Having a legal partner embedded in your business and being on hand to give strategic advice is a business game changer. But for many smaller companies, it’s not straightforward. The cost can be prohibitive and charging by hourly rates often means a lack of cost transparency. Knowing how to manage a law firm to get the best out of them is an extra management responsibility for CEOs and founders. Work is often delegated down to junior staff, which impacts on quality. It’s why our outsourced general counsel offering is one of our most popular client solutions at Arbor Law.
If you are a CEO or a business owner considering investing in an outsourced general counsel, we thought we might get you over the line with some of the reasons it can be a top investment for you when you are growing your business.
An experienced in-house lawyer, especially one who has worked as general counsel before, knows the ropes and gets the job done quickly and efficiently. They understand how to get under the skin of your business to deliver the kind of commercially pragmatic advice you need in business They know how to slot in and hit the ground running to start delivering the right legal support from Day 1 whilst managing the team and stakeholders
It might seem obvious that one of the main responsibilities of an outsourced general counsel is to provide unbiased legal advice. But an expert lawyer knows how to balance risk whilst also being aware of business goals. They will know how to balance commerciality whilst taking their ethical obligations extremely seriously. In-house legal has long had a reputation as “The Department of No’ and we certainly make it our mission at Arbor Law to flip the narrative on this to be seen as business enablers who also advise on risk. Both are needed to ensure company growth.
It’s lonely up top isn’t it? The founder and CEO journey can be isolating at times and leadership is not easy. Having an outsourced general counsel is like having another senior professional in the team who understands business challenges. Most senior lawyers have weathered a lot of storms, from the financial crash through to navigating a global pandemic. They are well placed to be on hand to senior management teams to support in challenging times as a safe pair of hands.
Senior lawyers are deeply committed to the businesses they advise. If they work as an outsourced general counsel, you can guarantee they will invest time in getting to know not only your unique business and stakeholders, but the sector you operate in. Understanding context and being ahead of the curve when it comes to developments is central to the making the best legal decisions their clients. You’ll find most lawyers who have operated at senior levels pride themselves on our domain authority. At Arbor we are specialist generalists working across telecoms, media, technology and beyond to fintech and renewables and our industry expertise continues to grow in line with the rapidly evolving business landscape.
An outsourced general counsel is able to coordinate the full range of legal services, from contract law to employment law. If something is not their speciality, they will know the right legal expert to instruct. You won’t have to go through the hassle and expense of instructing multiple lawyers for different matters.
Last but not least (OK, that makes six, but this is the most important one.) Peace of mind. There is enough keeping you up at night as a CEO and a founder. And an outsourced general counsel will take that away from you by ensuring there is always a qualified lawyer on your team to deal with legal issues.
So, if you’re looking for someone to help you with your legal needs, an outsourced legal counsel is a great option. With experience, expertise, and inside knowledge, they can save you time, money, and stress whilst becoming a valued senior business partner who is on the business journey with you.
At Arbor Law, our experienced team of lawyers work with small businesses and legal teams as outsourced general counsel. If you would like to discuss how this could work for you, contact kate.bennett@arbor.law