Part-Time General Counsel | Fractional GC for Growing Companies
Your company is too big for just outside counsel, but too small for a $300K+ full-time General Counsel. What do you do?
Acquisition Stars provides Part-Time General Counsel services for mid-market companies ($5M-$50M revenue) that need C-suite legal expertise without full-time commitment. Get senior legal leadership at 70-75% savings versus full-time GC through our proven subscription model.
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TL;DR - Quick Answer
Need a General Counsel but can't afford $300K+? Acquisition Stars provides Part-Time General Counsel services for $5K-$15K/month-giving you C-suite legal leadership at a fraction of full-time cost. Perfect for $5M-$50M revenue 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 full-time salary burden.
What is a Part-Time General Counsel?
A Part-Time General Counsel is a senior legal executive working fractional hours (10-40 hours/week) who provides C-suite level strategic counsel without full-time commitment. Think of it as your company's General Counsel, but on a subscription basis. You get the same executive-level legal leadership that $100M+ companies have-board meeting attendance, strategic planning, M&A support, compliance oversight-but sized appropriately for mid-market budgets.
How It Works
- • Monthly subscription model with predictable pricing
- • 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
How much money do you save with Part-Time General Counsel?
Part-Time General Counsel saves companies $135K-$495K annually (70-75% savings) versus full-time GC. The true cost of a full-time General Counsel extends far beyond base salary-you're paying for benefits, bonuses, office overhead, recruiting, and severance risk. Acquisition Stars part-time GC subscription model eliminates these hidden costs while delivering the same C-suite legal expertise.
Full-Time General Counsel
Part-Time General Counsel
Annual Savings: $135,000 - $495,000
That's 70-75% cost reduction while maintaining C-suite legal expertise
Return on Investment Examples
- • One bad contract costs more than a year of part-time GC ($50K-$500K in liability)
- • One missed compliance deadline = $50K-$500K in regulatory penalties
- • One M&A deal structure mistake = $millions in unnecessary tax liability
- • One employment lawsuit = $75K-$250K in defense costs and settlement
- • Estimated ROI: 5x-10x in risk mitigation and cost avoidance
Part-Time General Counsel Service Tiers
Acquisition Stars offers three Part-Time GC tiers based on your company size, complexity, and legal needs. All tiers include dedicated attorney assignment, proactive compliance monitoring, and flexible month-to-month engagement with no long-term contracts required.
Essentials
$5K/month
Best for: $5M-$15M revenue
- ✓ 15-20 hours/month
- ✓ Contract review and negotiation
- ✓ Board meeting attendance (quarterly)
- ✓ Email/phone access (48-hour response)
- ✓ Outside counsel management
Growth
$10K/month
Best for: $15M-$50M revenue
- ✓ 30-40 hours/month
- ✓ Everything in Essentials
- ✓ Monthly board meetings
- ✓ M&A support (buy-side or sell-side)
- ✓ Fundraising support (one round/year)
- ✓ Compliance calendar management
- ✓ Same-day response to urgent matters
Enterprise
$15K/month
Best for: $50M+ revenue
- ✓ 50+ hours/month
- ✓ Everything in Growth
- ✓ Weekly management team meetings
- ✓ Unlimited board meetings
- ✓ Multiple M&A transactions
- ✓ Multiple fundraising rounds
- ✓ Full compliance management
- ✓ Strategic planning partnership
- ✓ Slack/Teams real-time access
Available Add-Ons
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a part-time general counsel cost?
Part-time General Counsel services cost $5,000-$15,000 per month depending on hours and complexity. Tier 1 (Essentials): $5,000/month for 15-20 hours, ideal for $5M-$15M revenue companies. Tier 2 (Growth): $10,000/month for 30-40 hours, ideal for $15M-$50M revenue companies. Tier 3 (Enterprise): $15,000/month for 50+ hours, ideal for $50M+ revenue companies. This represents 70-75% savings versus full-time General Counsel which costs $315K-$675K annually including salary ($200K-$400K), benefits (30%), bonus (15-25%), office overhead, and recruiting costs.
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 (10-40 hours/week) for a monthly subscription fee. Interim General Counsel is different-it's 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 bills exceed $10K/month with no predictability; (2) CEO/COO spending 10+ hours/week managing legal issues; (3) Board asking 'Who's 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. Sweet spot: $5M-$50M revenue companies that have outgrown the law firm-only model but can't justify $315K-$675K for full-time GC. 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 complex M&A deals ($10M+), part-time GC coordinates with specialized M&A counsel while maintaining strategic oversight. Most middle-market transactions ($1M-$10M) can be handled entirely by experienced part-time GC. Add-on pricing: $10K-$50K per deal depending on complexity.
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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 to get C-suite legal leadership at 70% savings?
Stop overpaying for full-time General Counsel or struggling with the law firm-only model. Acquisition Stars Part-Time General Counsel services give you executive-level legal expertise sized perfectly for mid-market companies. $5K-$15K/month with 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're at the table for strategic decisions
- ✓ Flexible month-to-month – Scale up/down as business needs change
- ✓ 70-75% cost savings – $135K-$495K saved annually vs full-time GC
Acquisition Stars provides Part-Time General Counsel services nationwide for $5M-$50M revenue companies in technology, healthcare, manufacturing, professional services, and financial services industries.