Built for Founders,
Backed by Big Law Experience
As businesses rethink how they build legal teams, fractional counsel offers a flexible, cost-effective alternative to traditional in-house roles. AN Law Firm delivers seasoned legal insight on a part-time or project basis, aligned with your organization’s pace and priorities.
About General Counsel and Product Counsel
The way companies and their employees work has drastically changed in recent years. Seasoned professionals have found that they prefer to work remotely or commit to fewer hours compared to the early days of their career, while companies, especially startups, are more open to part-time positions. e Many companies reassess the amount of legal support they need due to tightening budgets. The combination of these two phenomena has resulted in the rise of fraction legal services, such as fractional general counsel and fraction product counsel.
Most individuals are familiar with the general counsel of a company, who is the lead attorney of an organization. However, there are many types of attorneys that work with and under the general counsel. One of the newest positions within the legal field is product counsel. This niche position is a variation on traditional general counsel. It differs in that these attorneys focus on the legal needs related to specific products or projects, rather than representing the organization as a whole.
If your organization could benefit from the guidance of seasoned legal counsel on a part-time or per-project basis, AN Law Firm is here to help. Let us help you meet your legal needs at a scale that is right for your organization.
What Is a Fractional General Counsel?
A fractional general counsel is an attorney who works with a company on a part-time or as-needed basis, fulfilling many of the same roles as a full-time general counsel. The arrangement is flexible, allowing companies to access legal advice for day-to-day matters, special projects, or ongoing oversight without paying the cost of a full-time salary, benefits, and overhead. This approach is especially valuable for startups, growing companies, and organizations that operate in industries with fast-changing legal or regulatory requirements.
Why Companies Choose Fractional Counsel
The demands of running a business today are complex. Companies must navigate a wide variety of legal challenges, from employment law disputes to intellectual property protections. Having a trusted legal advisor available can prevent costly mistakes that can upend your business in an instant.
For many companies, outside counsel on a traditional hourly basis does not provide the same continuity or familiarity with the business. A fractional general counsel offers a middle ground by embedding with leadership teams to provide scalable support at a level that meets your needs.
The Role We Play
Our firm provides fractional general counsel services that integrate seamlessly with your business. We can help with a wide range of legal issues, both large and small, that impact your organization. With knowledge of your business model and long-term objectives, we can anticipate the challenges you might face before they crop up.
We also provide guidance in areas such as technology transactions, life sciences agreements, and data privacy compliance. Whether you need us to join leadership meetings, review contracts, or manage a legal project, our role adapts to the evolving needs of your organization.
What Is a Product Counsel?
A product counsel is a lawyer who works closely with product teams to ensure that products are legally sound from concept through launch and beyond. Unlike traditional counsel, who may only review contracts or handle disputes, product counsel is embedded in the product lifecycle. This means identifying potential legal issues early, aligning product features with regulatory and privacy requirements, and advising on how business goals can be achieved without creating unnecessary risk. The role of a product counsel often includes advising on intellectual property strategy, privacy and data use, marketing, and industry-specific regulations.
How Is Fractional Product Counsel Different?
Fractional product counsel offers the same strategic guidance as a full-time in-house attorney, but on a part-time or as-needed basis. For many growing businesses and startups, hiring a dedicated product counsel is not financially feasible. However, your budget does not reduce the critical need for experienced legal insight at all stages of product development. Our fractional product counsel services allow businesses to access this experience without the overhead of a full-time hire.
The difference lies in flexibility. Fractional product counsel can step in at key points to ensure everything is moving down the appropriate path. The attorney becomes familiar with the company’s products and business model but provides services tailored to the scale of the company’s needs. This arrangement allows startups and mid-sized companies to stay agile while securing the legal guidance they need to thrive.
How Our Services Can Be Valuable To Your Organization
Our fractional product counsel services are designed to integrate seamlessly with business teams of all sizes. We advise on everything from regulatory compliance to data privacy, and we have extensive experience with risk management issues. Our approach is proactive in that we identify potential issues before they become a problem.
Reach Out to AN Law Firm
Fractional general counsel is not a one-size-fits-all service. However, if your business could benefit from periodic support during times of growth, investment, or change, our team is here to help. This flexible model lets you scale your legal resources up or down based on your business needs. It is a practical solution for companies that want ongoing legal insight without committing to a full-time hire.
As useful as the product counsel role can be, not all businesses have the legal budget to fill the role on a full-time, permanent basis. At AN Law Firm, we are focused on providing product-level legal support for startups that lack the budget for full-time counsel.
Reach out to learn more about how our fractional general counsel of fractional product counsel services might be right for your organization. Reach out to AN Law Firm to discuss your options.