Today, the Finance Systems role has moved beyond technical stewardship of the finance system. It demands strategic oversight of SaaS vendors, cloud migrations, data models, dashboards, and cross-firm governance. In this episode of the Katchr Podcast we are joined by Ashley Maw who explains how Bird & Bird transitioned from static financial reports to interactive Power BI dashboards serving partners, sector leads, and country heads.

Ashley discusses the realities of adoption, why finance teams crave stability even while innovation accelerates, and how to strike that balance. The conversation also explores how AI is beginning to reshape billing compliance and reporting workflows, and what firms must get right in their data estate before AI can deliver real value.

For UK law firm finance systems leaders, this episode offers a candid look at the pressures, opportunities, and skills required to lead finance transformation in 2026 and beyond.

About Ashley

Ashley is the Head of Finance Systems at Bird & Bird, an international law firm known for its focus on technology and the digital world.

He is responsible for overseeing the firm’s financial technology infrastructure and driving digital transformation within the finance department and more widely throughout the firm.

With nearly 25 years’ experience implementing legal financial systems and solutions in all sizes of firms on both the law firm and software supplier side, Ashley applies a pragmatic approach to meeting the various challenges faced by large international law firms.

Connect
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-maw-36185b10/
https://www.twobirds.com/en

In this episode of Katchr Podcast, Graham Moore speaks with Hywel Pegler, Director at RSM UK and a long-standing adviser to law firms on financial performance, compliance, and strategic change. Reflecting on 2025, Hywel shares a finance leader’s view of how the legal sector has navigated economic volatility, regulatory pressure, investor interest, and accelerating technology change. 

Looking back at what firms experienced over the last year, this conversation explores the financial and strategic signals law firm leaders should carry forward as they plan for 2026. From interest income masking operational inefficiencies, to the growing role of private equity, funding for AI investment, rising regulatory scrutiny, and the need for clearer long-term strategy, Hywel highlights where finance leaders saw progress and where risks quietly built up.

A useful reflection for finance leaders who want to turn recent lessons into better planning, stronger governance, and more confident decision-making in the years ahead.

With Robert Camp – former Managing Partner & employee-ownership pioneer

The traditional law-firm partnership model is under pressure. In conversation with former Stephens Scown managing partner Robert Camp, we unpack why the classic model falls short in today’s legal market — from staff disengagement to leadership handover risks. Robert shares honest insight into cultural challenges, succession planning and what it takes to embed values that support growth and engagement. A must-listen for managing partners, firm boards and anyone thinking about ownership structure, culture or future-proofing their firm. 

 With Andrew Allen – Partner & Head of Legal Sector at PKF Francis Clark

More reports don’t make your firm more profitable — better data does. Andrew Allen joins Graham Moore to explain why financial reporting remains a pain point at many law firms and which KPIs really matter. From flawed time capture to unclear partner behaviour, we highlight the practices that destroy accountability — and show how clear, targeted data can turn month-end chaos into confident decision making. Ideal for finance directors, CFOs and firm leaders seeking clarity and control. 

With Brett Warburton-Smith – Partner at Lockton

Cyber-attack isn’t just a corporate problem — law firms are at serious risk too. Drawing on the high-profile “Scattered Spider” attack on Marks & Spencer, Brett Warburton-Smith and Graham Moore unpack how industrial-scale ransomware operations exploit human-behaviour vulnerabilities and supply-chain weaknesses. This episode reveals why speed of detection matters, how cyber insurance supports recovery, and how law firms can build resilient defences before it’s too late. A critical listen for risk & compliance leaders, IT teams and firm executives.

With Dan Hodges – Head of Account Management, Conscious Solutions (Specialists in Law Firm Marketing)

Law-firm marketers often struggle to prove the value of their work — and that undermines long-term investment. In this episode, Dan Hodges and Graham Moore expose why missing data, outdated tracking and cultural resistance stop firms from measuring ROI. More importantly, they lay out simple, actionable steps to shift from gut-feel marketing to data-driven impact. Essential listening for marketing and BD leads, partners evaluating spend, and anyone working to grow firm profitability through sustained client acquisition

With Patricia Kinahan – Partner at Hazlewoods (Accountants & Business Advisors)

True financial accountability requires more than spreadsheets and manual reports — it demands firmwide engagement with data. Patricia Kinahan and Graham Moore explore common barriers law firms face: poor data practices, cultural resistance and disjointed workflows. They offer practical ideas for breaking down silos and making financial performance visible — not just to finance teams but across the entire firm. A powerful episode for managing partners, finance leads and practice heads who want to build a culture of transparency and data-driven accountability.

In conversation with the former CEO of Ashton's Legal and Graham Moore, founder of Katchr.

With Claire Burden – partner at S&W (UK professional services accounting and advisory firm).

Every law firm collects data — but few know how to use it to manage risk. In this episode, Claire Burden of S&W (formerly Evelyn Partners) and Katchr founder Graham Moore dissect the weaknesses and reporting gaps that leave law firms exposed. We explore where typical risk reporting fails, the hidden costs of data silos, and why a holistic, data-driven approach is critical for compliance, resilience and long-term firm stability. Law firm leaders, risk & compliance officers and finance teams will walk away with practical ideas for surfacing risk signals before they become problems.