What is a Fractional General Counsel?

A fractional general counsel provides ongoing legal support to companies on a part-time basis, giving your organization access to experienced legal guidance without incurring the expense of hiring a full-time attorney.

Having ongoing legal support means not just calling a lawyer when a problem arises or when assistance with a singular transaction is needed. You will have a trusted and experienced advisor who understands your organization and provides value including:

• Advising leadership on legal and business decisions;

• Reviewing and negotiating contracts;

• Establishing and managing an intellectual property portfolio;

• Board and governance support;

• HR support;

• Developing policies and compliance programs;

• Identifying risks before they become costly issues;

• Assisting with resolving employment, vendor, and other disputes; and

• Coordinating outside counsel when litigation or regulatory matters arise.

A company typically is ready to hire fractional general counsel when it: 1) has begun hiring more employees and staff; 2) requires governance stability and consistency across the organization; 3) is encountering more disputes; 4) is entering into more complex and higher value contracts; and 5) seeks to expand. Having proactive, and not simply reactive counsel is vital at this stage.

As noted earlier, one advantage of employing fractional counsel is that your organization avoids the expense of a full-time hire. Additionally, the value obtained at that cost is adaptable to your organization's needs. You can customize the extent of legal support according to your requirements and budget. Your legal counsel can manage specific projects and disputes as they occur, participate in leadership and board meetings, or be on hand to review contracts as needed.

How much does it cost to hire a fractional general counsel? Typically, companies engage fractional general counsel on a fixed flat rate or an hourly retainer basis. At Faniel Legal, we provide our services at a tiered monthly flat rate, ensuring predictable costs and simplifying the budgeting for professional services.