Payroll Manager - Law Firm - $125-160k - Hybrid
The Payroll Manager will lead the strategic execution, compliance, and administration of the firm’s payroll functions. This role ensures all legal and non-legal staff are paid accurately and on time while maintaining strict adherence to multi-state and international tax regulations. The Manager acts as a key advisor to leadership regarding partner distributions, associate base-pay adjustments, and the integration of complex bonus structures within a legal environment.
Key Responsibilities
Payroll Strategy & Execution: Oversee the end-to-end processing of multi-state payrolls for all attorneys, administrative staff, and partners.
Partner Distributions: Manage the unique complexities of partner compensation, including draws, tax distributions, and K-1 related withholdings.
Compliance & Tax Management: Ensure firm-wide compliance with federal, state, and local tax regulations, including payroll tax filings, W-2/1099 production, and "nexus" issues related to traveling attorneys.
System Optimization: Lead the maintenance and enhancement of the firm’s payroll systems, ensuring seamless integration with time-entry and HRIS platforms.
Audit & Reporting: Conduct regular internal audits to ensure data integrity. Lead the preparation of payroll-related reports for the Finance, Tax, and Benefits departments.
Associate Cycles: Partner with the Compensation team to execute annual lockstep increases, ensuring precise adjustments for associate classes and bonus payouts.
Policy Development: Establish and document standard operating procedures (SOPs) for payroll to ensure continuity and risk mitigation.
Required Qualifications
Experience: A minimum of 7+ years of progressive payroll experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership capacity.
Industry Knowledge: Previous experience within a law firm environment is required. Candidates must understand partner capital accounts, associate lockstep models, and professional services billing structures.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
Technical Skills: Expert-level proficiency in payroll software (such as ADP, Workday, Dayforce or UKG) and advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including VLOOKUPs, pivot tables, and data modeling.
Certification: CPP (Certified Payroll Professional) is strongly preferred.
To apply, please send your resume and references to
Liberty Personnel Services, Inc.
1001 Conshohocken State Rd, Suite 2-410