Consulting General Counsel Services Give the Advantage to Small & Mid-Size Companies
The Problem
Small and medium-sized businesses and organizations have virtually all the same legal issues and risks that large corporations have, but they often lack the resources to employ a full-time general counsel or an in-house legal team.
As a result, many smaller companies simply forego legal support until they are faced with a lawsuit, a regulatory investigation, or other serious problem. By that point, the costs to the organization — in terms of legal expense, operational disruption, stress, and lost business opportunity — can be crippling.
In addition, most small organizations do substantial business with much larger companies, which employ teams of in-house lawyers dedicated to one objective: protecting their large corporate employers.
These factors can put small and mid-sized businesses at a tremendous legal, contracting and operational disadvantage.
The Solution
There is a very simple and affordable solution: consulting general counsel services.
Over the years, we have defended many clients battling costly lawsuits that were likely avoidable, if only the parties had had some good legal counsel before their business relationships spiraled out of control.
As Benjamin Franklin wisely noted, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Regular, ongoing involvement by legal counsel in business operations can often help avoid lawsuits, and position clients to minimize risk if a lawsuit does arise.
Prevention and defense positioning are not the only benefits, however. Regular participation by legal counsel in day-to-day operations can also add value to every facet of an organization by:
Improving contracting practices and contract terms, which can directly impact costs and revenue;
Educating employees and management about legal issues, risks and obligations;
Negotiating legally fair agreements with customers, vendors and other constituents;
Advising senior leadership about options and risks regarding business decisions;
Helping to ensure corporate governance best practices;
Addressing employee issues and improving employment policies;
Identifying opportunities to improve business operations;
Off-loading legal matters from non-lawyer staff, freeing them up to add value in areas where they are most qualified;
Monitoring regulations and operational practices to help ensure compliance;
Contributing to operational brainstorming; and
Serving as a liaison between the company and outside parties, opposing counsel, government officials, regulators, and others.
Affordability & Flexibility
Our consulting general counsel services provide meaningful cost savings and flexibility to clients:
Part-time consulting services offer significant cost savings compared to hiring full-time lawyers as employees.
Services can be tailored for virtually any budget and time frame.
Services can be expanded or reduced on short notice, as needs change, keeping operations adaptable.
These features enable small and mid-size organizations to be nimble and flexible — advantages that larger corporations cannot match.
Let’s Talk
Please get in touch, and let’s explore how we can add value through consulting general counsel services tailored to your specific needs.