FAQs

A fractional lawyer is a qualified legal professional who provides ongoing legal support to businesses on a flexible, part-time basis. They typically work as an extension of your team, providing commercial and strategic legal advice without the cost of hiring a full-time or part-time in-house lawyer

A fractional general counsel is a senior lawyer who provides ongoing in-house legal leadership on a flexible basis. They support business decisions, manage legal risk, and oversee contracts, compliance and governance without being employed full-time or part-time

A fractional lawyer works as part of your business, providing ongoing and commercially focused support usually for an agreed monthly fee. In contrast, a law firm typically provides external, project-based advice and charges on an hourly basis

A fractional lawyer provides similar strategic and commercial support to an in-house lawyer, but on a flexible basis without the costs and commitments associated with employing someone full-time or part-time, such as salary, benefits and employment risks

No. The term “fractional lawyer” is not formally defined, and fractional lawyers can vary significantly in terms of qualifications, in-house experience and service model. Many operate as individual freelancers. Some have limited professional legal qualifications and experience

Working with a single fractional lawyer means you are reliant on one individual’s knowledge, availability and capacity. This can create challenges if an issue is outside their expertise, or during periods of absence or increased workload

While a typical fractional lawyer provides access to one individual, My Inhouse Lawyer offers a more resilient and scalable team-based solution. Clients benefit from a dedicated inhouse lawyer to support them day-to-day and their lawyer is supported by a wider team of highly experienced General Counsel and Specialist lawyers. My Inhouse Lawyer also leverages AI and legal technology when this makes sense for clients, and provides access to an extensive network of law firms and business advisors

My Inhouse Lawyer provides an advanced, resilient and scalable fractional lawyering solution. Services include a broad range of legal support much like what would be handled by an inhouse legal team.
This includes everything from negotiating customer, supplier and partner contracts, corporate activities such as mergers, acquisitions and disposals, shareholder structures, joint ventures and partnerships, employment law, data protection, risk management and dispute resolution

Fractional lawyers are ideal for startups, scaleups and SMEs that need ongoing legal support but do not require or cannot justify hiring a full-time or part-time in-house lawyer. They are also well suited to businesses that want a more commercial and embedded alternative to traditional law firms

Fractional lawyers typically offer flexible pricing models, such as monthly retainers or project-based arrangements. This is generally more cost-effective than hiring a full-time or part-time employee or relying heavily on law firms

Yes, for many SMEs, a fractional lawyer can provide the core functions of an in-house lawyer without the cost and commitment of a full-time or part-time hire. More advanced models, such as My Inhouse Lawyer, offer access to a wider team of legal expertise which addresses the limitations of working with a single fractional lawyer

Some use legal technology to improve efficiency and outcomes, but this varies.
My Inhouse Lawyer has always focused on leveraging legal technology where it provides a better solution for clients. All the lawyers on the team are trained to actively use AI for the benefit of clients in a safe MIL environment

This depends on the fractional lawyer. Individual fractional lawyers may have limitations, whereas My Inhouse Lawyer offers access to a network of UK and international law firms to support more complex or cross-border needs

Many fractional lawyers are qualified solicitors or barristers, but this can vary. It is important to check qualifications and experience before engaging anyone

Businesses are increasingly choosing fractional lawyers because they provide flexible, cost-effective access to senior legal expertise without the need to hire a full-time or part-time employee

For many businesses, a fractional lawyer is an effective alternative to a law firm for ongoing legal support. More advanced providers, such as My Inhouse Lawyer, offer a team-based approach that combines the flexibility of a fractional lawyer, the breadth and scalability of a law firm, and the embedded approach of an employee