Hire a Fractional General Counsel
Senior Legal Cover. Without the Full-Time Cost.
Experienced in-house legal leadership that protects your business, clears your contracts, and keeps you compliant — on a part-time basis that scales with your needs.
Why legal leaders choose Fractionus
- Vetted operators only. We shortlist experienced GCs who've worked in businesses at your stage and sector.
- Fast start. Typical kickoff in days — critical when a deal is in flight or an issue is live.
- Flexible engagement. 1–3 days/week, day rate or retainer, scaled to your legal workload.
- Clear outcomes. Contract library, legal risk register, compliance framework, and a scalable legal function.
What is a Fractional General Counsel?
A Fractional General Counsel is a senior in-house lawyer who partners with your leadership team on a part-time basis to manage legal risk, protect commercial interests, and ensure the business has the legal foundations it needs to scale. Unlike outside counsel, a fractional GC understands your business deeply — they provide practical, risk-calibrated advice rather than conservative legal opinions written to protect the firm.
Where they go deep
- Commercial contract drafting, review, and negotiation (sales, vendor, partnership)
- Corporate governance, board documentation, and cap table management
- Fundraising legal support (term sheets, SAFEs, due diligence)
- Employment law, contractor agreements, and HR legal compliance
- IP protection, trademark, and confidentiality agreements
- Data protection and privacy compliance (GDPR, CCPA, PDPA)
- Regulatory compliance and licensing requirements
- Dispute resolution and risk management
Fractional CSIO
Ex-SoundCloud
Fractional CRO
Ex-Heineken
Fractional CXO
Ex-McKenzie
Fractional GTM
Ex-Salesforce
Fractional Head of AI
Ex-GE Capital
Fractional COO
Ex-Glossier
Fractional CTO
Ex-Afterpay
Fractional CTO
Ex-Google
Fractional CPO
Ex-Pleo
Fractional CTO
Ex-BMW
Fractional CPO
Ex-@ Lego
Fractional CFO
Ex-We Are Brands
When to hire a fractional General Counsel
- You're closing a funding round. A fractional GC navigates term sheets, due diligence, and closing docs — protecting your interests without slowing the process.
- Your commercial contract volume is growing. As sales velocity increases, so does legal risk. A fractional GC systematises your contracting process before it becomes a bottleneck.
- You're hiring employees in new jurisdictions. Employment law varies dramatically — your fractional GC keeps you compliant across markets.
- You've been relying entirely on outside law firms. Law firm billing burns cash and lacks business context — a fractional GC gives you inside intelligence at a predictable cost.
What does engagement look like?
Most companies engage a fractional GC on a monthly retainer of 1–2 days per week, with additional capacity for high-activity periods like funding rounds, M&A, or commercial contract pushes. Project-based engagements are also common for specific legal workstreams.
90-Day deliverables typically include
- Legal risk register and priority issues list
- Standard contract templates (NDA, MSA, SoW, employment)
- Compliance gap assessment (data protection, industry regulation)
- Fundraising documentation review and guidance
- Legal function design and outside counsel management framework
- Corporate governance review
Hire a Fractional General Counsel
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Why the fractional model is surging
Startups and scale-ups are increasingly recognising that outside law firms — with their hourly rates and lack of business context — are an inefficient model for high-growth companies. A fractional GC brings the commercial awareness of an insider, the legal depth of a seasoned counsel, and the flexibility of a consultant. It’s the model the best-run scale-ups are moving to. If you’re new to working with fractional professionals, our guide on how to vet a fractional executive before you hire is a great starting point.
How Fractionus works
- Brief us once. Your sector, stage, current legal exposure, and the areas where you need the most support.
- Shortlist in days. Meet 2–3 vetted fractional GCs matched to your needs.
- You choose. Interview, check fit, and select your leader.
- We handle everything else. Paperwork, billing, and smooth scale-up/scale-down.
What you'll get — and measure
- A trusted legal advisor embedded in your leadership team
- A contract library and standard commercial templates that speed up every deal
- Fewer legal surprises — proactive risk identification, not reactive firefighting
- A measurable reduction in outside law firm spend
- Legal confidence at the leadership and board level
Fractional leaders from top brands
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the most common questions about working with a fractional General Counsel through Fractionus
Do we still need outside law firms if we have a fractional GC?
Yes, for specialist matters (M&A, complex litigation, specialist regulatory work). But your fractional GC manages those relationships, writes the briefs, and keeps billable hours to a minimum — typically reducing outside counsel spend by 30–50%.
Is a fractional GC appropriate if we're pre-revenue or very early stage?
Absolutely. Early-stage is often when legal mistakes are most costly — founder agreements, cap table issues, and IP assignment are problems that compound over time if done wrong.
Can our fractional GC represent us in negotiations?
Yes. A fractional GC can attend and lead commercial contract negotiations on your behalf, just as an in-house lawyer would.
How quickly can we start?
Most clients meet shortlists within a week and kick off within days after selection.
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