Payroll Specialist

Strategic Legal Practices•Los Angeles, CA

35d•$80,000 - $110,000•Onsite

About The Position

Strategic Legal Practices, APC (SLP) is a leading plaintiff-side consumer protection and lemon law litigation firm headquartered in Century City. SLP fights for consumers against some of the nation's largest automakers, combining aggressive advocacy with cutting-edge legal technology, including government-grade AI tools, to deliver results at scale. We are growing rapidly and looking for talented professionals who want to do meaningful work in a dynamic, high-performance environment. The Payroll Specialist reports to the HR Manager and owns end-to-end payroll processing across salaried and hourly classifications, working closely with ADP and the firm's HRIS. The ideal candidate is detail-obsessed, thrives in a fast-paced legal environment, and can independently manage complex payroll cycles with minimal supervision.

Requirements

3+ years of payroll processing experience, preferably in a professional services or legal environment
Proficiency with ADP Workforce Now (required)
Advanced Excel skills — comfortable working in multi-tab workbooks, using formulas, and auditing data across large datasets
Working knowledge of California wage and hour law
Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy under time pressure
Ability to handle confidential information with discretion
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple pay cycles, deadlines, and priorities simultaneously

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting a multi-department employer in a professional services or legal environment
Familiarity with payroll for employees on H-1B, OPT, or other immigration-tied work authorization
Experience with benefits deduction reconciliation
Prior work in a law firm or legal services environment
FPC or CPP certification a plus

Responsibilities

Process semi-monthly payroll for attorneys and non-attorneys using ADP Workforce Now and IHH
Audit payroll registers against HR update notes prior to each payroll run, verifying new hires, terminations, rate changes, retro pay, partial pay, bonuses, and leave statuses
Calculate and process retroactive pay for salaried employees resulting from merit increases or corrections
Ensure accurate payroll treatment for employees on modified schedules, LOA, or immigration-tied work authorization
Process final pay in compliance with California wage and hour law
Maintain and audit salary data in ADP against the HR master workbook (Excel), flagging discrepancies for HR Manager review
Administer year-end merit review cycle inputs including rate changes and effective dates
Reconcile compensation data for promotions, reclassifications, and internal transfers
Track and audit deductions, garnishments, and benefit contributions each pay period
Ensure payroll compliance with California labor law, including meal break premiums, overtime calculations, and final pay obligations
Support HR Manager on wage and hour audits, including meal break compliance communications
Prepare payroll reports and summaries for leadership, finance, and benefits reconciliation
Maintain payroll records in accordance with record retention requirements
Assist with W-2 processing and year-end tax reconciliations
Coordinate with HR Manager on onboarding and offboarding payroll actions
Support benefits premium reconciliation between carrier invoices and payroll deductions
Assist with HRIS data integrity audits (ADP vs. Active Directory vs. HR records)
Provide backup support for I-9 and employment verification processes as needed