Basic Accounting Principles For Lawyers

This fourth edition provides the most basic information needed to understand accounting and treats the most current issues in accounting principles, practices and procedures. It is both an introductory text for the practitioner who is not versed in the ways of accounting and an update for those who have some basic knowledge of accounting.

Many lawyers, especially those dealing with commercial matters, need to understand accounting yet feel on shaky ground in the area. This book is written specifically for them. It breaks down and makes clear basic concepts (such as the difference between profit and cash flow), the accounting profession and the legal and regulatory framework within which accounting operates. The relevant provisions of the Companies Act 1985 are discussed at some length. Holgate explains generally accepted accounting principles in the UK (GAAP), the trend towards global harmonisation and the role of international accounting standards. He then deals with specific areas such as group accounts, acquisitions, tax, leases, pensions, financial instruments, and realised profits, focusing in each case on those aspects that are likely to confront lawyers in their work. This book will appeal to the general practitioner as well as to lawyers working in corporate, commercial, and tax law.

Most law students have never had formal coursework in accounting or finance, yet these areas are integral to so many law school courses including: Business Associations, Securities Regulations, Corporate Finance, Taxation, Banking Law, Financial Regulation, and Business Planning. With math no more difficult than high school algebra, Essential Concepts of Business for Lawyers, Third Edition fills in those gaps with an accessible and interactive presentation of accounting, finance, and financial markets. Each stand-alone chapter provides a complete lesson that will shed light on business courses in law school, as well as business situations in legal practice. New to the Third Edition: Updates for and addition of new cases that illustrate the business concepts Addition of more examples, including information related to more companies such as Google and Uber Addition of new materials on the basic microeconomic concept of supply and demand Professors and students will benefit from: A self-contained course book that supports a 2-credit course on an overview of business concepts, including accounting, finance, valuation, financial instruments, and business strategy Lessons that go beyond the definitions of terms of art and business terminology A book written at an accessible level Edited appellate cases that connect business concepts to the law and legal practice Knowledge of the basic and most essential concepts of business Materials presented in an accessible way including the use of many examples to illustrate difficult concepts Clear explanations of difficult materials and foreign concepts

The need for an understanding of accounting is now even more critical than ever for lawyers practicing in many areas including securities and corporate law and litigation. In addition, over the last several years, the Financial Accounting Standards Board has made some landmark changes in the accounting rules in areas of interest to lawyers, including the accounting for mergers and acquisitions. The Second Edition of Accounting and Finance For Lawyers includes important material on such areas as accounting for stock options and derivatives and the elimination of the pooling of interests method of accounting for acquisitions. There is a discussion of the accounting implications of the use of so-called special purpose entities. Finally, a chapter on international accounting issues reflects the increasing globalization of business and accounting. As in the First Edition, the basic building blocks of accounting are covered so that the material is accessible and useful to those with any level of accounting knowledge.