The history of tlam
Headed up by one the legal sector’s most experienced financial directors tlam has navigated, restructured, reshaped and consolidated law firms’ finances in tune with complexities of market and regulatory conditions.
In 2008 founder Tina Surman started tlam following a mutual agreement with her employers, a prestigious white-collar crime and litigation practice in London.
Tina headed up their accounts department as Finance Director, the costs of which were increasing year on year. During and after the recession, the then managing partner and Tina Surman discussed the potential of taking the accounts department out of London and reducing the salary, overheads and rental costs. It made absolute financial sense.
Engaging in a new partnership, the firm entrusted their finances to tlam to manage outside London.
tlam was set up and traded from a serviced office in Gloucestershire with 3 staff and one management accountant remaining in London to assist with building the core competences for both businesses.
Tina Surman CGMA, ACMA, CICM (Grad),
Managing Director and Founder
Supporting over 50 legal practices
Over time tlam were introduced to other law firms in London as well as firms UK-wide. Organically and by reputation, tlam has grown to supporting over 50 legal practices from three offices in 2017, to building working partnerships with legal software companies and financial services, and opening up an R&D department for advanced technologies.
That original partnership is still strong and because of tlam, millions have been saved in back office functions. More importantly this enabled our clients’ turnover to quadruple and profits to soar as they had the financial flexibility and professional freedom to expand and grow.
