Prepare a trust account statement for the person for whom trust money is held
Key facts
- Human involvement
- YellowClose supervision
- How AI is used
- From the trust ledger, the controlled-money record or the power record the lawyer selects, fill a trust account statement with the particulars kept for that money and the remaining balance. Produce a separate statement for each ledger, each controlled-money record and each power record. Do not include transit money or written direction money.
- What the lawyer must review
- The lawyer checks every figure against the record before the statement is given. Rule 52 requires a statement as soon as practicable after the matter is completed, after a reasonable request during the matter, and as soon as practicable after 30 June each year, unless the zero-balance exception in subrule (5) applies. Subrule (6) is a transitional rule tied to the commencement day in that jurisdiction. The lawyer confirms it has expired before relying on it. The practice keeps a copy.
- Written for / version
- US
Open a jurisdiction version of this task to see which instruments apply: US
Who does what
| Role | What they do |
|---|---|
| Assistance | Do not begin AI assistance until the responsible lawyer has defined and confirmed its permitted scope. |
| Lawyer | Set the scope, supervise the work closely, verify every part relied on, resolve omissions and exceptions, and approve the exact output. |
Checklist
- Check the remaining balance against the ledger, not against the client's recollection.
- Issue a separate statement for the general trust ledger, the controlled-money record and any power record.
- Do not issue a 30 June statement where subrule (5) applies: a zero balance and either no transaction in the previous 12 months, or a statement already given in that period with no later transaction.
- Do not rely on subrule (6) unless the lawyer has confirmed the transitional period is still open in that jurisdiction.
Sources
- Legal Profession Uniform General Rules 2015 r 52, trust account statements · 2026-10-22
- Legal Practice Board of Western Australia, trust account management · 2026-10-22
These are suggested working checks. Confirm the required checking with the responsible lawyer before work starts; the checking approach does not establish permission to use AI.