solo and small firm lawyers who don’t handle client funds regularly. But it’s mandatory and enforced. Mark your calendar at license renewal time each year to complete the IOLTA certification. It only takes a minute to fill out (electronically or on paper), and it keeps you in good standing with this Oregon rule. The Bar may email reminders, but ultimately it’s on you to remember. If you’re a new Oregon attorney, make it part of your annual routine.
Aside from the annual report, you no longer have to notify the Bar or OLF when you open or close an IOLTA account during the year – Oregon eliminated the old “Notice of Enrollment” requirement that once required lawyers to inform the OLF within 30 days of opening a trust account. Now the annual certification covers that. Still, internally, keep track of when you open/close accounts and ensure any closed account is properly reflected on your next report.
In summary: Oregon’s trust accounting rules boil down to separation, documentation, and accountability. Keep client money separate in an approved IOLTA account, don’t commingle or touch it until appropriate, maintain meticulous records, reconcile often, and report your accounts to the Bar each year. Next, we’ll look at common mistakes and pitfalls even well-meaning lawyers encounter – and how to steer clear of them.
Common Trust Accounting Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)
Even with the rules spelled out, managing a trust account can be tricky in day-to-day practice. Unfortunately, saying “I didn’t know” or “I was too busy” won’t save you in a compliance audit. Here are some of the most common trust accounting mistakes Oregon law firms make – and tips on avoiding them:
Mistake #1: Commingling Client Funds and Firm Funds
Mixing client money with your own is the number one trust account offense. This can happen in obvious ways – for example, using the trust account to pay your firm’s rent or expenses (absolutely forbidden) – but also in subtle ways, like leaving earned fees sitting in the trust account too long out of convenience. Any use of client trust funds for purposes other than that client is a breach. Commingling also includes depositing client funds directly into your operating account by mistake.
How to avoid it: Maintain a dedicated trust account strictly for client money and never use it like a slush fund. Deposit client payments into trust, not operating (unless they are clearly earned fees or a true non-refundable retainer that meets Oregon’s criteria). Conversely, once you’ve earned fees that are in trust, transfer them to your firm account promptly after invoicing the client – don’t leave your money co-mingled with client funds. In Oregon, it’s permissible to keep a small firm-funded cushion in trust only if needed to cover bank charges, but that’s usually on the order of $100 or less. Aside from that, client money in trust, your money in operating, no exceptions. If you accidentally deposit something to the wrong account, correct it immediately and document the transfer. By rigorously separating accounts and moving earned fees out of trust once owed, you’ll stay on the right side of this rule.
Mistake #2: Failing to Reconcile the Account Regularly
Many attorneys find reconciling the trust account tedious or intimidating, and some fall behind – but not reconciling is a recipe for disaster. If you aren’t comparing your trust records to the bank statement each month, small errors can snowball into big problems. You might miss a data entry mistake, an accounting software sync issue, or even theft from the account. In fact, it’s been noted that a large percentage of lawyers struggle with trust reconciliation, but ignoring it is not optional. We’ve already covered how crucial monthly reconciliations are, so here the “mistake” is failing to actually do them.
How to avoid it: Set a strict schedule (monthly at minimum) for trust account reconciliation. Treat it like a non-negotiable task – the same way you’d treat a tax filing deadline. Whether you do it yourself, delegate to a bookkeeper, or use software that automates much of the process, ensure that each month you: (1) get your trust bank statement, (2) cross-check every transaction against your internal ledger and client ledgers, and (3) resolve any discrepancies. Even a few dollars off means something is wrong – maybe a bank fee you forgot to record or a transcription error – and you need to track it down. By reconciling regularly, you’ll catch mistakes like a check recorded twice or a math error before they compound into shortages that the Bar will notice. Modern legal accounting software can simplify three-way reconciliation by continuously syncing the bank balance, your trust ledger, and client sub-accounts. If you use such tools, a lot of the heavy lifting is done for you (LeanLaw, for example, syncs with QuickBooks and can produce reconciliation reports on demand). The key is consistency – reconciling once a year at tax time is not enough. Make it monthly, and stick to it.
Mistake #3: Inadequate Record-Keeping
Poor record-keeping is a silent killer in trust accounting. You might be diligently avoiding commingling and doing your reconciliations, but if you can’t produce a complete paper trail for every client transaction, you’re in trouble in an audit. Common record issues include: not tracking individual client balances (so you only know the total but not whose money is whose), failing to keep copies of deposit slips or wire receipts, not logging every transaction promptly, or not retaining records for the full five-year requirement. Oregon’s Bar has disciplined attorneys who couldn’t substantiate what happened to client funds due to shoddy records.
How to avoid it: Implement a ledger system for each client matter in addition to the overall trust register. For every deposit or withdrawal, record the date, amount, which client/matter it’s for, and the purpose (e.g., “Advanced filing fee from Client X” or “Payment of settlement to Client Y”). Keep all supporting documentation: receipts, copies of checks (or at least check stubs with details), bank confirmations, etc. Oregon’s PLF suggests using receipt and disbursement journals or their trust accounting forms – but you can also use a spreadsheet or software, as long as it captures all required info. The key is that at any time, you should be able to show exactly how much money each client has in trust and why. Also, retain those records. Don’t toss old trust ledgers or statements after a year or two. Oregon requires five years of retention, but many lawyers keep them longer just to be safe. It’s wise to have both physical backups (printed reports or a notebook ledger) and digital backups for your trust records. By staying organized and detailed, you’ll be ready to answer any questions about a client’s funds. If record-keeping isn’t your forte, leverage practice management or accounting software that is designed for law firms – it can prompt you to enter required details and keep a running ledger automatically.
Finally, don’t forget to also document transfers out of trust. For example, when you pay yourself earned fees, create a record (invoice number, date, amount) and ideally have an invoice or billing statement to the client reflecting that transfer. All movements of money should have a corresponding entry and backup document. If you maintain this level of discipline, you’ll greatly reduce the risk of trust account mishaps and be prepared if anyone questions a transaction down the line.
Mistake #4: Improper Withdrawals or Disbursements
Taking money out of the trust account at the wrong time or for the wrong reason is a serious breach. This category includes things like withdrawing fees before they are earned, paying one client’s obligations with another client’s funds, or simple math errors that lead to an overdraft. Sometimes the issue is not getting proper authorization – e.g., disbursing settlement funds to a client but failing to pay a medical lien because you didn’t have clear instructions, or paying yourself a fee that wasn’t clearly agreed upon. An extreme (and sadly common) example is “borrowing” from the trust account to cover firm expenses, intending to pay it back – that is unequivocally forbidden and often ends careers.
How to avoid it: Touch client money only for legitimate, authorized purposes. In Oregon, you should withdraw funds from trust only when those funds are due to be paid to someone. That could mean transferring your earned fee to the operating account, but only after you’ve done the work and invoiced the client. Or it could mean paying a third party (like an expert or a lienholder) from settlement proceeds, but only with appropriate authorization under the representation or court order. Always double-check that a client’s balance is sufficient before writing a trust check or sending a payment. Never “borrow” from Client A to pay something for Client B – that’s misappropriation, even if you intend to replace it.
Establish an internal rule that every trust disbursement must be backed by clear documentation: an invoice, a written direction from the client, a settlement statement, etc. This helps ensure you’re not taking money without a paper trail showing it’s justified. For example, if you issue a trust check to your firm for fees, the documentation should be an invoice to the client showing those fees were earned and billed. If you pay a client directly, the documentation might be a settlement disbursement sheet signed by the client.
And of course, if you do discover a mistake – say you accidentally over-disbursed or paid a bill twice – remedy it immediately. Typically, that means restoring the shortfall with your own funds (because it’s your error, you cannot let other clients’ money cover it) and then notifying the client or Bar if required. Oregon expects lawyers to self-correct trust errors promptly; a quick, good-faith fix can sometimes mean the difference between a disciplinary caution and a more serious penalty. The main goal is to never let improper withdrawals happen in the first place by being methodical: verify the client, verify the amount, ensure the funds are cleared, document everything, then disburse.
Mistake #5: Misclassifying Retainers and Advance Fees
Confusion about retainers and advance fees leads many lawyers astray. A common mistake is treating an advance fee as if it’s “non-refundable” and immediately yours, when in fact it’s not. In Oregon, the general rule is that any advance fee or retainer is client property until earned, unless it meets the criteria of a true earned-on-receipt fee. ORPC 1.15-1(c) explicitly says advance fees belong in trust to be withdrawn only as fees are earned, unless the fee is denominated “earned on receipt” or “nonrefundable” in a written agreement that meets specific requirements (per ORPC 1.5(c)(3)). In plainer terms: you can’t just call a retainer non-refundable and stick it in your own account without following Oregon’s rules for flat fees.
How to avoid it: Always clarify in your engagement letter how fees will be handled, and follow the ethics guidelines. If you charge a flat fee or true retainer that you intend to be earned upon receipt (not placed in trust), Oregon requires that it be reasonable, agreed to in writing, and that the written fee agreement informs the client that the fee will not be deposited in trust and that the client may be entitled to a refund if the work isn’t completed. This is the ORPC 1.5(c)(3) requirement. Failing to include that language or otherwise not complying means the fee is legally an advance, and you should put it in trust. When in doubt, it’s safer to treat funds as trust money until earned. There’s very little downside to erring on the side of caution – you can always pay yourself from trust after doing the work. The downside of misclassifying is huge: if you deposit what should’ve been a trust retainer into operating, you’ve technically misappropriated client funds.
Train yourself and your staff that most retainers = trust deposits. Only in rare, well-documented instances is a retainer immediately yours (e.g., a true general retainer for availability, which is uncommon in small firm practice and still must meet the rule’s criteria). Make sure your billing staff and any partners understand this distinction too, so no one mistakenly shortcuts the process. By properly classifying every dollar a client gives you – is it an advance (unearned) or a payment for a billed invoice (earned)? – you’ll handle it correctly. If it’s an advance, straight to trust. If it’s payment of an invoice for work already done, it can go to operating. Getting this right will keep you out of ethical hot water regarding fee handling.
Mistake #6: Lack of Client Communication and Transparency
Surprisingly, communication lapses can turn into trust account problems. Clients have a right to know how their money is being handled. If a client doesn’t understand that their advance fee is sitting in trust, they might be confused or upset when they get a bill applying those funds. Or if you quietly withdraw your fee from trust without telling them, it can lead to mistrust. Oregon rules require that you render a full accounting of funds if the client asks, and good practice is to provide routine accountings without needing to be asked.
How to avoid it: Practice transparency. A great habit is to show the client’s trust balance on each invoice or statement you send. For example, if a client gave a $5,000 retainer, your monthly bill can show: “Previous Trust Balance: $5,000; This Invoice: $1,000; Trust Balance After Invoice: $4,000.” Many billing systems (including LeanLaw) allow you to include trust account summaries on bills. While Oregon doesn’t mandate the format, it’s considered a best practice and some states do require it. This way, the client is reminded that their funds are in trust and see how they are used.
Also, communicate clearly in your fee agreement and initial conversations what an IOLTA account is and how you handle retainers. Clients unfamiliar with legal billing may not know about trust accounts. A brief explanation can prevent misunderstandings. If you use a replenishing retainer model (where the client must top up when the trust balance gets low), make sure that’s spelled out in writing and highlighted to the client.
When a matter concludes, proactively provide the client with any refund and a final accounting of their trust money. For instance, “Matter concluded, we are refunding $500 remaining in your trust balance – attached is a report of all transactions.” This fulfills your duty to account and leaves a positive impression of honesty. If a client ever inquires “Can I see how my money was used?,” you should be able to promptly show them ledger records or invoices detailing everything. By keeping clients informed at every step – from deposit to disbursement – you build trust and reduce the likelihood of disputes or complaints about the money.
Mistake #7: Not Following Oregon-Specific Requirements
Each jurisdiction has its quirks, and Oregon is no different. A common pitfall is assuming the rules are the same as another state you practiced in, or relying on generic advice that doesn’t account for Oregon’s nuances. Examples of Oregon-specific requirements that lawyers might overlook include the annual IOLTA certification (many states don’t have this extra reporting – but Oregon does), the requirement to use a bank that signs the Bar’s overdraft agreement, and Oregon’s particular rules on flat fees needing special language in fee agreements. There’s also Oregon’s Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act: if you have funds in trust you can’t return to a client (e.g., can’t locate the client), after a holding period you must remit those funds to the State (Department of State Lands) rather than keep them. An unaware lawyer might just hang onto unclaimed funds or, worse, transfer them to the firm – which is wrong. These are the kinds of details that trip up lawyers who “don’t know what they don’t know.”
How to avoid it: Stay educated on Oregon’s rules. Review ORPC 1.15-1 periodically (it’s not too long) and read the Oregon State Bar’s guidelines or ethics opinions on trust accounts. The Bar’s Professional Liability Fund (PLF) publishes very useful resources – for example, the Handbook on Setting Up and Using Your Lawyer Trust Account and the FAQ we cited earlier. These official guides provide step-by-step Oregon-specific advice. Attend CLEs on legal ethics or law practice management that cover trust accounting – the OSB often has seminars on avoiding trust account violations. If you’re ever unsure about a trust procedure, take advantage of the OSB ethics hotline or consult a mentor. It’s much better to ask a question than to guess and be wrong.
Also, implement internal checks for any Oregon-specific tasks. For instance, set a yearly reminder for the IOLTA certification filing so you don’t forget to submit it (non-compliance can lead to suspension). If you practice near state lines or hold other bar licenses, be mindful of differences: e.g., where you must keep the trust account (Oregon says in the jurisdiction of your office), or different record retention periods. Treat Oregon’s rules as your primary guide if you’re Oregon-barred, regardless of what you’ve heard from lawyers elsewhere.
In short, localize your knowledge. By following “the Oregon book” on trust accounting – not just generic best practices – you’ll ensure full compliance. And once you build your routines around these rules, it will become second nature to handle client funds correctly.
By learning from these common mistakes, your firm can implement safeguards and habits that keep your trust account clean. Next, we’ll discuss how leveraging technology and legal accounting software can make maintaining compliance much easier for a small or mid-sized firm.
LeanLaw: Simplifying IOLTA Compliance with Legal Tech
Trust accounting can feel like a lot of work – but you don’t have to do it all manually. In today’s world, legal-specific accounting software can automate many trust accounting best practices and drastically reduce the risk of human error. One example is LeanLaw, which is legal accounting software built with trust compliance in mind (and deeply integrated with QuickBooks Online). Let’s look at how tools like LeanLaw help Oregon firms stay on top of IOLTA rules:
- Automatic Three-Way Reconciliation: LeanLaw continuously syncs your trust account data with QuickBooks and your bank feed in real time. This means your client ledgers, your QuickBooks trust liability balance, and your bank balance are always aligned and up to date. Essentially, the software is performing a three-way reconciliation on the fly. If you enter a trust payment or withdrawal in LeanLaw, it updates the corresponding QuickBooks entries immediately. This keeps your books audit-ready 24/7. By contrast, if you were using generic accounting software or spreadsheets, you might have to manually update three different records and reconcile them – a process prone to delay and mistakes.
- Client-Level Tracking and Subaccounts: LeanLaw automatically creates sub-accounts or sub-ledgers for each client’s funds held in trust. This eliminates the guesswork in tracking individual balances. For example, if Client A has $2,000 in trust and Client B has $5,000, LeanLaw’s reports will show those separate balances clearly, and ensure that any disbursement or invoice payment draws from the correct client’s funds. Many general accounting systems don’t natively support that kind of matter-specific segregation – LeanLaw does it out of the box according to legal industry standards. This helps prevent the error of using one client’s money for another inadvertently, because the software will tie each transaction to a client matter.
- Integrated Trust Payments and Billing: LeanLaw integrates billing with trust accounting. When you generate an invoice, LeanLaw knows if the client has trust funds available and can apply the payment appropriately (with your approval). It can also show trust account balances on invoices automatically, so your clients see how their retainers are used – promoting the transparency we discussed as critical. If a client needs to replenish their retainer, LeanLaw can help produce a trust request. Additionally, LeanLaw’s integration with e-payments means you can accept online payments into the trust account without breaking compliance. For instance, LeanLaw + QuickBooks Online can work with legal payment processors (like LawPay) to ensure credit card fees are not taken out of the trust principal. The software can route the fee to your operating account or prompt you to record the reimbursement, maintaining the sanctity of client funds.
- Prevention of Common Errors: Because LeanLaw is designed for law firms, it has built-in checks to prevent or warn against common mistakes. If you try to withdraw more money than a client has in trust, the system will flag it – helping you avoid overdrafts. It labels trust account entries clearly, so you don’t accidentally code something as an operating expense in QuickBooks that should be a trust liability. Essentially, it “knows” the trust accounting rules and workflows, so it guides users to do things correctly. This is invaluable for small firms that might not have a dedicated accountant on staff. LeanLaw becomes like a vigilant assistant, ensuring compliance steps aren’t skipped.
- Streamlined Reporting and Audits: If the Bar ever audits your trust account, LeanLaw makes it easy to produce the reports they’ll ask for: a list of all client balances, a detailed ledger of transactions, reconciliation reports, etc. Instead of digging through files, you can generate these with a few clicks. LeanLaw even helps with the annual IOLTA reporting – you can quickly pull up your list of trust accounts and balances to fill out the Bar’s certification form each year. The time saved is huge. And from a risk perspective, having organized records and systematized processes means you’re far less likely to get in trouble in the first place.
- LeanLaw vs. Other Solutions: You might wonder how LeanLaw differs from a standard accounting software like QuickBooks or from other practice management tools. The key is that LeanLaw customizes QuickBooks Online for law firms. You get the robustness of a leading accounting system, but with LeanLaw’s legal-specific layer on top. Many practice management platforms include some trust accounting features, but if they aren’t fully integrated with an accounting system, you can end up with data in silos – for example, your billing software might say a client has $3,000 in trust while your QuickBooks says something else. That mismatch can lead to compliance errors. LeanLaw avoids this by working directly with QuickBooks in real time, so everyone sees the same data. Compared to using QuickBooks alone, LeanLaw spares you from manually setting up trust liability accounts and memorizing bar rules – it provides a user-friendly interface where those rules are baked in. And compared to spreadsheets, well, there’s no contest: software like LeanLaw reduces the chance of mathematical or clerical mistakes and saves countless hours.
In essence, LeanLaw puts trust accounting on autopilot (with you still as the pilot monitoring the gauges). It automates the tedious parts – tracking balances, syncing ledgers, adjusting entries – while embedding compliance into your daily workflow. Of course, no software relieves you of understanding the rules; you still need to know what should happen with client funds. But LeanLaw acts as a powerful co-pilot, ensuring that what you intend to do is executed accurately in the books. Many small and mid-sized firms in Oregon (and beyond) find that using such legal tech gives them peace of mind: they can focus on serving clients, knowing that behind the scenes, client funds are being handled correctly.
Conclusion
Trust accounting may never be the most glamorous part of running a law firm, but it is absolutely one of the most important – especially in Oregon, where compliance standards are high and enforced diligently. By understanding the why and how of Oregon’s trust accounting rules – from the ethical mandate to safeguard client money, to the specifics of IOLTA interest and Bar reporting – your firm can turn what is often seen as a burden into a well-managed routine. The keys are education, consistency, and smart use of tools.
For a small or mid-sized law firm new to IOLTA, it’s normal to feel a bit overwhelmed at first. The terminology and strict procedures might seem onerous. But if you start by implementing fundamental best practices – keep client funds separate, document everything, reconcile regularly, and never disburse without authorization – you will establish a strong compliance foundation. Then layer on the Oregon-specific requirements like IOLTA participation, using approved banks, and annual certification so that you’re fully in line with local rules. Foster a culture in your office that treats client funds as sacrosanct. Every team member, from partners to bookkeepers, should know that even minor mishandling of trust money is unacceptable.
Finally, don’t shy away from leveraging technology to make trust accounting easier. Whether it’s adopting LeanLaw for its seamless QuickBooks integration and built-in safeguards, or another reputable legal accounting platform, modern software can dramatically reduce the risk of errors and save you countless hours. Think of it as adding an extra meticulous staff member who never makes a math mistake on the trust ledger. With the right practices and tools in place, trust accounting can go from a source of anxiety to a source of strength for your firm. You’ll protect your clients’ money, stay in the Bar’s good graces, and sleep better knowing everything is being done by the book – the Oregon book, to be precise. In the long run, a reputation for rock-solid trust account management will mark your firm as professional and trustworthy, which is exactly the kind of trust you want to inspire in your clients.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is an IOLTA account and why do I need one in Oregon?
A: IOLTA stands for Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts. It’s a pooled, interest-bearing trust account that lawyers must use to hold client funds that are small in amount or will be held short term. Oregon requires attorneys to use IOLTA so that the interest from those client funds can be collected by the Oregon Law Foundation to fund legal aid programs.
You need an IOLTA if you handle client money because it’s the law – ORPC rules say you can’t put client funds in your own account. By using IOLTA, you keep client money separate (preventing commingling) and ensure any interest benefit goes to the public good rather than sitting idle. In practical terms, if you’re an Oregon lawyer holding things like retainers, settlement advances, or filing fees from clients, you will almost certainly need to have an IOLTA account to deposit those funds.
Q: Do I have to open a trust account even if I’m a solo or just starting out?
A: If you are an active Oregon attorney and you ever handle client funds, yes – you must open a trust account. Even solos are not exempt from this rule. The only scenario in which you might not need a trust account is if you never take possession of client money at all (for example, some lawyers work on referral fees or only get paid by third-party funding after work is done). But be very cautious: the moment you take an advance fee, settlement check, or any client money, you need to funnel it into a trust account.
Also, Oregon’s Bar rules require every active lawyer to file an annual IOLTA certification, even if you don’t have a trust account. On that form you can declare you have no trust account, but you still must submit it. In short, unless you are certain you will never touch client funds, it’s wise to set up a trust account (IOLTA) for your practice. Many bank accounts have no monthly fee for IOLTA accounts, so it doesn’t cost extra to be prepared.
Q: How do I open an IOLTA trust account in Oregon?
A: Opening an IOLTA is very similar to opening any business bank account, with a few extra steps:
- Choose a bank or credit union that’s authorized for IOLTA – in Oregon this means the institution is FDIC-insured and has signed up with the Oregon Law Foundation (OLF) to offer IOLTA accounts and provide overdraft notifications to the Bar. Most major banks in Oregon qualify. You can check the OLF’s website for a list of “Leadership Banks” that support IOLTA with favorable interest rates, but you aren’t required to use a leadership bank (any compliant bank is fine).
- Tell the bank you want to open a “Lawyer Trust Account (IOLTA).” They’ll provide the required account paperwork. You will need to attach the OLF’s Tax ID (93-0817536) to the account so the interest is reported to the OLF. Many banks have seen IOLTAs before, but if the representative is unfamiliar, mention that the account’s interest must be remitted to the Oregon Law Foundation. The OLF provides a Notice to Financial Institution form you can give the bank, which explains the setup.
- Ensure the account name includes “Trust Account” or “IOLTA” and your law firm name. For example, “Smith Law LLC Client Trust Account (IOLTA).” This helps everyone (including regulators) immediately identify it as a trust account.
- Fund the account with a small opening deposit of your own funds if required (say $100) – this can be the same small amount you use as a cushion for fees. Remember, don’t mix client money in until the account is formally open.
After opening, the bank handles sending interest to OLF automatically. You should receive monthly statements for the IOLTA just like any account. One more thing: once your IOLTA is open, update your annual IOLTA certification form with the Bar to list this account (and similarly, if you ever close it, indicate that on the next form). Opening an IOLTA isn’t hard – it’s often just a single form or two at the bank – but it’s a critical first step to being compliant with Oregon rules.
Q: What does “no commingling” actually mean? Can I ever put firm money in the trust account?
A: “No commingling” means you cannot mix your personal or law firm’s funds with client funds in the trust account. The trust account is exclusively for client and third-party money. Oregon does allow one narrow exception: you can deposit a small amount of your own money to cover bank service charges or minimum balances. This amount should be only what’s necessary (often $100 or less, depending on bank requirements).
Aside from that, every penny in trust should belong to a client (or be funds you are holding for someone else, like advanced costs or settlement payouts). You should never pay personal or firm expenses directly from a trust account – that’s a classic commingling violation. You also shouldn’t deposit large firm funds and then “mix” paying client costs out of that; instead, always deposit client-specific funds for client-specific purposes. Once you earn fees that were in trust, transfer them to your operating account; don’t leave them commingled in trust longer than necessary.
The guiding principle: client money and lawyer money should only meet when it’s time for you to withdraw earned fees or reimbursement, and even then it’s a transfer (with documentation), not a mingle. If you accidentally deposit a client check into your operating account or vice versa, fix it immediately (e.g., transfer the funds and document the error). Prompt correction can mitigate commingling issues, but the goal is to avoid mistakes altogether by double-checking before any deposit or withdrawal.
Q: Can I pay for firm expenses (like filing fees or vendor bills) directly from the client trust account?
A: Generally, no – not directly. The trust account should not function like a general checking account for paying routine bills, even if those bills are related to client matters. The proper method in most cases is: you withdraw the exact amount needed from trust to your operating account (or to the client, or to a third-party if appropriate) and then pay the expense from there, ensuring the payment is accounted for. There are a couple of scenarios:
- If it’s an expense the client advanced you and you need to pay a third-party (say a court filing fee or an expert’s invoice), you could write a trust check directly to that third party if and only if the funds in trust are specifically for that purpose. This is allowed because the money isn’t yours – it’s the client’s funds being paid out to a designated recipient. Just make sure you have the client’s authorization to use those funds for that bill and note the payment clearly in the client’s ledger. Many lawyers, however, choose to transfer the amount to operating and then pay the expense, so that the bookkeeping is cleaner (all expenses paid from operating, trust just as a holding tank).
- If it’s a firm expense (like your rent, salaries, software subscriptions, etc.), you cannot pay that from trust even if you intend to later reimburse it. That would be using client money for the firm – a huge no-no. You must first earn fees (documented by an invoice to the client) and transfer those earned fees to operating, then pay the expense from operating. Under no circumstance should the trust account be used like petty cash or to float the firm a loan.
In summary, only disburse trust funds for the client’s benefit or to transfer earned money to yourself. If in doubt, route the money through your operating account by withdrawing it properly (with documentation) and then making the payment. This creates a paper trail and reduces the chances of commingling or mislabeling a payment.
Q: How long can I hold client money in trust?
A: You can hold it as long as needed for the representation, but you should not hold it longer than necessary. Oregon’s rules say you must promptly deliver funds to the client or whoever is entitled once the purpose for holding them is done. So, if a matter has concluded or the client asks for their remaining balance, you should release the funds promptly. If you’re holding settlement funds, for example, you may need to keep them until certain conditions (like clearance of the check, resolution of liens) are met – but once those are handled, don’t delay distribution. Many attorneys, as a practice, will do a final reconciliation upon case closing and issue any remaining client money within 30 days of case completion (and get a receipt from the client).
One thing to be mindful of is that if you hold client money for a long period and lose contact with the client, Oregon’s unclaimed property law kicks in. Funds in a lawyer trust account that are unclaimed for two years (and you can’t return them to the client) are considered “abandoned” and must be turned over to the Oregon Department of State Lands, with a report filed (this is per ORS 98.302–98.436, the Unclaimed Property Act). You also send a copy of that report to the Bar. In no case can you just keep a client’s money indefinitely – if you can’t find the client after diligent attempts, the State holds it for them.
So, in practice: hold funds as long as they need to be in trust (some cases like estate matters or long-term settlements might keep money for years by design), but always be looking to return funds to their rightful owner when the time comes. Don’t let small balances languish – if a client overpays by $50 and the matter’s done, try to refund it. Keeping clients’ money unnecessarily is risky and, frankly, not yours to use.
Q: What happens if I accidentally overdraw the trust account or a client’s sub-account?
A: If your trust account goes into a negative balance, even by a small amount, two things happen: (1) the bank will likely charge you an overdraft fee (which you must cover with firm funds, not client funds), and (2) the bank will notify the Oregon State Bar of the overdraft under the overdraft notification rule. This usually prompts a letter or inquiry from the Bar, asking you to explain what happened.
So, an overdraft is taken very seriously. The best course if this happens is to immediately fix the shortage – typically by depositing firm funds to cover any deficit (because any shortfall means you’ve used some client’s money improperly) – and then provide a truthful explanation to the Bar. If it was a simple mistake (e.g., a math error or bank delay) and you corrected it promptly and clients weren’t harmed, the Bar may just caution you to be more careful. But if funds were misspent or it indicates sloppy practices, it can lead to deeper investigation and potentially discipline.
Similarly, if you overdraw an individual client’s ledger (meaning you paid out more for a client than they actually had on deposit), that’s a red flag. The overall account might still be positive, but effectively you “borrowed” from other clients to cover a payment. This is also something you must correct immediately by replenishing the difference with firm money. Then address why it happened – did you fail to record a disbursement? Miscalculate funds? It’s wise to inform the affected client as well if the error impacted them (transparency helps, especially if they might hear from the Bar).
Preventing overdrafts comes back to good recordkeeping and reconciliation. Always check a client’s balance before cutting a trust check. Keep a cushion for fees so bank charges don’t overdraft the account. If a client’s check hasn’t cleared, don’t disburse against it yet (the PLF recommends waiting a certain number of days for various check types to truly clear).
In summary: an overdraft is a fire alarm in trust accounting. The Bar will know, and you’ll need to respond. Fix it immediately and figure out the cause to prevent repeats. Consistent monthly reconciliations and using software that warns of low balances can virtually eliminate overdraft risk.
Q: What records do I need to keep for my trust account, and for how long?
A: Oregon requires that you keep complete records of your trust account for five years after the termination of each representation. In terms of what “complete records” entail, you should maintain at least:
- Bank statements for the trust account (every monthly statement).
- Canceled checks (or digital images provided by the bank) for every check you wrote from trust.
- Deposit slips or confirmations for every deposit.
- Client ledger for each client matter showing all transactions and current balance.
- Master ledger (check register) for the trust account as a whole, showing every transaction in chronological order and running balance.
- Reconciliation reports (monthly three-way reconciliations that tie together the bank, trust ledger, and client ledgers). While not explicitly mandated by rule to create a report, it’s a best practice and effectively required if you want to demonstrate compliance.
- Copies of any related documents for transactions: e.g., copies of client checks you received, wire transfer details, signed instructions for transfers, invoices corresponding to fee withdrawals, settlement statements, etc.
You should also keep any written agreements or authorizations that relate to trust funds, such as retainer agreements that specify an earned-on-receipt fee (since those justify not putting money in trust) or client directives to pay third parties. If there was any communication about how funds are to be handled, keep that in the file.
All these records can be kept electronically (Oregon doesn’t require paper copies), but make sure they are securely stored and backed up. Many firms scan everything and use a practice management system or cloud storage to organize trust records by client and date.
The five-year clock starts after the representation ends, so if you finish a case in 2025, you’d keep those records at least until 2030. It’s not uncommon for lawyers to keep them longer, but five years is the minimum. Also note, if a client is minors or there are long-term funds, you might be holding records for a while; just maintain as needed until five years after all funds are finally disbursed.
If space or organization is an issue, consider using accounting software or a service that can produce many of these records on demand. For example, QuickBooks with LeanLaw can generate client ledger reports, account registers, etc., for any time period, so as long as the data is in there, your “records” can be printed when needed. But many lawyers still keep a hard copy binder of monthly trust reconciliations and related bank statements – it’s old-school, yet very effective if an audit letter arrives. Bottom line: err on the side of keeping too much documentation rather than too little. You never want to be in a position where the Bar asks about a transaction from two years ago and you have no record of what it was for.
Q: If a client gives me a large sum of money to hold, do I really need to create a separate account for them?
A: It depends on whether that money could earn net interest for the client. Oregon’s rule (formerly ORPC 1.15-2(c)) says that if client funds can earn interest in excess of the costs to manage it, you should put those funds in a separate interest-bearing trust account for that client’s benefit. In practical terms, think about the amount and duration. If a client gives you $100,000 to hold for a year, that could earn substantial interest, so it likely warrants a separate account (often called a “client trust account” or “interest-bearing client trust”). If a client gives you $5,000 for a week, the interest is negligible, so it stays in IOLTA.
Many banks make setting up sub-accounts relatively easy. You might open a savings account or short-term CD for the client’s funds. The interest from that account would be tracked and ultimately paid to the client (or used per the client’s agreement). Keep in mind, if you open such an account, you’ll need the client’s tax ID or SSN for the bank (because the interest will be reported to the IRS under the client’s name, not the OLF). There’s also a bit more work in tracking interest and providing a 1099-INT form to the client at year-end if needed.
How do you decide? Oregon provides factors to consider, like the amount, expected holding time, interest rates, banking fees, etc.. A common threshold some lawyers use is, if the funds will earn more than $50 of interest (for example) for the client, they consider a separate account. The Oregon Law Foundation has guidelines too – they generally want you to use IOLTA for anything that’s not clearly worthwhile to segregate.
If you’re unsure, you can discuss with the client. Some clients might say “I don’t care about a few dollars interest,” and prefer simplicity (though ultimately it’s your ethical call, not solely the client’s choice). But if the amount is large or will be held a long time (e.g., settlement funds for a minor until they turn 18, or a big escrow in a long transaction), it’s safer to err on giving the client their own interest-bearing account.
Remember, if you do open a separate account for a client, that account is not IOLTA. So the interest doesn’t go to OLF, it goes to the client (minus any bank fees). And importantly, you still treat it as a trust account – all the same recordkeeping and rules apply, just for that single client. You’d include it in your annual IOLTA report (there’s usually a section to list any non-IOLTA trust accounts too). Once the funds are disbursed and account closed, make sure to remove it on the next report.
Q: How does LeanLaw specifically help with trust accounting for a firm like mine?
A: LeanLaw is designed to take the headaches out of trust accounting for lawyers. For an Oregon firm, here are a few concrete ways LeanLaw can help you stay compliant and efficient:
- Integrated Trust Ledger: LeanLaw automatically keeps a ledger of each client’s trust balance. Every time you receive a retainer or issue a trust check, LeanLaw updates the client’s balance and the overall trust account balance in QuickBooks. This means at any moment, you can see exactly how much each client has in trust and the total in the account – no manual calculations. This helps prevent over-drawing a client’s funds because the software will show a warning if you attempt to allocate more than the available balance.
- Seamless QuickBooks Sync: LeanLaw’s deep integration with QuickBooks Online means your trust transactions recorded in LeanLaw mirror in QuickBooks in real time. Why is that good? It avoids the common problem of discrepancies between your practice management system and your accounting system. Many lawyers have experienced the nightmare of their billing software showing one trust balance and their accounting ledger another. LeanLaw eliminates that by using QuickBooks as the single source of truth, with LeanLaw as a user-friendly front end. So when it’s time to reconcile, all your data is already consistent and up to date.
- One-Click Three-Way Reconciliation: While you still need to review your bank statement, LeanLaw helps by generating reports that compare your bank balance, QuickBooks balance, and client ledgers side by side. With a few clicks, you can perform a three-way reconciliation each month. It’s much faster than doing it manually. LeanLaw essentially puts your trust accounting on autopilot with you in control. Many firms find that what used to take hours of spreadsheet work is cut down to minutes of reviewing reports.
- Trust Requests and Payments: Need to ask a client to replenish their retainer? LeanLaw can create a trust request that the client can pay online. The payment (via credit card or ACH) is set to go directly into your IOLTA account. LeanLaw, especially when paired with legal payment processors, will handle the deposit recording and can even ensure any processing fees are properly accounted for (so the fee is charged to your firm, not taken from the client’s principal – a compliance must!). This makes it easy to maintain trust funds without accidental commingling or fee issues.
- Automatic Documentation: Every trust transaction in LeanLaw can have a memo or link to an invoice. For example, when you move funds from trust to operating to pay your fee, LeanLaw ties that transfer to the specific invoice in QuickBooks. If you ever need to show documentation for a disbursement, it’s already neatly connected – you can see “Transferred $1,000 from Client X Trust to Operating – Invoice #12345 payment.” This level of documentation helps immensely in an audit. LeanLaw basically enforces good recordkeeping by design.
- Compliance Checks: LeanLaw was built with input from legal accountants, so it incorporates compliance checks. It won’t let you do things like post a negative trust balance for a client. It also forces certain workflows like requiring a client trust deposit be allocated to a client and not just left “floating.” These small design choices make it harder for you (or staff) to inadvertently violate trust rules. It’s like having a built-in safety net that aligns with state bar requirements.
LeanLaw reduces the manual labor and worry in trust accounting. It’s particularly useful for small firms that might not have a full-time bookkeeper. By automating tasks and synchronizing data, it lets you focus on your legal work while staying confident that the trust account is correct. Many Oregon firms use LeanLaw specifically because they know trust compliance is a big deal and they want a tool that actively supports following the rules, rather than using generic software where you have to remember all the rules yourself.
