Why Hiring Full-Time Paralegals Isn’t Always the Best First Step for Growing Firms
It's tax season (🫠) and for a lot of law firms, that means staring down the numbers and asking the hard question: Are we spending money in the right places?
If your firm is growing and you're feeling the pressure to hire, full-time staff might seem like the obvious next step. BUT before you post that job listing, it's worth considering whether a freelance paralegal might be the smarter (and significantly cheaper) move.
Here’s why ↴
REAL COST OF A FULL-TIME PARALEGAL
The average full-time, in-house paralegal salary runs about $62,700 per year — or roughly $30.00 per hour. Sounds manageable, right? But that's just the base. When you factor in the additional 35% employers are on the hook for — taxes, health insurance, overtime, paid lunches, professional dues, parking, and non-productive time — that number climbs to $84,600 per year.
Now compare that to a freelance paralegal. A solo attorney or small firm needing just 10 hours of support per week, at a flat rate of $55.00/hour, would spend roughly $28,600 per year — with ZERO overhead, NO benefits, and NO payroll taxes.
That's a potential savings of $56,000 per year… 🤯
2. YOU ONLY PAY FOR WHAT YOU NEED
One of the biggest advantages of working with a freelance paralegal is the on-demand model. Your caseload ebbs and flows, so your staffing costs should too. With a freelance paralegal, you can:
Scale up during busy seasons or complex cases
Scale back during slower periods without the guilt of a salaried employee sitting idle
Access specialized expertise for specific practice areas without a long-term commitment
There's no overhead. No benefits package. No awkward conversation if the workload dips. It's simple: we're only there when you need us. 🫡
3. NO TRAINING REQUIRED
Hiring full-time means onboarding, training, and time — all of which costs money. Every paralegal at KPS brings a minimum of a paralegal degree and 10+ years of experience in the legal field. When you bring on a freelance paralegal through KPS, you get someone who already knows what they're doing, making things easier from day one.
We handle civil law, criminal law, bankruptcy, family law, legal research, trial assistance, document management, and more.
Growing your firm doesn't always mean growing your headcount. For many solo attorneys and small firms, a freelance paralegal is the smarter first step. Get experienced support, on your terms, at a fraction of the cost!
When you're ready, KPS is here to help you make that first step 🤝 Book your FREE consultation call today to see how we can support you: HERE
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