Part-Time General Counsel | Fractional GC for Growing Companies
Your company has outgrown the law firm-only model, but a full-time General Counsel hire does not make sense yet. There is a better path.
Acquisition Stars provides Part-Time General Counsel services for mid-market companies that need C-suite legal expertise without full-time commitment. Flexible engagement models sized to your business, with senior legal leadership from day one.
📞 Need Immediate Legal Help? Get expert advice without the hourly billing.
15-minute response time • Senior counsel on every matter
Part-Time General Counsel: What You Need to Know
Need a General Counsel but not ready for a full-time hire? Acquisition Stars provides Part-Time General Counsel services with flexible engagement models tailored to your company's stage and complexity. Ideal for mid-market companies raising capital, doing M&A, or managing complex legal needs.
Acquisition Stars part-time GCs handle corporate governance, M&A transactions, fundraising rounds, contract management, compliance, and strategic planning. Same-day response times, board meeting attendance, and executive-level expertise without the overhead of a full-time in-house hire.
What is a Part-Time General Counsel?
A Part-Time General Counsel is a senior legal executive who provides C-suite level strategic counsel without full-time commitment. Think of it as your company's General Counsel, structured around the hours and scope your business actually requires. You get the same executive-level legal leadership that larger companies have. Board meeting attendance, strategic planning, M&A support, compliance oversight. All sized appropriately for mid-market companies.
How It Works
- • Flexible engagement model with predictable structure
- • Dedicated attorney learns your business intimately
- • Available for urgent matters (same-day response)
- • Attends board meetings and management meetings
- • Manages relationships with outside counsel
Who It's For
- • $5M-$50M revenue companies (sweet spot)
- • Companies raising capital (Series A+)
- • M&A active businesses (buy-side or sell-side)
- • Regulated industries (healthcare, fintech, cannabis)
- • High contract volume businesses (SaaS, tech, manufacturing)
Part-Time vs Fractional vs Interim GC
Part-Time General Counsel: Ongoing, indefinite relationship. You're hiring a GC for the long term, just at reduced hours.
Fractional General Counsel: Same as part-time (just different terminology). "Fractional" emphasizes the percentage of full-time (e.g., 50% of 40 hours/week = 20 hours/week).
Interim General Counsel: Temporary placement filling a gap until full-time GC is hired. Typically 3-12 months during transitions.
Virtual General Counsel: Refers to delivery model (remote vs on-site) rather than time commitment. All part-time GCs can be virtual.
What does a Part-Time General Counsel do for your company?
Acquisition Stars Part-Time General Counsel provides comprehensive legal leadership across six core practice areas: corporate governance, M&A transactions, fundraising and securities, contract management, compliance and risk, and strategic legal planning. Our part-time GCs bring experienced M&A counsel, fundraising advisory across all deal structures, and compliance systems for regulated industries nationwide.
Corporate Governance
- ✓ Board meeting preparation and minutes
- ✓ Corporate resolutions and consents
- ✓ Equity management and cap table administration
- ✓ Shareholder agreements and governance documents
- ✓ Director and officer insurance review
- ✓ Corporate record maintenance and compliance
M&A and Transactions
- ✓ Acquisition strategy and target identification
- ✓ Letter of Intent (LOI) negotiation
- ✓ Due diligence coordination (legal, financial, operational)
- ✓ Purchase agreement negotiation
- ✓ Post-merger integration planning
- ✓ Earnout and working capital dispute resolution
Fundraising and Securities
- ✓ SAFE and convertible note rounds
- ✓ Priced equity rounds (Series A, B, C)
- ✓ SEC compliance (Reg D, Reg A+, Reg CF)
- ✓ Investor relations and board management
- ✓ Term sheet negotiation and due diligence coordination
- ✓ Securities law compliance and disclosures
When raising capital, engage our securities lawyer team for offerings and blue sky law compliance across all states.
Contracts and Commercial Agreements
- ✓ Customer and vendor contract review
- ✓ Partnership and joint venture agreements
- ✓ Distribution and licensing agreements
- ✓ Employment and executive agreements
- ✓ Non-disclosure and non-compete agreements
- ✓ Contract playbook development and training
Compliance and Risk Management
- ✓ Industry-specific regulatory compliance
- ✓ Data privacy and cybersecurity (GDPR, CCPA)
- ✓ Employment law compliance (multi-state)
- ✓ Insurance review and risk assessment
- ✓ Litigation oversight and management
- ✓ Compliance calendar and deadline tracking
Strategic Legal Planning
- ✓ Annual legal roadmap and priorities
- ✓ Budget forecasting for legal spend
- ✓ Risk mitigation strategies
- ✓ Entity structuring for growth or exit
- ✓ IP strategy and protection planning
- ✓ Outside counsel selection and management
Why Part-Time General Counsel Makes Sense for Growing Companies
A full-time General Counsel comes with significant overhead beyond salary. Benefits, bonuses, office costs, recruiting fees, and severance risk all add up. For mid-market companies, the math rarely justifies a full-time hire until revenue and legal complexity reach a certain threshold. Acquisition Stars part-time GC model gives you the same C-suite legal expertise, structured around your actual needs.
What You Avoid
What You Get
Executive-Level Legal Leadership, Without Full-Time Overhead
Engagement structures designed around your company's actual legal needs and growth trajectory
The Real Cost of Not Having General Counsel
- • One poorly drafted contract can create liability that far exceeds the cost of experienced counsel
- • Missed compliance deadlines lead to regulatory penalties and enforcement actions
- • M&A deal structure mistakes can result in significant unnecessary tax liability
- • Employment disputes without proactive counsel escalate quickly in cost and distraction
- • Proactive legal oversight consistently delivers strong ROI through risk mitigation and cost avoidance
Flexible Engagement Models for Every Stage
Acquisition Stars structures Part-Time GC engagements around your company's actual needs. Rather than rigid tiers, we scope each engagement based on your legal complexity, transaction volume, and growth trajectory. All engagements include dedicated attorney assignment and flexible terms.
Foundation
For companies building their legal infrastructure
- ✓ Contract review and negotiation
- ✓ Board meeting attendance
- ✓ Corporate governance support
- ✓ Outside counsel management
- ✓ Responsive access for legal questions
Growth
For companies actively scaling or transacting
- ✓ Everything in Foundation
- ✓ M&A support (buy-side or sell-side)
- ✓ Fundraising and capital raise support
- ✓ Compliance calendar management
- ✓ Same-day response to urgent matters
Comprehensive
For companies with complex, ongoing legal needs
- ✓ Everything in Growth
- ✓ Weekly management team meetings
- ✓ Multiple concurrent transactions
- ✓ Full compliance management
- ✓ Strategic planning partnership
- ✓ Slack/Teams real-time access
Additional Services Available
Scope and terms for additional services are discussed during your Engagement Assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a part-time general counsel cost?
Part-time General Counsel engagement structures vary based on the scope of services, complexity of your legal needs, and your company's growth stage. Acquisition Stars builds flexible arrangements tailored to each company rather than one-size-fits-all packages. The right model depends on factors like transaction volume, regulatory exposure, and how actively you are pursuing M&A or fundraising. Request an Engagement Assessment at acquisitionstars.com/consultation to discuss a structure that fits your business.
What is the difference between part-time and fractional general counsel?
Part-time General Counsel and Fractional General Counsel are the same service with different terminology. Both refer to senior legal executives working reduced hours for your company on an ongoing basis. Interim General Counsel is different. It is a temporary placement filling a gap until a full-time GC is hired, typically for 3-12 months during transitions. Virtual General Counsel refers to the delivery model (remote vs on-site) rather than the time commitment. Acquisition Stars provides all three models: ongoing part-time/fractional GC services, interim GC during transitions, and flexible virtual delivery for distributed companies.
When should a company hire a part-time general counsel?
Companies should hire part-time General Counsel when: (1) Legal spend is unpredictable and growing; (2) CEO/COO spending significant time managing legal issues; (3) Board asking 'Who is our General Counsel?'; (4) Raising capital (Series A+ rounds require GC-level governance); (5) M&A active (buy-side or sell-side transactions); (6) Multi-state operations creating employment law complexity; (7) High contract volume without systematic review process; (8) Regulated industry requiring ongoing compliance management. The sweet spot is mid-market companies that have outgrown the law firm-only model but do not yet need a full-time in-house hire. Companies over $100M revenue or preparing for IPO typically need full-time General Counsel instead.
What does a part-time general counsel actually do?
Part-time General Counsel provides C-suite level legal leadership across six core areas: (1) Corporate Governance - board meetings, resolutions, equity management, shareholder agreements; (2) M&A and Transactions - acquisition strategy, LOI negotiation, due diligence, purchase agreements; (3) Fundraising and Securities - SAFE/convertible notes, priced equity rounds, SEC compliance (Reg D/A+), investor relations; (4) Contracts - customer/vendor agreements, partnerships, licensing, executive employment; (5) Compliance and Risk - regulatory compliance, data privacy (GDPR/CCPA), employment law, insurance review; (6) Strategic Planning - annual legal roadmap, budget forecasting, entity structuring, IP strategy. Part-time GCs attend board meetings, respond same-day to urgent matters, manage outside counsel relationships, and act as your de facto General Counsel without full-time commitment.
Can a part-time general counsel handle M&A transactions?
Yes, part-time General Counsel handle M&A transactions as a core service. Acquisition Stars part-time GCs bring deep M&A experience across buy-side acquisitions, sell-side exits, and strategic mergers. M&A responsibilities include: (1) Acquisition Strategy - target identification, preliminary valuation, investment thesis; (2) Deal Structuring - asset vs stock purchase, earnout provisions, working capital adjustments; (3) LOI Negotiation - term sheets, exclusivity periods, deposit arrangements; (4) Due Diligence - legal, financial, operational review coordination; (5) Purchase Agreement - representations and warranties, indemnification, closing conditions; (6) Post-Merger Integration - entity consolidation, contract assignments, employee transitions. For larger or more complex transactions, part-time GC coordinates with specialized M&A counsel while maintaining strategic oversight. Transaction-specific engagement terms are scoped based on deal complexity.
Ready to Discuss Your Needs?
Senior counsel on every deal. 15+ years of M&A experience. Flexible engagement models for growing companies.
Part-Time General Counsel for SaaS Companies
SaaS companies require specialized legal expertise for subscription agreements, data privacy compliance, and intellectual property protection. Our part-time general counsel services provide enterprise-level legal support at startup-friendly costs.
SaaS-specific legal support includes:
- Subscription and licensing agreement optimization
- Data privacy compliance (GDPR, CCPA, CPRA)
- API terms of service and developer agreements
- Intellectual property strategy and patent filings
- Customer success and support agreement frameworks
Our fractional GCs have supported SaaS companies from pre-seed through Series C funding rounds and successful exits.
Manufacturing Business Part-Time Legal Counsel
Manufacturing companies need consistent legal oversight for supply chain contracts, product liability, and regulatory compliance. Our part-time general counsel model provides comprehensive coverage without full-time costs.
Manufacturing legal support areas:
- Supply chain and vendor agreement management
- Product liability prevention and response protocols
- Environmental compliance and permitting
- Equipment financing and lease negotiations
- International trade and customs compliance
We serve manufacturers across automotive, consumer goods, industrial equipment, and specialty manufacturing sectors.
Healthcare Startup Fractional General Counsel
Healthcare startups navigate complex regulatory requirements while scaling rapidly. Our fractional general counsel services ensure compliance while supporting growth initiatives and funding rounds.
Healthcare startup legal priorities:
- HIPAA compliance and business associate agreements
- FDA regulatory strategy and submissions
- Clinical trial agreements and IRB protocols
- Healthcare provider and payer contracting
- Telehealth licensing and compliance
Our healthcare fractional GCs support digital health, medical devices, healthcare IT, and clinical service companies.
E-commerce Part-Time General Counsel Services
E-commerce businesses face unique challenges in consumer protection, payment processing, and cross-border transactions. Our part-time general counsel services address these needs while supporting rapid scaling.
E-commerce legal support includes:
- Terms of service and privacy policy management
- Payment processor and merchant account agreements
- Consumer protection compliance (FTC, COPPA)
- International expansion and cross-border compliance
- Marketplace and fulfillment partner agreements
We support direct-to-consumer brands, marketplace platforms, subscription box services, and omnichannel retailers.
Ready for C-Suite Legal Leadership Without the Full-Time Hire?
Stop struggling with the law firm-only model. Acquisition Stars Part-Time General Counsel services give you executive-level legal expertise sized to your company's actual needs. Same-day response times, board meeting attendance, M&A support, and strategic planning partnership.
Why Acquisition Stars Part-Time GC clients succeed:
- ✓ Experienced M&A counsel - Deep transaction expertise beyond typical GC work
- ✓ Fundraising advisory across all stages - Series A through exit, all structures
- ✓ Same-day response times - Available when you need us, not weeks later
- ✓ Board meeting attendance - We are at the table for strategic decisions
- ✓ Flexible month-to-month - Scale up or down as business needs change
- ✓ No full-time overhead - access experienced counsel without the burden of a full-time hire
Acquisition Stars provides Part-Time General Counsel services nationwide for mid-market companies in technology, healthcare, manufacturing, professional services, and financial services industries.