The Challenge
Talbots Law is a modern, growing UK law firm with a strong reputation for delivering high- quality legal services across the West Midlands. As the firm expanded through strategic mergers and acquisitions, its operational infrastructure needed to evolve to support that growth.
Now with 600+ users, one area that required attention was the management of financial transactions across the business. As the firm grew, the volume of client money requests and approvals increased significantly. The existing processes had developed over time and were largely manual, involving emails, documentation and multiple steps across different systems.
Conveyancing makes up around 60% of the firm’s business, which creates a high volume of financial transactions for each and every competition. Rebecca Williams, Head of Finance at Talbots Law, explains:
“On the 31st of March 2025, we processed around 700 same-day payments to complete property transactions ahead of the Stamp Duty Land Tax changes. It was so admin-heavy that I was pulled away from other key aspects of my role for a full week. This highlighted the need for a more scalable solution.”
While their internal finance processes had served the firm well, Talbots recognised an opportunity to modernise and scale its financial operations. The firm wanted to:
At the same time, any new solution needed to integrate seamlessly with the firm’s existing technology stack, including its practice management system, SOS Connect, and its banking infrastructure.
Talbots turned to Xperate, specialists in bespoke legal technology development, to design a modern, integrated solution.
The Approach
Having previously collaborated successfully with Talbots on integrations with SOS Connect, Xperate already had a strong understanding of the firm’s systems and workflows. This existing relationship enabled the teams to quickly move into a collaborative design process.
Working closely with Rebecca Williams, Head of Finance, and Ben Kellett, Systems Development Manager, Xperate undertook a full discovery process to map the firm’s financial workflows and identify opportunities for automation and optimisation.
The result was the development of ‘LexLedger’ and ‘Incoming Monies’ – two bespoke platforms designed specifically for Talbots’ operational needs.
Working as a fully integrated financial workflow, LexLedger provides a centralised platform that manages the entire lifecycle of financial transactions within the firm. Fee earners can submit financial requests through a clear, structured interface. These requests move through defined approval workflows before being processed by the finance team.
Once approved, the system automatically:
This eliminates the need for finance staff to manually re-enter transaction details into banking portals - a process that previously introduced delays and risk of error.
Xperate also modernised Talbots’ approach to handling incoming client payments.
The system now reads incoming transactions directly from the bank via API integration and presents them in a user-friendly interface. Fee earners expecting funds can identify and claim payments, linking them directly to the correct matter and posting them automatically to SOS Connect.
The systems incorporate important safeguards, including Confirmation of Payee checks, helping the firm verify account details before funds are transferred. The platform also provides clear audit trails and visibility for the finance team.
Given the critical nature of financial systems, the project was rolled out in phases over 12-months. This allowed Talbots to introduce the system department by department, ensuring smooth adoption and minimal disruption to the business.
The collaborative approach extended beyond the initial launch in January 2026. Xperate’s developers continue to work closely with Talbots’ internal teams to refine and enhance the platform, including the addition of new modules such as supplier payment functionality.
Commenting on the project, Ben Kellett, Systems Development Manager, said:
“We’d worked with Xperate before and always had a really strong relationship. When it became clear our existing systems wouldn’t meet the requirements, they were our first choice. Moving from a three-system process to a single, integrated platform has made a huge difference in terms of efficiency and control. Working with Xperate feels like a partnership, rather than a supplier relationship. They’re responsive, agile and genuinely invested in helping us get the best outcome.”
The Outcome
Today, the bespoke tools are used across the firm by more than 630 users, supporting the secure and efficient management of financial transactions at scale. The platform has already processed thousands of transactions, demonstrating its ability to handle significant operational throughput.
Key benefits include:
Further to the efficiency benefits, Talbots Law have managed to continue without replacing a member of the finance team after they left, demonstrating how the improved processes have significantly reduced administration time.
Beyond the technology itself, the project highlights the value of close collaboration between legal professionals and specialist legal tech developers. By working hand-in-hand, Talbots and Xperate created a solution tailored precisely to the firm’s operational needs.
Josh Lewis, Managing Consultant at Xperate, said:
“This project was a true partnership between our team and Talbots’ finance and IT specialists. By working closely together we were able to design a solution that not only solved immediate challenges but created a scalable platform for the future. It’s incredibly rewarding to see LexLedger now supporting the entire firm’s financial operations.”
Rebecca Williams, Head of Finance at Talbots Law, said:
“Xperate really took the time to understand how we work and built a system that integrates seamlessly with our existing technology. LexLedger has transformed the way our finance team operates, giving us greater efficiency, control and confidence in our processes as we continue to grow.”