By Legal Futures Associate iCOFA
It was a pleasure to welcome everyone to the ILFM Autumn Virtual Conference on Thursday 20 November 2025.
The theme, The Future of Client Money, could not have been more timely. As the legal sector continues to evolve and, no doubt, with changes for the SRA and other regulators over the next few months, the role of finance professionals remains absolutely central. Legal Cashiers, COFAs, and finance teams are the quiet powerhouses behind every successful law firm. You keep the wheels turning, the rules followed, and the reputations intact.
We were delighted to welcome Professor Richard Susskind CBE KC (Hon) as our keynote speaker. Richard is the world’s most cited author on the future of legal services, and his insights into AI, professional transformation, and legal innovation promise to set the tone for a thought-provoking day. Richard spoke about ‘How to Think about AI’. The mindset that we should have in thinking about the future including some remarkable examples of AI in action and gave some theories about where AI is heading.
Richard looked at the latest trends in digital technology generally and what this means for professional work. His presentation was captivating, leading to many of the attendees wanting to read more in Richard’s book!
David Weaver, Head of Professional & Business Services, NatWest and Andrew Allen, Partner and Head of Legal Sector, PKF Francis Clark co-presented on their collaborative companies’ Law Firm Benchmarking Survey. David and Andrew gave attendees the financial highlights from law firms results in 2025 alongside a candid review of the key findings from the legal survey with additional unpublished statistics.
This survey is a must read for law firms wanting to keep ahead of the game and can be downloaded here.
SRA Accounts Rules specialist for Hazlewoods LLP and ILFM Trainer Luke Dickinson joined us to discuss Being a COFA – Thinking about your compliance culture. Luke explored what a strong compliance culture can look like in practice, and how COFAs can foster meaningful engagement from fee earners to support it. Luke gave practical insights, real-world examples, and strategies to embed compliance into the everyday mindset of legal teams.
Mark Bishop, Partner at PKF Francis Clark provided an update regarding bank interest received by legal practices, how this may impact VAT recovery, and how HMRC currently view this matter. Other common queries raised by legal practices were also discussed.
Last up was Mark Adderley, ILFM Council Member & Senior Manager at Crowe UK LLP. Mark’s presentation was all about “SRA Accounts Rules view from the trenches – keep calm & carry on”. It was a fast-paced, insightful, and honest look at the SRA Accounts Rules and what changes may be happening. With a blend of real-world examples, practical advice and insight of future changes effecting client money, Mark covered common pitfalls, real life examples and the critical role finance professionals play in safeguarding client money and firm reputation.
A heartfelt thank you to our sponsors, whose generous support make our events possible. Their partnership enables us to deliver high-quality content and meaningful engagement for our members.
Save the Date! Our Spring conference will be on Thursday 21 May 2026 at The Law Society London. See you there!
To learn more about the ILFM and what benefits being a member offers, click here: www.ilfm.org.uk
Attendees quotes:
“Thank you for a brilliant virtual conference. The sessions were highly relevant and engaging, and Professor Richard Susskind’s keynote on AI was truly amazing, insightful and thought-provoking. All speakers delivered excellent content, and the event was well-organised. I would absolutely recommend this conference to colleagues. Looking forward to the next one!”
“The Conference is always considered, topical and insightful. It is focused on the real questions and answers that we need in day-to-day life in our roles.”
