Find a Law Society of NSW registered external examiner for your solicitors' trust account audit. Expert service serving Dubbo and regional New South Wales.
Get started with your trust account audit
For solicitors practicing in Dubbo and throughout regional New South Wales, compliance with trust account audit requirements is a critical aspect of legal practice management. An external examiner plays a vital role in ensuring that law firms maintain proper trust accounting practices and comply with the Legal Profession Uniform Law Australian Solicitors' Conduct Rules 2015 and the Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW).
Dubbo, as the largest city in regional NSW and a hub for legal services in the Central West, requires solicitors to have their trust accounts examined by a qualified external examiner registered with the Law Society of NSW. This requirement applies to all solicitor trust accounts, including those held for clients, controlled money, and money received for investment.
Every solicitor in NSW who holds or receives trust money must have their trust account externally examined at least once every 12 months, regardless of whether any transactions occurred during the period.
The Legal Profession Uniform Law (NSW) and the Legal Profession Uniform General Rules 2015 establish the framework for external examinations of solicitor trust accounts in New South Wales. Understanding these requirements is essential for Dubbo solicitors to maintain compliance.
All solicitors who hold or receive trust money must have their trust account examined by an external examiner at least once every financial year.
External examiners must be registered with the Law Society of NSW and meet specific qualification requirements.
The examination must cover all trust money, controlled money, and money received for investment.
External examiners must report any irregularities or breaches to the Law Society of NSW.
For a comprehensive external examination, your examiner will typically require access to:
Dubbo solicitors operate in a unique legal environment. As the regional centre for the Central West of NSW, Dubbo hosts numerous law firms serving clients across a wide geographic area. These practices handle significant volumes of trust money in conveyancing, litigation, estate planning, and commercial transactions.
Failure to comply with external examination requirements can result in:
Early detection of compliance issues before they become serious problems
Ensuring client funds are properly safeguarded and accounted for
Demonstrating compliance to the Law Society and maintaining good standing
Selecting a qualified external examiner is a critical decision for Dubbo solicitors. The examiner you choose will assess your compliance with trust accounting rules and provide valuable insights into your practice's financial controls.
Ensure the examiner is registered with the Law Society of NSW as an external examiner. This is a non-negotiable requirement under the Legal Profession Uniform Law.
Choose an examiner who understands the unique challenges of regional legal practice, including the types of matters commonly handled by Dubbo solicitors.
Timely examinations are essential for compliance. Look for an examiner who can complete the process efficiently without compromising thoroughness.
Your examiner should explain findings clearly and provide practical recommendations for improvement.
We are a Law Society of NSW registered external examiner serving Dubbo and all regional NSW areas. Our service offers:
Understanding the external examination process helps Dubbo solicitors prepare effectively and ensures a smooth, efficient examination.
Contact our office to engage our services. We will provide a letter of engagement outlining the scope of examination, fees, and timeline. This typically takes 1-2 business days.
Gather all required trust accounting documents. We provide a comprehensive checklist to ensure nothing is missed. You will have typically 2-4 weeks to compile the documentation.
Our examiner visits your Dubbo office (or reviews documents remotely) to conduct the examination. This typically takes 1-3 days depending on the volume of transactions.
We analyse all trust accounting records, test controls, and prepare the External Examiner's Report. Any irregularities or concerns are documented in detail.
The final External Examiner's Report is delivered to you. If required, we submit the report to the Law Society of NSW on your behalf. Any recommendations for improvement are discussed.
Understanding the cost structure for external examinations helps Dubbo solicitors budget appropriately. Pricing varies based on several factors specific to each practice.
Per examination
Per examination
We offer competitive pricing for Dubbo and regional NSW solicitors. Contact us for a custom quote based on your practice's specific requirements. We also offer fixed-fee packages for predictable budgeting.
As a regional NSW specialist, we understand the unique needs of solicitors practicing outside major metropolitan areas. Our service area extends throughout the Central West and surrounding regions.
Primary service area
30 min from Dubbo
1 hour from Dubbo
45 min from Dubbo
35 min from Dubbo
50 min from Dubbo
We also serve solicitors in:
We can travel to your office for the examination, or with modern technology, many aspects can be conducted remotely for your convenience. Either way, you receive the same thorough, professional service.
Being aware of common compliance issues helps Dubbo solicitors avoid problems during their external examination. Here are the most frequently identified concerns.
Incomplete or disorganised trust accounting records are a common issue. The Legal Profession Uniform Law requires solicitors to maintain comprehensive records of all trust money transactions. This includes proper posting to cash books, maintaining individual client ledgers, and keeping all source documents.
Failure to prepare monthly reconciliations, or preparing reconciliations that do not properly reconcile, is frequently identified. Reconciliations must match bank statements to trust ledger balances and include reconciling items with appropriate documentation.
Money sitting in trust accounts without proper identification of the client or matter is a serious compliance issue. Every cent in the trust account must be traceable to a specific client and matter.
The Law Society requires annual returns to be lodged by specified deadlines. Late lodgement can result in penalties and may trigger additional scrutiny.
Weak internal controls over trust money, including insufficient oversight, lack of segregation of duties, or inadequate authorisations for payments, are common findings that require remediation.
Common questions from Dubbo solicitors about external examiners and trust account audits.
Ready to begin your external examination? Download our NSW Law Society compliant engagement letter to get started.
We make the engagement process simple and straightforward. Contact us for a no-obligation quote for your Dubbo or regional NSW practice.