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Run the Payroll Fee Auditor →Blog · Payroll Management · Law Firm
Law Firms: Managing Payroll During Peak Season (2026)
Peak season payroll for law firms is the same rules under more volume: overtime after 40 on a regular rate that includes billable hours tracking, new hire reporting for every seasonal hire inside the state deadline, and youth rules where minors are hired. BEG runs law firm payroll for $45 per employee per month inside the payroll software you already use, all-inclusive, live in 3 to 5 business days.
What the data says about law firm seasonality
No government source states a seasonal employment pattern for law firms, so this page does not assert one. What follows is the payroll mechanics of any volume spike, whatever causes it.
Payroll mechanics of a spike
Paralegals and legal assistants generally do not qualify for the learned professional exemption because an advanced specialized degree is not a standard prerequisite for the field, so they are owed overtime after 40 hours unless another exemption applies. The exemption is available to a paralegal with an advanced degree in another field who applies it, such as an engineer hired for patent work.
Every seasonal hire is a full onboarding: W-4, I-9 within three business days, new hire report inside the state deadline, and a pay code from day one. A wave of hires also moves the employer across headcount lines if it persists: the ACA and COBRA tests look at the prior year's average, so a seasonal peak can raise next year's count. Deposits scale with liability; a payroll that reaches $100,000 in accumulated liability on any day owes a next-business-day deposit and moves to the semiweekly schedule.
The rules behind this page, with sources
General information, not legal advice. Every rule below was read on the agency page linked next to it.
- Paralegals and legal assistants generally do not qualify for the learned professional exemption because an advanced specialized degree is not a standard prerequisite for the field, so they are owed overtime after 40 hours unless another exemption applies. The exemption is available to a paralegal with an advanced degree in another field who applies it, such as an engineer hired for patent work. [29 CFR 541.301(e)(7)]
Read the full guide to off-cycle and peak payroll runs, and the rest of the law firm payroll library.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do seasonal law firm hires need new hire reports?
Yes, every one, inside the state deadline (20 days federal default, shorter in several states), and rehires after 60 days are reported again.
How does a busy season change overtime at a law firm?
It does not change the rule, only the volume: time and one half after 40 hours in each workweek on a regular rate that includes billable hours tracking. Paralegals and legal assistants generally do not qualify for the learned professional exemption because an advanced specialized degree is not a standard prerequisite for the field, so they are owed overtime after 40 hours unless another exemption applies.
What does managed payroll cost for a law firm?
$45 per employee per month, all-inclusive, inside the payroll software you already use, with no monthly minimum. Billable hours tracking, partner draw vs. salary and attorney bonus structures are configured at setup, not billed as add-ons.
Related Resources
Anthony leads payroll solutions at Business Executive Group, a national managed payroll firm serving businesses across industries including Law Firms. BEG manages payroll at $45 PEPM, all-inclusive, with deep expertise in compliance, multi-state filing, and industry-specific payroll requirements. Get instant pricing at beghr.com.
Authoritative source: U.S. Department of Labor: Wage and Hour Division
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