Christopher R Lewis, CPA

Manage the financial process and day-to-day operations of the Accounting department for this 75 attorney law practice. I monitor and report on the cash flow, billing, collections, cash management, payroll, budget variances and Financial Statement preparation for the firm. I manage and develop a staff of six accounting clerks and an assistant controller. I participate in weekly management meetings with the Administrator, prepare weekly cash activity reports and quarterly meetings with the Management Committee. I facilitate the relationships with the various banks and coordinate with the outside CPA’s on the annual audit of the Firm’s financial statements, tax preparation and the audit of the 401K retirement plan. I assist in developing firm’s strategic plan, operating budget process, documentation of policies, procedures and job descriptions, formal evaluation program, and the office’s compensation and benefits program. In 2006 I participating in developing the firm’s Disaster Planning and business continuity plan after Hurricane Katrina. In 2007 completed the department’s documentation of detailed job duties and procedures.

Managed personnel administration, human resources, financial planning, budgeting, compensation, Information Technology and day-to-day operations for this eighteen-attorney law practice. Monitored the billing, collections, cash management, investments, payroll, and Financial Statement preparation for the firm. I managed and developed a staff of five administrative assistants, eight secretarial and four paralegal staff. I conducted monthly meetings with the Management Committee and the Members of the firm. I facilitated the relationship with the bank and outside CPA’s including organizing the tax preparation. I developed and implemented the firm’s strategic plan, the first operating budget, development of job descriptions, formal evaluation program, development of the office handbook, compensation and benefits program. I directed the upgrade of the Novel Network, the purchase and implementation of new equipment. In 2004 & 05 I managed a space requirements review, search for office space, negotiation of a new lease and the subsequent build-out and move process.

Responsible for the Compensation, Benefits, & HR programs and functions for the company. Direct the day-to-day

administration, purchases, equipment, and services for the main and satellite offices. Supervise, evaluate, and develop

an administrative staff of seven. I am responsible for quarterly evaluation reports that monitor the firm's budget results

measures progress of goals and objectives; I report these results directly to senior management. I interface directly with

senior management and managers in all the departments of the company on various issues and in a range of capacities. In 1998 switched supply, benefits, and long distance providers yielding savings of over $ 15,000.  In 1999 directed the upgrade of the payroll software to new windows version with an integrated HRIS package. In conjunction with this I implemented an employee time-tracking system that posts summary hours directly into the payroll system. Managed the construction build-out that doubled the size of the Baton Rouge branch office in 2000. Directed the consolidation of the firm's 401k and Profit Sharing plan into one Retirement plan, researched and  moved the investments to a new fund manager and 3rd party administrator.