Many businesses reach a point where they need consistent legal advice but do not need — or cannot justify — a full-time in-house attorney. An outside general counsel arrangement provides the benefits of having a lawyer who understands the business deeply, without the overhead of a full-time hire.

Lynch Law serves as outside general counsel for several operating businesses. In this role, the firm provides ongoing legal advice across the full range of issues that arise in running a business: contracts, employment matters, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, risk management, and dispute resolution. Because the firm also has tax and financial expertise, the legal advice is informed by an understanding of the tax and financial implications of each decision, which most outside counsel arrangements do not provide.

What Outside General Counsel Looks Like

The specific scope of work varies by client, but typically includes reviewing and drafting contracts, leases, and other business agreements; advising on employment matters including hiring, termination, compensation, and compliance with employment laws; providing corporate governance guidance including board meetings, resolutions, and corporate record-keeping; advising on regulatory compliance and risk management; handling disputes with vendors, customers, contractors, and other business relationships; coordinating with specialized outside counsel when a matter requires expertise outside the firm's practice areas; and being available on an ongoing basis to answer questions and provide guidance as issues arise.

The firm's tax expertise adds a dimension that most outside counsel arrangements lack. When reviewing a proposed contract, for example, the firm considers not only the legal terms but also the tax treatment of the payments and obligations. When advising on a compensation arrangement, the firm considers both the employment law implications and the income tax consequences. This integrated perspective means the client gets more complete advice without having to consult separately with a tax advisor.

Who Benefits from Outside General Counsel

Outside general counsel arrangements work best for businesses that have legal needs that are frequent enough to benefit from an ongoing relationship but not voluminous enough to justify a full-time in-house attorney, that value having a single attorney who understands the business and can provide consistent advice across multiple areas, and that have complex operations where the intersection of legal, tax, and financial issues is a regular part of decision-making.

The firm's outside general counsel clients are typically businesses with significant revenue and complex operations. This is not a service that makes sense for every business, and the firm is straightforward about whether an engagement is a good fit.

If you are interested in discussing an outside general counsel arrangement, the inquiry form is the best place to start.