DEMETRIA K. PENN

Bloomfield, NJ Cell Telephone: 973-***-****

adqpky@r.postjobfree.com

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Landman, Corsi, Ballaine & Ford, Newark, NJ March 2015 to April 2022

Accounting Manager October 2016 to March 2022

Responsible for the hiring, training, managing, mentoring, evaluating, and participating in daily duties of a team of 10 consisting of two A/P Clerks, two A/R Collections Specialists, three Billing Specialists, two E-Billing Specialists & one General Accounting Clerk, for a midsize litigation firm, reporting directly to the Director of Finance.

Generate & review all timekeeper reports on a weekly basis

Process notifications advising timekeepers of errors with their time and due dates

Set-up timekeepers on accounting system and provide training

Ensure billers generate, review, and distribute “Drafts/Proforma” in a timely manner, adhering to the client’s most up to date billing guidelines.

Record changes of member rates for their client (currently maintaining over 100 rates)

Review Billing/Ebilling Guidelines with Billers and enter in NetDoc

Review and approve write-offs

Review and approve office-related invoices and expenses reimbursement vouchers

Ensure A/P processing & recording of wire payments are done in a timely fashion

Review & approve Accounts Payable checks before the team can submit to member for signature.

Meet with members to discuss

the aging report and advise the Accounts Receivable team what is the next course of action for collections, after

Handle “Special Client” Collections

Identify EFT/ACH/Wire payments received so A/R can reconcile and apply

Review and audit various client accounts maintained in the IOLA & IOLTA Trust Accounts

Review and approve documentation prior to deposit or disbursement from an IOLA & IOLTA Trust Account

Assist and provide support to team

- Process A/R checks & wires deposit and application

- Process drafts, edits, final and upload

- Audit and process check/wire request

- Audit & process IOLA & IOLTA check/wire request & deposits

Prepare & process month-end reports

- Timekeeper billable reports providing MTD, YTD, & averages

- MTD/YTD Fees/costs billed. Collected, written off

- MTD/YTD top 20 client’s collections verses billed

Assist and provide support to the Director of Finance, Managing Partners of Administration, IT Director, Office Manager, and Key members of the firm

- Played a key role in the conversion from Rainmaker/Omega to Surepoint/Rippe Accounting System

- Special reports on client top 10

- Review client budgets

- Generate reports per auditor’s request

Process Payroll & 40K

- Calculate and enter overtime & pto (personal time off) in ADP

- Review employee timecards in ADP & review Paydata reports for errors

- Upload payroll journal entries

- Fund 401K, generate, format and submit 401K file to Fidelity

Billing/Collections Supervisor March 2015 to October 2016

Supervise (five-member team) as well as perform all duties legal billing, electronic billing, collections and A/R

Monitor progress against and assist Partners in achieving billing and collections targets

Collect and organize data to assist with establishing and monitoring client matter budgets

Set and maintain new client matters

Generate mid-month and month-end reports

Communicate with partnership consistently regarding time entry and billing practices

Schedule and facilitate a meeting with partner to review AR and Aged AR

Collaborate with the partnership to reconcile aged accounts with client

Coughlin Duffy, Morristown, NJ October 2013 to March 2015

Senior Billing /E-billing Coordinator

Responsibilities include but are not limited to generating, distributing and editing prebills for Attorneys, (20 Billing Partners)

Meet guidelines or procedures according to client and attorney specifications (time edits, write-offs, transfers, rate tier changes, value adjustments).

Set up matters for electronic billing for new and active matters; update/adjust LEDES file as needed; identify and document clients with special needs.

Process invoices in final format, mail and submit invoices electronically

Resolve appeals rejections related to electronic billing

Open and close matters

Prepare and submit budgets; status reports for approval (electric billing matters)

Assist with collections (per request of attorney)

Generate month-end reports and close monthly accounting period

Generate WIP, client ledger history and other billing reports for attorneys as requested (meet with partners to discuss)

Train and Supervisor Billing Coordinators (5) and Accounting Clerks (2)

Debevoise & Plimpton, New York, NY May 2011 to September 2013

Billing Coordinator

Prepare, edit and distribute monthly and quarterly proformas/invoices for Billing Partners (21 active partners)

Meet guidelines or procedures according to client and attorney specifications (time edits, transfers, rate tier changes, value adjustments).

Process time and disbursements write offs.

Generate WIP and billing reports for partners and clients as requested.

Submit final invoices electronically

Generate monthly projections (meet with partners to discuss)

Train new Billing Coordinators and Billing Assistants

Delegate and supervise the daily activity of Billing Assistant

Provide Moscow office with above services

Patton Boggs, Newark, NJ August 2006 to June 2010

Senior Billing/Collection Analyst

Prepare, edit and distribute monthly proformas for 12 Partners and Attorneys.

Supervise the workflow of two Billing Assistants

Work closely with partners to ensure invoices meet guidelines or procedures according to client and attorney specifications (time edits, transfers, rate changes, value adjustments).

Scheduled Collections meetings with partners to discuss outstanding AR and procedures to collect (different depending upon client, I. E, phone calls, emails, invoices with spreadsheets)

Designated client point of contact and responsible for accurate and timely electronics billing of invoices

Retrieves client e-billing file numbers for new and active matters; update/adjust LEDES file as needed; identify and document clients with special needs (Task/Expenses/Activity Codes); file all correspondence.

Generate reports to discuss with attorneys (WIP, unallocated funds, unbilled time cost, Accounts Receivable-aged).

Process time and disbursements write offs and apply retainer allocations.

Assist with year-end closing and reporting as required.

The lead Billing and Collections analyst for the World Trade Center matter.

Completed several projects and reporting utilizing Excel (spreadsheets/formulas).

Assist attorneys, secretaries and clients with inquiries and research as needed.

Schedule and facilitate billing classes for all new staff employees

Morrison & Foerster, New York, NY August 2004 to March 2006

Billing Coordinator

Responsibilities include but are not limited to processing client invoices on behalf of Attorneys, according and in adherence to departmental procedures, billing attorney instructions or special client arrangements.

Conduct monthly individual billing Attorney/Partner Accounts Receivable reviews to obtain client insight and provide research analysis.

Review prebilling documents and client matter master files for accuracy and special deals, as well as review rates, process write-offs, execute transfer of time and disbursements and demographic data prior to final billing submission.

Track tiered discounts and advise of changes in tier levels.

Prepare bills to ensure they are mailed in a timely fashion, utilizing a number of submission avenues, particularly US Postal mail, e-mail (by PDF) and E-billing Create on account/retainer bills.

Design and maintain Excel spreadsheets, as well as other application tools, for billing analysis, electronic billing and monthly/year-end closing.

Prepare detailed correspondence regarding collection issues and advise client of possible resolution or ramification if account not settled; conduct research and responses to collection inquiries.

McCarter & English, Newark, NJ June 2001 to July 2004

Billing Coordinator

Prepare and distribute monthly client billing from proforma to final bill

Edit and finalize monthly billing for 20 Partners.

Responsible for the Philadelphia Office; execute transfer of time and cost, process write-off of fees and disbursements.

Create spreadsheets in Excel; distribute monthly management reports.

Provide ledger histories, bill summary, fee and cost activity reports; generate proforma statements on a monthly basis for partner review. Open and Close matters.

Analyze any other billing discrepancies/Balance cost report to outside vendor bill.

Research attorney and client inquiries regarding billing, cash receipts, accounts payable and receivable.

Review client policies and procedures for rate, cost exceptions and special bill formats.

Carella, Byrne Law Firm, Roseland, NJ April 1999 to June 2001

Billing/AR Specialist

Prepare, approve and submit invoices on behalf of over (40) attorneys.

Ensure changes to approximately 60 invoices due are made a timely manner

Prepare and process month end transaction, verify all invoices.

Complete daily check requisitions, bank reconciliation, manually enter general ledger, journal entries, apply transfers and balance amounts in the Reimbursement Checking Account; make daily deposits into the accounts records of all monies received and disbursed

EDUCATION

Montclair State University, Upper Montclair, NJ

Bachelor of Arts – Sociology

Additional Course Work - General Accounting Courses – 1.5 years (3.5 semesters)

TECHNICAL SUMMARY/DATABASE

SurePoint/Rippe, Omega, Aderant/Rainmaker, Elite Enterprise, ADP, Microsoft Office Outlook, Excel, Word, Net Documents, Electronic Billing Invoicing Systems: (currently using); DataCert, TyMetrix 360, Serengeti, Legal Precision, Allegient-Bottomline Collaborati, Legal Solutions Suite, Legal Cost Control Litigation Advisor, CSC Global, Counsel Link, Acuity, Ariba, Team Connect, Stuart Maue, Partner Select & Passport

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