Dominica Smeaton
Burnt Hills,NY
Summary
Results-driven legal billing specialist with over 8 years of experience, including 4 years in a managerial role within a fast-paced, high-volume law firm. Proven expertise in streamlining billing processes and enhancing operational efficiency while ensuring compliance with legal standards. Skilled in leading teams to achieve optimal performance and deliver exceptional client service. Committed to leveraging extensive knowledge of billing practices to contribute to organizational success.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Billing and Collections Manager
Jackson Lewis P.C.
Albany, NY
05.2024 - Current
- Responsible for managing the financial performance of assigned region and proactively searching and implementing ways to improve performance.
- Ensure all billing requirements and collections goals are met.
- Conduct annual and semi-annual reviews of billing/collection staff.
- Conduct interviews for new hires and participate/delegate training of new hires.
- Manage escalated client issues to resolution.
- Participated in various conference calls regarding billing and collections on high level objectives with the Director, Chief Financial Officer and/or Attorney Leadership.
- Assist the Senior Director of Billings and Collections with client projects.
Billing Supervisor
Jackson Lewis P.C.
Albany, NY
04.2022 - 05.2024
- Responsible for handling attorney escalations and working with the attorneys directly to resolve billing issues and proactively mitigate potential problems.
- Assist the Director in a timely and accurate manner with billing requests, projects, and be able to properly delegate certain items to the billing team members.
- Support the Director of Billing and Collections, as well as the other supervisors with accounting system upgrades (Aderant Expert and Aderant Collections module).
- Work with designated team members across departments to develop/improve the billing process.
- Participate on various conference calls regarding billing on a high level, whether with the Director, Chief Financial Officer, or Attorney Leadership.
- Support the Finance Team with requests on the monthly reporting package.
- Report on and manage the monthly aged pre-bill process.
- Run various billing/accrual reports on set schedules, as well as on an ad hoc basis.
- Manage escalated client issues to resolution.
- Review work of Billing Staff to ensure accuracy and resolve inconsistencies if needed.
- Conduct interviews for new hires and participate/delegate training of new hires.
- Conduct annual review process with billing staff.
Senior Billing Coordinator
Jackson Lewis P.C.
Albany, NY
06.2021 - 04.2022
- Mentored colleagues and facilitated training for new hires, fostering a collaborative work environment.
- Aid with collections and other special research projects requested by attorneys and clients.
- Distribute and process monthly prebills, including entering changes in accounting program.
- Responsible for complex billing assignments, ensuring high level client support.
- Coordinate monthly reports to Attorneys-time reports, accrual reports, etc.
- Respond to various billing related inquiries from attorneys and clients.
Billing Coordinator
Jackson Lewis P.C.
Albany, NY
05.2018 - 06.2021
- Distribute and process monthly prebills, including entering changes in accounting program.
- Responsible for complex billing assignments, ensuring high level client support.
- Coordinate monthly reports to Attorneys-time reports, accrual reports, etc.
- Respond to various billing related inquiries from attorneys and clients.
Senior Member Service Representative & Loan Associate
School Systems Federal Credit Union
Troy, NY
02.2009 - 05.2018
- Supervised the teller line, ensuring efficient operations and high-quality member service.
- Resolved account discrepancies through effective problem-solving and reconciliation techniques.
- Analyzed and processed loan applications, contributing to informed lending decisions for members.
- Reviewed and corrected fraudulent debit and credit card transactions to protect members’ accounts.
Education
Maria College
Albany, NY01-2011
Advanced Regents Diploma - undefined
Lansingburgh High School
Troy, NY01-2007
Skills
- Critical thinking and problem resolution
- Meticulous attention to detail
- Strong organizational skills
- Effective written and verbal communication
- Client relations management
- Risk assessment capabilities
- Past due balance management
- Aderant, Expert Billing, Expert Collections, Billstream, BillBlast, Legal Tracker, CounselLink, Datacert/Passport, Collaborati, Bottomline-Legal-X, Microsoft excel, Microsoft outlook, Microsoft teams
Timeline
Billing and Collections Manager
Jackson Lewis P.C.
05.2024 - Current
Billing Supervisor
Jackson Lewis P.C.
04.2022 - 05.2024
Senior Billing Coordinator
Jackson Lewis P.C.
06.2021 - 04.2022
Billing Coordinator
Jackson Lewis P.C.
05.2018 - 06.2021
Senior Member Service Representative & Loan Associate
School Systems Federal Credit Union
02.2009 - 05.2018
Advanced Regents Diploma - undefined
Lansingburgh High School
Maria College