Professional Practices
We specialise in supporting professional practices, drawing on years of experience advising firms like yours.
Our joined-up audit, tax, and advisory expertise supports firms across law, architecture, accountancy, and consultancy. We help practices stay compliant, operate efficiently, and achieve sustainable growth - freeing partners to focus on their clients and the success of their practice.
Leading a professional practice today means adapting quickly and planning ahead. Our advice keeps your firm resilient, responsive, and ready for what’s next.
Led by Claire Watkins, our Professional Practices team combines audit, tax, assurance, and outsourcing expertise with genuine understanding of how professional firms operate. We recognise the distinct challenges each profession faces - from SRA compliance for law firms to cashflow and international tax for architects, and succession planning for surveyors and consultants.
Our advisers take a proactive approach, benchmarking performance, anticipating risks and strengthening both the practice and its leadership.
Areas of focus
Law firms
We advise firms of all sizes on accounting, audit, and tax, with deep expertise in SRA Accounts Rules and CLC client money rules, and back-office management accounting. Beyond compliance, we support succession, partner structuring, M&A, and capital management - positioning your firm for long-term success.
Architects and surveyors
Alongside audit, tax and statutory accounting, we support firms with strategies to improve profitability, strengthen cash flow and structure their businesses for international projects. Our tax team partners with practices to identify and claim tax relief, helping them to plan for upcoming liabilities and remain HMRC-compliant.
Accountants
Our team provides assurance and audit with a strong focus on performance, supporting practices navigating external investment and complex business structures. We work closely with leadership teams to deliver robust, timely audits while sharing knowledge and insight to strengthen decision-making
Consultancy businesses
For consultancy businesses and smaller firms without a full finance team, we provide practical support with management accounting, compliance, and business planning. We also look after the essentials - accounting, payroll, VAT, tax, and company secretarial - keeping cash flow steady, reporting on track, and your focus on your clients.
Our services
Guiding ownership transitions and partner exits, while supporting the next generation of leaders.
Advice on profit-sharing, capital management and equity arrangements to balance partner expectations and business needs.
Why work with us?
Choosing an adviser is about more than compliance - it’s about finding a partner who understands your profession and helps you move forward with confidence.
Advice shaped by your sector
With decades of experience advising professional practices, we offer guidance that’s grounded in a genuine understanding of your profession and the challenges you face.
Joined-up expertise
Whether it’s day-to-day accounting, guiding major transactions, or planning for the future of both the practice and its partners, we provide a complete service under one roof.
Continuity that lasts
You’ll work directly with senior specialists who provide continuity, anticipate challenges, and stay with you year after year.
Keeping you informed
Our quarterly bulletin keeps your firm updated with practical insight and regulatory changes.
Avoiding financial fall out – why your LLP needs a signed agreement
A significant number of LLPs do not have an LLP agreement (or, in the case of an unincorporated partnership, a partnership agreement). A smaller but still notable proportion have a written agreement that, crucially, is unsigned.
Client money reform: key takeaways from the SRA’s consultation
The consultation period for the SRA’s 2024 discussion paper on client money in legal services ended in February 2025.
What auditors look for in architectural firm accounts
With this year’s audit season underway, we thought it might be useful to share with our architectural readership some of the common issues identified during audits of financial statements.
Our quarterly bulletin keeps your firm updated with practical insight and regulatory changes
Essential COFA tips for stronger financial compliance
All SRA-regulated law firms must appoint a Compliance Officer for Finance and Administration ("COFA"). In larger firms, this suits a qualified accountant, but in smaller firms, non-accountants often take on the role, finding the requirements unfamiliar and onerous.
Planning your path to Partner
New partners are often appointed in April to coincide with the start of the tax/financial year. However, many new partners receive little support when it comes to navigating the complexities of HMRC’s self-employment regime, drawings policies and tax reserving.
Leaving an LLP? Timing your final payout
When drafting partner exit clauses, it can be helpful to include some flexibility in deciding the basis on which a departing partner’s final payout will be calculated.
Our quarterly bulletin keeps your firm updated with practical insight and regulatory changes.
Partnership planning: Considering partnership
Stepping up to partner comes with a variety of benefits and risks, as with any big career decision. It's important to assess the shift in your role, responsibilities and expectations, and be prepared enter into a new world of work being self-employed.
SRA Accounts Rules: Rule 3.3 “Improper use of client account as a banking facility”
When managing client accounts, law firms must pay particular attention to the SRA Accounts Rules, especially Rule 3.3, which addresses the "Improper use of client account as a banking facility."
If we're so profitable, why isn't our bank balance increasing?
Surely if profits are rising, our bank balance should too. Yet so often businesses tell us the lines on the graph are on two completely different trajectories. Claire Watkins explains why we need to look at the relationship between profit and cash to understand why.
Preparing for partnership in 2026: key considerations for fixed share and equity partners
Recorded: Tuesday 6 January 2026
Speakers: Claire Watkins (Buzzacott), James Currie (Buzzacott), Veronique Constantine (Westcotts), John Atkins (Larking Gowen)
Topics covered:
What prospective partners should ask before accepting partnership, including understanding firm performance and accounts
How remuneration, drawings and profit shares typically work in practice
The personal tax implications of becoming self-employed, including payments on account
Financial planning considerations such as pensions, life cover and capital contributions
Contact us
We're here to help - whether you have a question, need advice, or want to tell us about your requirements.