Legal Cashier Interview Questions UK: 8 Real Questions and What Interviewers Want

Applying for a Legal Cashier job in the UK? Here is what you are likely to be asked. These questions come from our Legal Cashier question bank of 12 questions, written for UK employers at mid-level level.

Eight Legal Cashier interview questions, and what the interviewer is thinking

1. How do you carry out a client account reconciliation, and how often must it be done?

Why they ask: Reconciliation is the main control against client money errors and the most basic cashier task.

2. What is the difference between client money and office money, and why must they be kept apart?

Why they ask: They want to check you understand the central principle of the SRA Accounts Rules.

3. What does a typical day for a legal cashier involve, and what qualities does the role need?

Why they ask: They want to see you understand the pace and responsibility of the job.

4. When can money be transferred from the client account to the office account, and what do you check first?

Why they ask: Incorrect transfers are a frequent source of Accounts Rules breaches.

5. A fee earner urgently asks you to release completion funds, but a large cheque paid in yesterday has not yet cleared. What do you do?

Why they ask: They are testing resistance to pressure and understanding of cleared funds.

6. A partner asks you to transfer money from the client account to the office account to cover a temporary cash flow problem, promising to put it back at the end of the week. What do you do?

Why they ask: This tests integrity and willingness to challenge seniority.

7. What are the rules on residual balances and on paying interest to clients?

Why they ask: They are checking knowledge of the less obvious but important parts of the rules.

8. Tell me about a time you found a discrepancy or error in accounts and how you resolved it.

Why they ask: They want evidence of diligence and honesty when numbers do not agree.

A sample answer to question 1

How do you carry out a client account reconciliation, and how often must it be done?

Under the SRA Accounts Rules, a reconciliation must be carried out at least every five weeks, and I usually do it monthly so there is a clear routine. It is a three-way check. I take the balance on the client bank account statement, adjust for any unpresented cheques and uncleared lodgements to get an adjusted bank balance, and compare it with the total on the client cash book, and then with the sum of all individual client ledger balances. All three figures must agree. If they do not, I investigate immediately, starting with the movements since the last reconciliation, checking entries against statements for transposition errors, misposted payments or duplicate entries. Any difference that cannot be explained is reported to the COFA straight away, and any shortfall must be replaced promptly from firm money. I would sign and date it, keep supporting schedules and have it reviewed by the COFA, retaining records for six years.

Common mistake to avoid: Leaving differences unexplained until the next month; not keeping supporting schedules

Want the rest?

Full model answers, key points and common mistakes for all 12 questions are on the Legal Cashier interview questions page. The first five are free, no sign-up needed.