Fractional General Counsel
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The latest trend in legal services is fractional general counsel, offering small business owners an affordable way to hire a general counsel. Online legal marketplaces have been a significant driver of the popularity of functional general counsel. Currently, at least 69% of Americans would prefer online legal services compared to the traditional way of hiring attorneys.
The shift in preferences is justifiable considering the high demand for legal services and the existing unmet legal service gaps. In 2020 alone, more than 57 million Americans were seeking urgent legal assistance against just under 2 million lawyers. As it stands, the concept of fractional general counsel solves this existing bottleneck to legal service access.
It's inevitable to implore the intervention of an attorney when looking for urgent legal services, such as legal drafting or contract review. However, hiring a traditional attorney for such basic legal processes may not make economic and logical sense. But what other options can a client consider apart from hiring a formal general counsel? Opting for fractional general counsel is the next best option when dealing with day-to-day legal needs.
What is a Fractional General Counsel?
A fractional general counsel is quite the opposite of an in-house general attorney. Attorneys within this category are often independent contractors who offer ongoing legal services. These are part-time licensed attorneys who provide legal services at a flat-rate or fixed price charge in most cases. Ideally, these lawyers offer their legal services through the legal marketplace. As a result, more straightforward tasks such as legal drafting can be accomplished within the shortest time.
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Main Difference Between Fractional General Counsel and General Counsel
Most small businesses often get confused about whether to consider paying a law firm for services over hiring in-house counsel when hiring a lawyer. The main difference between a fractional general counsel and the general counsel is that the latter is an employee of the company. In contrast, the latter is a freelance or independent legal expert.
Businesses have assumed that they must have a company lawyer who enjoys in-house salary and other accruing benefits for a while.
A general counsel is bound to your organization based on underlying permanent terms. As an in-house employee, you don't have the luxury to terminate their agreement at will. However, a fractional general counsel can draft your legal papers today, and you proceed to choose another counsel tomorrow. The terms of engagement are on an on-demand basis, which makes your relationship easy.
What Does a Fractional General Counsel Do?
You probably wonder whether the fractional general counsel works similarly to a law firm. For starters, the law firm has multiple clients they deal with simultaneously. Each client gets billed hourly or is on a retainer with the law firm. The fractional general counsel operates based on a set fee. Once you meet the set fee, you can access the attorney for any legal advice and support you may need.
Anyone can seek the services of a fractional general counsel. Whether you are limited liability, non-profit, or individual clients, you can agree on an hourly rate or determine a specific service charge. This will depend on the nature and frequency of your legal needs.
Now that this legal option is a new trend, most potential clients may wonder about the kind of clientele it targets. Well, the fractional general counsel is not client-specific. A business at any level of the growth cycle can access this service. If you can access a reliable legal marketplace, you can hire a fractional general counsel with one click. Regardless of whether you run a small business or a behemoth organization, this option is open to you.
What Does a Fractional General Counsel Cost?
Clients often have a general perception that legal fees are pricey. However, this applies more when dealing with in-house lawyers with a full-time salary or big law firms that require a retainer. When dealing with fractional general counsel, the costs vary depending on various factors.
Among these factors is the complexity of the task you want to be done. If the matter at hand is highly complex, then the cost may be higher. A functional general counsel usually will charge legal fees depending on the number of hours they may spend on your specific case. If more hours are needed on the case, then there's a chance that you may need to be slightly higher.
Another factor that often affects the overall cost of fractional general counsel is the experience. Most of the more experienced fractional general attorneys charge more than novices in the field. On average, you need $150-$350 for you to access fractional general counsel services. The charge may be slightly higher depending on the factors discussed above.
How Does a Fractional General Counsel Charge?
The fractional general counsel considers specific factors when determining the actual charge for legal services offered. First, the engagement with clients is demand-based. As such, the clients and the attorney have the leeway to decide the terms of engagement. The fractional general counsel may charge their services based on an hourly rate. This, however, may be subject to hard estimates for specific projects.
In other cases, the factional general counsel may determine the legal charge based on a weekly or monthly rate. This is more so in cases where you may need legal support over a period longer than one week. In such cases, you can negotiate with the functional general counsel and reach an agreeable rate. The good thing about the charging criteria in the case of fractional general counsel is that you only get to incur the legal cost whenever you need a lawyer.
Who Needs a Fractional General Counsel?
Now that you understand the dynamics around fractional general counsel, do you need this kind of legal service? Well, legal support is an inevitable need for any business. Whether you run a small startup or a large organization, you'll need to consider legal counsel at some point. However, the fractional general counsel is a legal option meant to serve small and medium-sized businesses that may need legal support but lack financial muscle. Big companies may also opt for this option to accomplish more urgent but short-term projects.
How To Find a Fractional General Counsel
When sourcing for fractional general counsel, you may need to take your time and conduct the necessary due diligence before committing. So how do you ensure that you get the best fractional general counsel?
- Consider referrals from friends and relatives
- Check out the fractional general counsel's experience
- Review the counsel's reputation
- Check out for reviews by past clients
- Ask for proof of past engagement on similar projects
- Compare the legal fee charged
Get Access to a Trusted Fractional General Counsel Today
The need for legal support is inevitable for businesses at one point during normal operations. Therefore, it's essential to have an attorney you can trust. In addition, most clients seek the services of a legal expert for critical legal issues such as employee compensation or other everyday legal needs such as drafting and contract reviews. However, sourcing for traditional attorneys has been a hectic, costly, and time-consuming process in the past. However, the trend is changing with the gradual acceptance of legal marketplaces as alternative sources for legal support.
Today, you can easily hire a fractional general counsel without the traditional complexities of hiring a lawyer. The option is cost-friendly, fast, and convenient. You no longer must worry about the legal costs of hiring an in-house lawyer or the frustration that comes with booking for a general counsel. Are you looking for fractional general counsel with a reputation for success? Contact us today for reliable services.
ContractsCounsel is not a law firm, and this post should not be considered and does not contain legal advice. To ensure the information and advice in this post are correct, sufficient, and appropriate for your situation, please consult a licensed attorney. Also, using or accessing ContractsCounsel's site does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and ContractsCounsel.
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Meet some of our Fractional General Counsel Lawyers
Deanna M.
I have had the opportunity to experience the legal industry in a private setting and public sector, representing individuals, companies of all sizes, as well as the Government. As a strong leader, I take pride in continuously tackling new challenges and learning as much as possible, always finding answers and delivering results to my clients. I received my JD from Ave Maria School of Law in Naples, Florida and went on to pass the Uniform Bar Exam. I am currently licensed in Minnesota and North Carolina. I have experience in real estate law, estate planning, contract law, family law, criminal law, and more.
"Deanna is very professional, easy to work with, clarifies doubt quickly, fast turnaround and value for money. I am very happy with the service. I would highly recommend her for any services that she offers."
Joseph B.
I am an attorney licensed in Indiana. I currently work primarily on civil litigation, landlord/tenant matters, and adoption cases. I have over 10 years of labor relations experience, including negotiations, labor contract enforcement, and arbitration experience. I also work with several non-profit groups representing LGBTQ+ groups and indigent clients in housing matters.
"Joseph gave me a great deal on a detailed lease with everything I needed included. Would definitely recommend!"
Benjamin M.
Ben is the founder of the Middleton Law Firm (2022). He has experience in the European Union and the United States. He interned with the University Rijeka, Croatia assisting businesses with trademark, Uniform Domain-Name Registry Dispute Registry, European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) privacy law compliance, and International Comparative Copyright issues as the country itself prepared itself for European Union statehood. He worked with Michigan State University's Anti-Counterfeit and Product Protection (A-CAPP) Center to protect and enforce its intellectual property in foreign territories and moderated panel discussions with brand owners and U.S. Customs to curb counterfeit products. Ben assisted indigent artists with legal issues and in some cases brought their works to life with Georgia Lawyers for the Arts. Ben is admitted to the federal courts of Georgia. Before practicing law, Ben worked for Core Security and Meridian Link as a software QA engineer in the information technology (IT) space. Ben produced countless commercial music recordings, engineered hundreds of songs, and served as executive producer seven studio albums as a founding member of member of Million Dollar Minds Entertainment (Est. 2006). He is an alumnus of The South Carolina State University (Bulldogs) and Michigan State University (Spartans).
"Benjamin did an excellent Job assisting me in this matter and I would highly recommend him to anyone needing the same service I received for the Cease & Desist"
July 27, 2023
Julie G.
I graduated from Wayne State University in 1992 and was admitted to practice in Michigan the same year. I've been practicing in Traverse City since 1993. My goal is for clients to feel that I am accessible and prompt, while providing quality and affordable legal services.
Paul P.
With more than twenty years of experience, Attorney Paul Petrillo has written contracts, business agreements, wills, trusts and the like. Licensed in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts, Attorney Petrillo is regular user of remote and virtual communications and document exchanges, such as DocuSign, Adobe e-sign, as well as virtual meetings using Zoom and Webex, to make drafting contracts and communicating with clients quick and easy.
July 27, 2023
Stephen S.
Stephen is a graduate of Nova Southeastern University - Shepard Broad College of Law, Stephen is licensed to practice in New Jersey and New York. He focuses on Morris, Passaic, and Bergen County, New Jersey, but services all of New Jersey. Before graduating, Stephen did an externship in Denver, Colorado with a focus on land use and development. Upon returning to New Jersey, he focused on Condominium and Home Owner Association. He also worked with Residential Real Estate Transactions and Estate Planning clients.
July 27, 2023
Peter R.
Admitted in NC in 1994. Law degrees from English and US law schools. Civil and criminal litigation experience as well as in house corporate attorney. Recipient of the highest civilian honors from 14 states, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, a papally blessed knighthood and listed in NLJ as a recipient of on of their Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Award winners and the NLJ top 40 trial lawyers in the USA under 40 years old.
August 1, 2023
Megan K.
Hello! I have been working in commercial real estate for about 20 years. My experience is mainly in-house with real estate developers. I enjoy doing commercial real estate transactional work, including leasing, acquisitions and dispositions. I can also lead due diligence efforts for a potential purchase of a real estate asset and review and resolve title issues.
July 27, 2023
James N.
I'm a Chicago native and Kansas City transplant that has made regulatory compliance and civil administrative litigation for heavily regulated industries my niche for the past decade.
July 30, 2023
Diamond R.
July 29, 2023 My name is Diamond Simpson Roberts, ESQ, MSPH and I am convinced that I can be a value added asset to most any company. As the first in my family to graduate a four-year university, I graduated from Wayne State University Law School in 2000 but could not afford a bar prep course upon completion. After over 20 years, I sat for the July 2022 UBE, successfully passed and am currently licensed in three states! This is an example of my self-motivation, internal drive and passion. I offer over 28 years of diverse experience in healthcare, strategy, sales/marketing, legal/policy and business savvy. I have many years building, leveraging, and sustaining long term relations to drive revenue as an entrepreneur and for corporations. My analytical strengths provide me with an innate ability to think through tough situations/topics while viewing both vantage points (which is excellent for law and life). I have been appointed to serve on numerous committees due to my heightened ability to identify client issues and priorities and provide solutions based upon relevant products, services and needs. I have led teams with and without authority; specifically, I have managed teams for an Adult Foster Care Facility called Etonne Cares, during my post-graduate fellowship with the largest Catholic Healthcare System in the U.S. and during my two-year executive order appointment with the Federal Government (Presidential Management Fellowship). Most importantly, I am a collaborative team player who knows how to improvise, overcome and adapt! I offer numerous years of being a pharmaceutical trainer and being an adjunct using the online platform. I welcome the opportunity to continue in the interview so that I may further highlight the skills I can (and will) contribute to my success in the role. Respectfully, Diamond Simpson Roberts, ESQ, MSPH DQSSIMPSON@GMAIL.COM M: 313-942-6747
Esra A.
My firm focuses on family immigration (spouse, parents, children and siblings of US citizens and permanent residents), change of status, and citizenship applications.
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