iolta-manager

name	iolta-manager
description	| Use when this capability is needed.

IOLTA Manager Development Guide

A trust account management application for law firms to maintain IOLTA (Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts) compliance—tracking client funds, generating reports, and maintaining proper records per state bar requirements.

Live site: https://iolta-manager.casedev.app/

Architecture

src/
├── app/
│   ├── api/                    # API routes
│   │   ├── audit/              # Audit log endpoints
│   │   ├── clients/            # Client CRUD
│   │   ├── holds/              # Trust holds management
│   │   ├── matters/            # Matter management
│   │   ├── reports/            # Report generation
│   │   ├── settings/           # Firm settings
│   │   └── transactions/       # Transaction operations
│   ├── audit/                  # Audit log page
│   ├── clients/                # Client pages
│   ├── holds/                  # Holds management
│   ├── ledger/                 # Transaction ledger
│   ├── matters/                # Matter pages
│   ├── reports/                # Reports page
│   └── settings/               # Settings page
├── components/
│   ├── holds/                  # Hold-related components
│   ├── layout/                 # Sidebar, navigation
│   ├── matters/                # Matter components
│   ├── reports/                # Report components
│   └── ui/                     # Base UI components
├── db/
│   ├── index.ts                # Database connection
│   └── schema.ts               # Drizzle schema
└── lib/
    ├── audit.ts                # Audit logging utilities
    ├── iolta-compliance.ts     # State-specific rules
    ├── pdf-styles.ts           # Report styling
    └── utils.ts                # General utilities

Core Workflow

Create Client → Create Matter → Record Transactions → Place Holds → Generate Reports
      ↓              ↓                  ↓                 ↓               ↓
  Contact info   Link to client    Deposits/         Reserve funds   Monthly,
  stored         assign number     Disbursements     prevent over-   Reconciliation,
                                   track balance     disbursement    Client Ledger

Tech Stack

Layer	Technology
Frontend	Next.js 15 (App Router), React, Tailwind CSS
Backend	Next.js API Routes
Database	PostgreSQL + Drizzle ORM
Auth	NextAuth.js (demo mode)
PDF	React PDF
Icons	Lucide React

Key Features

Feature	Description
Dashboard	Real-time trust balance, recent transactions, active matters
Client Management	Profiles, contact info, matter associations
Matter Management	Link to clients, matter numbers, status tracking
Transaction Tracking	Deposits, disbursements, running balances
Trust Holds	Reserve funds, track reasons, available balance
Compliance Reports	Monthly, three-way reconciliation, client ledger
Audit Trail	Log all actions for compliance documentation

Database Operations

PostgreSQL with Drizzle ORM. See references/database-schema.md for complete schema.

Commands

npm run db:push      # Push schema (dev)
npm run db:generate  # Generate migrations
npm run db:studio    # Open Drizzle Studio

Core Tables

• clients: name, email, phone, address
• matters: clientId, name, matterNumber, status
• transactions: matterId, type, amount, date, payor/payee
• holds: matterId, amount, reason, status
• trustAccountSettings: firmName, state, bankInfo
• auditLog: action, entityType, entityId, details, timestamp

Development

Setup

npm install
cp .env.example .env.local
# Add DATABASE_URL to .env.local
npm run db:push
npm run dev

Environment

DATABASE_URL=postgresql://...    # PostgreSQL connection
NEXTAUTH_SECRET=...              # Auth secret (required for prod)
NEXTAUTH_URL=http://localhost:3000

IOLTA Compliance

See references/iolta-compliance.md for state-specific rules.

Supported Jurisdictions

All 50 states + DC with specific rules for record retention (5-7 years) and reconciliation requirements (monthly).

Key Compliance Concepts

• Three-way reconciliation: Bank statement + client ledgers + trust register
• Trust holds: Prevent disbursement of reserved funds
• Audit trail: Document all actions for bar compliance

Report Types

See references/reporting.md for generation patterns.

Report	Purpose
Monthly Trust Account	Period transactions, opening/closing balances
Three-Way Reconciliation	Bank vs ledger vs register comparison
Client Ledger	Per-client fund tracking, all matters

Common Tasks

Adding a New Report Type

1. Create report component in components/reports/
2. Add API endpoint in app/api/reports/
3. Add to report selector in app/reports/page.tsx
4. Style with lib/pdf-styles.ts

Adding a New Transaction Type

1. Update transaction type enum in db/schema.ts
2. Modify transaction form component
3. Update balance calculations in API routes
4. Add to audit logging

State Compliance Rules

// lib/iolta-compliance.ts
export function getStateRules(state: string): IOLTARules {
  // Returns retention period, reconciliation frequency, bar association
}

Security Considerations

• Bank account numbers masked (last 4 digits only)
• Show/hide toggle for sensitive data
• Audit trail for all actions
• Role-based access (when auth enabled)

Demo vs Production

Currently ships in demo mode. For production:

• Implement proper NextAuth.js authentication
• Add user roles (admin, attorney, paralegal, readonly)
• Enable RBAC for transactions/reports
• Configure proper NEXTAUTH_SECRET

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Balance mismatch	Check transaction types, verify holds
Report generation fails	Verify date range, check matter exists
Hold amount exceeds balance	Cannot hold more than available funds
Audit log missing entries	Check audit.ts is called in API routes

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