Financial Controller

About Lawhive: We’ve just raised $60m in Series B funding at a $685m valuation. Our mission is to make the law accessible to everyone. The legal industry is built on technology and process that hasn’t been updated in hundreds of years - that’s why we’ve reinvented the entire model from the ground-up with our own bespoke AI operating system at the core. Lawhive is a regulated law firm with an AI-native platform built to amplify expertise and revolutionise the way people practice law, leading to exceptional outcomes for clients and lawyers. Lawhive Labs is how we bring this vision to life. It’s our frontier lab that combines top engineering, design, AI and legal talent from around the world, joining forces to build the future of law. We’re headquartered in London and in 2025 successfully launched in the US.

Finance at Lawhive: We are a lean, high-impact finance organisation operating across the UK and US group structure - the engine room that keeps Lawhive moving with precision as we scale a first-of-its-kind global AI-native law firm. We partner deeply with every part of the business: product, engineering, legal operations, HR, talent, and the exec team. Our mandate is simple: build world-class, audit-ready, scalable finance architecture that can support hyper-growth and international expansion.

The next 12–18 months will bring some of the most challenging and meaningful work you’ll do in your career. We’re focused on:

• Designing and embedding the financial systems, controls and reporting infrastructure required for a multi-entity, multi-jurisdiction group (UK, US) on the path to audit and global scale.
• Building real-time, decision-grade data - from cashflow to margins to unit economics - ensuring the business can make fast, high-quality decisions as we grow revenue and deploy capital.
• Transforming acquired entities into a single, unified finance ecosystem with tight working-capital discipline and deep operational control.
• Implementing automation and intelligent workflows across payables, payroll, client-money compliance, tax, FP&A and revenue accounting to unlock leverage across the business.
• Partnering with leaders to shape strategy, investment decisions, and the future of AI-enabled legal services.

If you want a finance role where the bar is high, the problems are real, and the impact is visible across the whole company - this is it.

About the Role: As Lawhive continues to scale rapidly, we’re seeking an experienced Financial Controller to play a pivotal role in managing our financial operations. Working directly with our VP of Finance, you’ll oversee critical functions including payroll, treasury management, bookkeeping, and consolidated financial reporting. You’ll lead a team of two management accountants and one finance associate, while collaborating closely with our broader finance function covering FP&A, M&A, investor reporting, and client money operations.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical accounting expertise with a collaborative approach and passion for tech-driven solutions, with a particular focus on building robust accounting reconciliation and control processes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own and manage key finance operations including management accounts, consolidated reporting, tax, payroll, treasury management, and invoice management in partnership with the VP of Finance.
• Lead the monthly financial close process, ensuring all accounting and reconciliations are completed within deadlines.
• Develop flux analysis for variance monitoring and cash flow forecasting.
• Prepare the company for audit and consolidated statutory reporting for the year ending December 2026.
• Ensure audit readiness through robust documentation and control processes.
• Review and implement additional financial reporting requirements, including share-based payment accounting, acquisition accounting, and revenue recognition policies and associated assets.
• Deliver continuous process improvements to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of accounting, reconciliation, and control processes.
• Coordinate and develop a team of two management accountants and one finance associate.
• Foster collaboration across the finance function.

Requirements:

• 5-10 years of experience in finance, with demonstrated experience in a tech startup or fast-paced, high-growth environment.
• Proven experience managing the audit process from preparation through completion.
• Strong technical experience in accounting reconciliations, payroll processes, and month-end close procedures.
• Relevant accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CPA, or CFA).

Skills & Attributes:

• Exceptional attention to detail in both accuracy and presentation of work.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex financial information into clear, digestible insights.
• Highly collaborative working style.
• Passionate about leveraging technology to drive financial operations.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-moving, scaling environment.

Interview process:

• Introductory call with our Talent team.
• 1:1 with your hiring manager.
• Skills assessment interview.
• Values interview with one of our Founders.

We offer:

• Meaningful early-stage equity at one of Europe’s fastest growing startups.
• 33 days’ annual leave (25 + bank holidays) plus your birthday off.
• Pension contribution via Nest.
• 20% off legal fees through Lawhive.
• Top-spec equipment - MacBook/Windows.
• Regular team building activities and socials!

Diversity at Lawhive: At Lawhive, we know that diversity of thought is critical to delivering outlier outcomes. As such, we’re always working hard to ensure we build a diverse, inclusive team, and as we scale, we’ll only ever increase the focus we apply to this.

Compensation Range: £100K - £120K