Senior Accountant

Regulation Division - Client Trust Account Protection Program (CTAPP)

2025 Annual Salary Range: $102,263 - $136,352

Exempt / Union Represented

This position allows for up to four days of remote work per week.

About the Office 

The Division of Regulation ensures State Bar licensees comply with obligations imposed by the State Bar Act, the Rules of Court, and the Rules of the State Bar, including annual reporting and registration, licensing fee, Client Trust Account Protection Program (CTAPP), and Minimum Continuing Legal Education requirements. The CTAPP was established to help protect client funds held in trust by California attorneys through detection and deterrence of client trust accounting misconduct. The Division also registers law corporations and, limited liability partnerships, certifies minimum continuing legal education providers and lawyer referral services, and maintains the official roll of attorneys on behalf of the California Supreme Court—the records of all attorneys licensed to practice in California. The Division focuses on proactive regulation by recommending laws and promulgating rules to support the ethical practice of law and conducts preventative education and provides resources and programs on licensee’s professional responsibility obligations through e-learning, live presentations, publications, and other content, as well as through the Ethics Hotline, which offers ethics research assistance to licensees. Finally, the Division includes the Lawyer Assistance Program-Support Services, which provides education on competence and attorney wellness, as well as short-term counseling and support groups for legal professionals. The division also supports key committees and working groups that provide ethics guidance, and address policy and rule changes.

About the Position

The CTAPP Senior Accountant plays an important role in a new regulatory program designed to protect client funds held in trust by California attorneys through detection and deterrence of client trust accounting misconduct. This position involves conducting compliance reviews and complex investigative audits of attorneys' trust accounting practices to ensure compliance with applicable laws, including the Rules of Professional Conduct, while also developing and adapting procedures as the program evolves. The Senior Accountant prepares detailed reports, analyzes findings, communicates with licensees to educate them when possible, and recommends corrective actions. Additionally, this role requires collaboration with external accountants, emphasizing effective communication and knowledge of accounting practices, auditing standards, and investigative methodologies.

Definition  

Under general supervision, the Client Trust Account Protection Program (CTAPP) Senior Accountant performs professional accounting and investigative work, including planning, organizing, and performing compliance reviews and complex investigative audits of attorney trust accounts to confirm licensee compliance with applicable laws, including the Rules of Professional Conduct; prepares compliance reviews and investigative audit reports; reviews, analyzes, and approves recommended outcomes for the compliance reviews and investigative audits conducted by CTAPP Accountants; coordinates with external accountants and communicates with licensees; and performs other related functions as assigned. The CTAPP Senior Accountant may act as an individual contributor or serve in a lead capacity over engagement teams or individual professional, technical, and support staff. 

Distinguishing Characteristics 

The CTAPP Senior Accountant is distinguished from the higher-level CTAPP Supervising Accountant in that the CTAPP Senior Accountant is focused on reviewing compliance reviews and performing complex investigative audits, whereas the CTAPP Supervising Accountant provides supervisory expertise regarding the outcome of complex compliance reviews and investigative audits and exercises a higher degree of independent judgment and decision making in overall policy making and refinement of processes and procedures.

The CTAPP Senior Accountant classification is distinguished from the lower-level CTAPP Accountant in the series in that the CTAPP Senior Accountant assumes greater responsibility for conducting more complex investigative audits that require specialized knowledge, abilities, skills, and experience in accordance with the procedures and policies of the CTAPP Program and the State Bar, and exercises more independent judgment in the performance of their duties. Duties involve highly complex and sensitive issues and incumbents are expected to work with minimal direction.

Examples of Essential Duties 

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following: