Efimis: From Back-Office to Boardroom
| Friday, September 11, 2026 |
| 1:00 PM - 1:10 PM |
| Wala Mirr Theatre |
Overview
From Back Office to Boardroom: Reimagining Financial Management in Law Firms
Finance teams sit at the centre of a law firm’s financial truth, yet they are often brought into important conversations only after decisions have already been made. They are expected to validate pricing, hiring, technology investment and expansion plans, while working with fragmented data, legacy systems, manual reporting and time-consuming workarounds.
This session explores how law firms can reposition finance from a traditional back-office function into a strategic partner that actively supports leadership and decision-making.
Christopher Tweedie will examine why many firms still operate primarily in hindsight, relying on retrospective reports and information that may already be weeks out of date. He will show how connected financial systems, real-time visibility and accessible data can help firms progress from understanding what happened, to identifying why it happened and, ultimately, deciding what should happen next.
The session will cover the practical impact of stronger financial visibility across key areas including matter profitability, work in progress, billing, lock-up, cash flow, pricing and resourcing. It will also consider the role of AI in removing friction from financial reporting and giving leaders faster access to accurate, relevant information—while emphasising that AI is only valuable when supported by well-structured data and strong financial processes.
This matters because law firms are facing increasing pressure on margins, greater client scrutiny, growing competition and more complex operational demands. Firms can no longer rely solely on instinct or delayed reporting when making important commercial decisions.
What makes this approach valuable is its focus on financial management as a firm-wide capability, rather than simply an accounting function. The objective is not to produce more reports or create more data, but to make financial information real-time, accessible and actionable. By doing so, finance teams can move from answering “What happened?” to helping the firm determine “What should we do next?”
Speaker
Mr Chris Tweedie
Commercial Lead, Australia
Efimis
From Back-Office to Boardroom
Biography
Christopher Tweedie is the Commercial Lead, Australia at Efimis, where he works with law firms to modernise financial management through connected, purpose-built technology. With extensive experience partnering with legal practices across Australia and internationally, Christopher helps firms improve financial visibility, streamline operations, and make more informed business decisions.
Passionate about transforming finance from a back-office function into a strategic driver of firm performance, Christopher works closely with legal finance leaders to deliver practical solutions that support growth, compliance and operational excellence. At ALPMA, he will share insights into how connected financial systems and real-time data are enabling firms to move beyond retrospective reporting and make faster, more confident decisions.
