In the legal field, precision and trust matter—especially when it comes to managing finances. Whether paying vendors, reimbursing clients, or handling trust accounts, law firms must maintain accuracy, compliance, and efficiency in every payment.
Below are 8 best practices law firms should follow to improve the check printing and payment processes, while ensuring security, professionalism, and peace of mind.
1. Use Role-Based Approval Workflows
Avoid errors and unauthorized payments by implementing approval workflows based on user roles. Assign permissions to partners, office managers, or accounting staff to review and release payments with full accountability and transparency.
Checkrun Advantage: Custom workflows allow authorized approvals from anywhere, keeping teams connected and payments moving.
2. Digitize Your Payment Workflow
Relying on manual, paper-based processes slows your firm’s growth. Checkrun enables your firm to approve, print, and track checks remotely—ensuring faster and more convenient payments without sacrificing control.
3. Keep Trust and Operating Accounts Separate
Maintaining clear separation between operating funds and client trust accounts is a non-negotiable requirement. Ensure your system flags or prevents errors that could result in non-compliant disbursements.
Tip: Checkrun supports real-time and two-way integration with QuickBooks Online’s accounting system so funds are always tracked properly.
4. Secure Every Step of the Check Process
Payment fraud is a growing concern—especially in the legal sector. Implement tools with security features like encrypted data, access controls, audit logs, and secure check stock to protect sensitive payment data.
Checkrun includes: Positive Pay file creation, secure check templates, and full audit trails.
5. Automate Payments to Vendors
Don’t waste time cutting the checks every month. Automate all vendor payments (like expert consultants, court reporters, or IT services) while retaining oversight with scheduled approvals that keeps your firm in control of cash flow and disbursements.
6. Stay Compliant with Legal Accounting Standards
Every payment should align with trust accounting rules and IOLTA guidelines. Use systems that log approval history, provide audit-friendly records, and prevent unapproved disbursements.
Pro move: Sync Checkrun with QuickBooks Online to keep everything aligned and report-ready.
7. Track Payments in Real Time
Visibility is key—especially when managing multiple cases, clients, and vendors. Use real-time dashboards and payment histories to monitor outgoing checks, approvals, and account balances.
This transparency keeps partners, clients, and your finance team in the loop at all times.
8. Be Remote-Ready Without Losing Control
Hybrid or remote firm? Don’t wait for office days to cut checks. Use cloud-based check printing software like Checkrun that lets your authorized team members approve, sign, schedule, and print and mail checks from anywhere, without losing oversight.
Remote access = faster payments = happier clients and vendors.
Modernize Your Law Firm’s Payment Process with Checkrun
Checkrun is designed with law firms in mind—providing the tools you need to manage check printing and approvals from anywhere, with speed, built-in security, compliance, and convenience.
- Approve and print checks remotely
- Maintain full audit trails and user permissions
- Stay compliant with legal and accounting regulations
- Integrate with QuickBooks Online seamlessly
Ready to simplify payments at your law firm?
Let’s talk. Schedule a personal demo or start your trial and see how Checkrun can transform and improve your firm’s payment process.
