Payroll and Legal Accounting Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Payroll & Legal Accounting Specialist

Dallas, Texas | On-Site | Full-Time

Competitive Pay + Discretionary Bonus + Benefits

Own the Process Not Just One Piece of It

If you are an accounting or payroll professional who enjoys having real ownership of your work, this opportunity offers something different from a traditional high-volume accounting department.

Our client, an established Dallas professional services firm, is adding a Payroll & Legal Accounting Specialist to its small accounting team.

Rather than handling one step in a much larger process, you will be responsible for several important business cycles from beginning to end, including:

• Payroll
• New client and matter setup
• Accounts receivable and collections
• Electronic billing
• Accounting support

You will work directly with the Controller, CFO, attorneys, HR, and other members of the accounting team and become the person leadership relies on to keep these recurring processes accurate and moving.

Why This Opportunity Is Worth Considering

Own your work from beginning to end.

You won't simply prepare information for someone else to finish. You'll own recurring processes and be trusted to make sure they are completed accurately and on time.

Become a key partner to the Controller.

This position is being created to take meaningful recurring responsibilities off the Controller's desk, giving you visibility and responsibility within the accounting function.

Expand your accounting skill set.

You'll gain exposure across payroll, receivables, billing, client and matter intake, reconciliations, and professional-services accounting rather than being confined to one narrow specialty.

Work in a small team where your contribution is visible.

The accounting group works closely with firm leadership. Strong performance will not disappear inside a large department.

Use both your technical skills and your people skills.

This role requires accuracy, but it also involves communicating with attorneys, employees, clients, vendors, and senior leadership.

Join during a period of growth and transition.

The organization has approximately 100 attorneys and professional staff and is entering a period of growth that includes a move into new office space.

What You'll Own

Payroll

You will serve as the firm's primary internal payroll operator working with an outsource HR/Payroll company to process payroll timely.

Responsibilities include:

• Process biweekly and monthly payroll accurately and on schedule.
• Verify hours, salary changes, deductions, expense reimbursements, and other employee changes.
• Review payroll registers and investigate discrepancies before payroll is funded.
• Reconcile payroll to the general ledger.
• Coordinate payroll-related employee changes with HR.
• Handle garnishments, child-support orders, and other required withholdings.
• Track and reconcile PTO accruals and balances.
• Coordinate payroll tax reporting and year-end activity with the firm's outsourced payroll/PEO partner.
• Submit 401(k) contribution and loan-remittance information.
• Respond directly to employee payroll questions.
• Maintain accurate payroll records and supporting documentation.

The firm uses an outside PEO for payroll infrastructure and compliance support, but y ou will own the internal payroll process and serve as the day-to-day payroll contact with that provider.

Client & Matter Intake

You will own the process of opening, maintaining, and closing client matters.

Responsibilities include:

• Open and close matters in accordance with firm procedures.
• Gather engagement letters, billing rates, billing requirements, and other required information.
• Coordinate conflict-clearance requirements.
• Maintain accurate client and matter information.
• Set up rate tables and billing arrangements.
• Coordinate electronic billing requirements.
• Maintain accurate document, practice management, and accounting system records.
• Help ensure billable time is associated with the correct client matter.
• Follow up with attorneys when required information is missing.

Attorneys may be in trial or focused on client work, so success requires someone who is professional, persistent, and comfortable following up until the necessary information is received.

Electronic Billing

You will support the firm's electronic billing process, including:

• Prepare and submit LEDES-format invoices.
• Work in client billing platforms such as Legal Tracker, CounselLink, CounselGo, or similar systems.
• Review invoices for accuracy and compliance with client billing guidelines.
• Manage timekeeper admissions and rate approvals.
• Track and resolve rejected or reduced invoices.
• Assist with client accrual requests and billing inquiries.
• Provide additional support during peak monthly billing periods.
• Help ensure invoices move through review and are submitted on time.

Hands-on legal e-billing experience is especially valuable for this position.

Accounts Receivable & Collections

You will help attorneys manage receivables associated with their clients.

Responsibilities include:

• Prepare and distribute monthly accounts receivable and aging reports.
• Identify balances that require attention.
• Work with billing attorneys to establish the appropriate collection approach.
• Contact client accounting departments regarding past-due invoices when appropriate.
• Investigate short payments, invoice reductions, rejected bills, and disputes.
• Correct or resubmit invoices when needed.
• Apply client payments and applicable retainer or trust funds.
• Maintain accurate records of collection activity and commitments.
• Escalate aging or at-risk balances before they become write-off candidates.

Because these are ongoing client relationships, successful collections here require persistence without damaging the relationship.

What We're Looking For

You may be a strong fit if you have:

• 4+ years of combined payroll, accounting, billing, or related experience.
• Direct hands-on responsibility for running a payroll cycle.
• Working knowledge of payroll deductions, withholdings, garnishments, PTO, and payroll-tax fundamentals.
• Bookkeeping and account reconciliation experience.
• Accounts receivable and collections experience.
• Experience communicating directly with customers or clients regarding payment.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including lookups and pivot tables.
• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to maintain accuracy under recurring deadlines.
• The ability to work independently and own processes from beginning to end.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• The confidence and professionalism to work directly with attorneys and firm leadership.
• The judgment required to handle highly confidential financial and compensation information.
• The persistence to follow up on missing information without requiring constant direction.

Experience That Will Get Our Attention

Particularly valuable experience includes:

• Law-firm accounting
• Professional-services accounting
• Legal billing
• LEDES billing
• Legal Tracker
• CounselLink
• CounselGo
• Legal practice-management or accounting systems
• PEO or outsourced payroll providers
• Client or matter intake
• Conflicts procedures
• NetDocuments
• Professional-services collections

You do not necessarily need every one of these.

Someone who is particularly strong across payroll, accounting, accounts receivable, and collections and can learn the legal-specific components may still be a strong candidate.

Who Will Thrive Here

This opportunity is ideal for someone who thinks:

• “Give me responsibility for the process and let me make sure it gets done correctly.”
• You enjoy a role where no two days are exactly alike.
• You can move from reconciling payroll, to resolving an invoice issue, to calling a client about an aging balance, to following up with an attorney for missing rate information.
• You notice when something doesn't reconcile.
• You follow up without being reminded.
• You ask questions before a small problem becomes a large one.
• Most importantly, you take pride in being the person the Controller can trust with important recurring work.

Additional compensation and benefits include:

• Discretionary bonus eligibility
• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Generous paid time off

Location: Dallas, Texas — on-site