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1 named client Serves US
Fee on request
Best fractional general counsel: firms and solo practitioners
A fractional general counsel is an in-house lawyer shared across a few companies. For a founder-led business, that means someone who knows the company reviews the contracts, keeps the templates current, handles employment questions and manages outside law firms so their bills stay predictable. The work usually starts with an inventory: customer and vendor contracts, NDAs, IP assignments from employees and contractors, board consents and the cap table. Before a financing round that cleanup saves real money, because investor counsel bills by the hour to find the gaps. Fractional general counsel typically work 10 to 40 hours a month for $3,000 to $15,000, or $250 to $500 an hour, against law firm rates that often start above $500. A fractional GC must be licensed where the work requires it and should carry malpractice cover. Providers on this page are mostly multi-role marketplaces and networks, so confirm bar admission and practice areas on each profile.
3 firms and practitioners on this page offer fractional general counsel work. None of them publishes a fee, so the first call sets the price.
A fractional general counsel usually works 10 to 40 hours a month, set by contract volume and whether a financing or dispute is live. Month-to-month with a three-month minimum is common, with a set number of hours per month and an hourly rate above it.
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4 named clients Serves US, UK, EU, Australia
Fee on request no minimum
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5 named clients Serves US
Fee on request no minimum
How this list is built. Every firm and practitioner here offers fractional general counsel work on its own site. Order is editor's pick, then a published fee, then name. Nobody pays to appear or to move up. Full methodology.
General Counsel guides
- What is a fractional general counselA fractional general counsel is an in-house lawyer shared across companies: contracts, employment, corporate records, fundraising documents and outside counsel. Scope and fees.
- How much a fractional general counsel costsFractional general counsel retainers typically run $3,000 to $15,000 a month, or $250 to $500 an hour. What drives the price, financing work, equity and how to read a quote.
- Fractional general counsel vs interim General CounselAn interim general counsel is seconded full-time to cover a leave, a vacancy or a deal; a fractional GC serves part-time on retainer. Fit, cost, PE and exit cases.
- Fractional general counsel vs full-time General CounselA full-time general counsel costs $250,000 to $450,000 in year one; a fractional GC $36,000 to $180,000 a year. The outside counsel test, thresholds and trade-offs.
- Fractional general counsel vs consultantA fractional general counsel gives legal advice as your lawyer; a law firm handles matters; a legal or compliance consultant cannot advise on the law. Scope, pricing and sign-off.
- Fractional general counsel vs coachingWhat a founder at $1M to $5M can learn about contracts and legal risk, when to hire a fractional general counsel, and when to combine the two. Costs, signs and a test.
- How to become a fractional general counselThe path from in-house lawyer to fractional general counsel: bar admission, malpractice cover, conflicts, engagement letters, pricing, trust accounting and a pipeline.
Questions founders ask
How much does a fractional general counsel cost?
Fractional general counsel retainers typically run $3,000 to $15,000 a month, or $250 to $500 an hour, against law firm rates that often start above $500 an hour. No listing on this page publishes a fee, so the first call sets the price.
How many hours a week does a fractional general counsel work?
A fractional general counsel usually works 10 to 40 hours a month, set by contract volume and whether a financing or dispute is live.
What is the difference between a fractional and an interim General Counsel?
An interim General Counsel works full time for a fixed period, usually while the company hires a permanent one. A fractional general counsel works part of the week, often for two to four companies at once, and can stay for years.
How long do fractional general counsel engagements last?
Month-to-month with a three-month minimum is common, with a set number of hours per month and an hourly rate above it. 2 firms on this page publish their terms, and none asks for a minimum.
Do fractional general counsel take equity?
Some do, mostly with venture-backed startups. No firm on this page publishes an equity plus cash model, so ask on the first call.