Mark Fairhurst

Email: markfair@aol.com Home: 020 3659 7150  Mobile: 07976 588807

ProfileA highly motivated individual with excellent influencing, organisational and negotiating skills coupled with over 25 years experience in the legal accounting environment. An effective written and oral communicator, who works well in teams and individually. Conscientious and responsible with plenty of energy, drive, and enthusiasm. Enjoys dealing with issues spontaneously. Capable of meeting deadlines.

Skills/Expertise

Key skills and software packages Accounts payable Aderant (CMS OPEN) Accounts receivable Elite General ledger Carpe Diem Data entry, time entry and billing NetSuite/Openair Month end closures Microsoft Office Cashiering Partnership Accounts

Experience

Archival Researcher – 7/2016 to date

Self Employed www.archiveservices.twohons.biz

Carrying out family history research projects at the National Archives, Kew Gardens. Reviewing and cataloguing historical documents, photographing same and sending them to my

clients I was chosen for this project because my initial client was familiar with my organisation skills and

my attention to detail. The project is on-going but I am free to carry out this work at a time to suit me as it is not time-

bound and is on a daily fixed-fee basis.

Assistant Partnership Accountant – 05/2016 to 06/2016 (Fixed term contract)

Holman Fenwick Willan, London, United Kingdom www.hfw.com International Law Firm

Preparing and arranging payment of partners' monthly drawings. Administration in relation to partner moves (joiners, leavers, etc), e.g. generating standard

correspondence including drafting letters to banks and external accountants, updating databases, etc. Posting payments and journals to Elite 3E practice management system. Providing management information Arrange payment schedules for ex-partner consultants. Accounting for branch head offices (8 in total), including general ledger postings, preparation of monthly

bank reconciliations and inter-office loan reconciliations Assist in the preparation of undrawn profit distributions payment schedules. Assist in the preparation of FSP bonus payment schedules.

Finance Assistant – 01/2016 to 04/2016 (Fixed term contract)

K2 Intelligence, London, United Kingdom www.k2intelligence.com Investigative and Integrity Consulting – Head Office, New York, USA

Day to day responsibility for keeping both accounts receivable and payable current on a system called NetSuite/Openair – for UK, Switzerland and Spain (multi-currencies)

Checking, posting and payment of staff expenses. Assisting in month end procedures including journal entries and bank reconciliations in various

currencies Updating UK marketing budgets Ad-hoc billing Supporting the EMEA Financial Controller by answering and resolving various external auditor

queries

Archival Researcher - Self employed – 2/2015 to 1/2016

Carrying out family history research projects at the National Archives, Kew Gardens. Reviewing and cataloguing historical documents, photographing same and sending them to my

clients I was chosen for this project because my initial client was familiar with my organisation skills and

my attention to detail. The project is on-going but I am free to carry out this work at a time to suit me as it is not time-

bound and is on a daily fixed-fee basis.

Partnership Accounts Assistant - 11/2014 to 01/2015 (Fixed Term Contract) – Reporting Directly to Group Accountant

Ince & Co., London, United Kingdom www.incelaw.comInternational Law firm

Prepared and reconciled multi-country and currency partner balances between statements and general ledger

Reconciliation of sundry partner balance accounts and contacting partners regarding payments of balances

Researched, investigated and resolved financial anomalies for individual partners as they arose

Finance Assistant - 01/2014 to 6/2014 (Fixed Term Contract) – Reporting to Financial Controller and Financial Director

The Harley Medical Group, London, United Kingdom www.harleymedical.co.uk Aesthetic and Cosmetic Surgeries

Day to day involvement in all aspects of a busy finance team Reconciliations of takings from all Surgeries across the UK on a daily basis Reviewing patient financial confidential data – ensuring financial transactions from Clinic databases

tally with Head Office accounting software Issuing refunds on a timely basis to patients who are rejected by surgeons or changes of mind by

patient – ensuring refund criteria is met Setting up new refund procedures – migrating from a largely manual procedure to a semi-automated

process Helping in the implementation of a new stock control system for clinics

General ad-hoc duties as and when required Partnership Accounts Assistant - 03/2013 to 12/2013 (Fixed Term Contract) – Reporting

Directly to Head of Partnership Accounts

Bird and Bird, London, United Kingdom www.twobirds.com International Law firm

Reporting on profit, tax reserves, payments and capital on a partner by partner basis for 200+ partners across over 23 offices in multi-currencies

Ensuring monthly and quarterly payments are made on time and correctly stated in the accounting system

Reconciliation of partner balances between statements and general ledger Reconciliation of sundry partner balance accounts and contacting partners regarding payments of

balances Ad hoc partner queries as they arise Preparation of monthly, quarterly and year end journals

Self employed – 06/2011 to 03/2013

Helped reconcile a data conversion and reports written for a new Aderant user. Helped set up a new system with client matter opening balances for a new firm in Zurich who bought

the peppermint technology system I took on a house refurbishment project (the house had been empty for over 12 years and in a state

of total disrepair) – which involved getting estimates, quotes and arranging work with various contractors

Being on site to supervise the work Managing the budget on behalf of my client

Career break after being made redundant – 05/2009 to 05/2011

After being made redundant I decided to take a career break and spend some time travelling – including North America, Cyprus, Spain, Egypt, Morocco, Israel and the West Bank, Macau, and Hong Kong, where I have friends.

Finance Assistant – 05/2006-04/2009 (made redundant)

Dorsey and Whitney, London, United Kingdom www.dorsey.com International Law firm – Head Office, Minneapolis, USA

Responsibility for the day-to-day running of the London finance department for Office and Client accounts, accounts receivable, accounts payable and petty cash.

Joining Dorsey I found a manual accounts system was in place, with all entries being sent to the US for processing. By demonstrating the inefficiency of this, in terms of time taken and availability of accurate information, I convinced the US Finance Manager to allow me to do direct input, resulting in better use of resources and more up to date and accurate accounts for Dorsey and Whitney

Responsibility for transferring all client account detail and balances from an excel spreadsheet directly onto the accounting system. Ensuring these were up to date “real time” – thus guaranteeing accurate client data was available always. Reconciling these on a weekly basis.

I successfully managed the migration from manual cheque writing to laser cheque production direct from the Accounts System for both office and client accounts.

Sending of CHAPS payment via internet banking in various currencies and ensuring all BACS/CHAPS receipts were notified to fee earners immediately on receipt.

Reconciliation and posting of petty cash to general ledger. Payment and posting of staff expenses. Company banking on a daily basis.

Finance Assistant – 03/2005-04/2006

Maples and Calder, London, United Kingdom www.maplesandcalder.com International Law firm – Head Office, Cayman Islands

Primarily responsible in the London finance department, on a day-to-day basis, for billing, accounts receivable, account payable, journal entries, time recording and client queries.

I successfully managed to deal with an 8 month back log of the bank reconciliations and kept them updated on a weekly basis for eight accounts in various currencies – all manually.

Assisted in the conversion from Equitrac disbursement recovery system to the Copitrak recovery system.

Various ad hoc responsibilities including mass billing runs, (on a yearly basis – Cayman Island Registered Office Fees).

Accounts Controller - 04/1993–02/2003

Bird and Bird, London, United Kingdom www.twobirds.com International Law firm

First point of contact for Conflict Searches using CMS (integrated financial practice management and business intelligence solutions for the legal market) for London and International Offices via intranet requests.

Assisted in the upgrade to CMS Omnicurrency package from CMS single currency package. Assisted in the conversion from CMS Time Recording to Carpe Diem Electronic Time recording. Responsibility for entire UK salaried payroll including Year End tax returns. Knowledge of Legal Accounting including cashiering, GL, AR/AP, time and billing, month end

closures. Assisting International Accountant in Month End/Year End Accounting. Responsible for UK Partners individual drawings, distributions and profit shares. One to One training of individuals in the use of Conflict Intranet Submissions and brief overview of

conflict procedures

Accounts assistant - 04/1988-03/1993 - Hicks Arnold Solicitors, London, United Kingdom

Bank clerk - 08/1982-03/1988 - Yorkshire Bank plc, Skipton/Leeds, United Kingdom

Education Ermysted’s Grammar School - 8 ”O” Levels