Outside General Counsel for Florida Businesses

Most small and mid-sized companies don't need a full-time general counsel. They need a real lawyer on call — someone who already knows the business, picks up the phone, and can answer the day-to-day legal questions that come up in operations, hiring, contracts, and growth.

That's what Scheer Legal's Outside General Counsel relationship is for. You get the lawyer; we don't make you pay for the salary, the benefits, the office, and the empty desk on quiet weeks.

What an OGC Relationship Covers

• Contract review and drafting. Vendor agreements, customer agreements, NDAs, MSAs, SOWs, independent contractor agreements, real-estate leases.
• Employment and HR questions. Offer letters, contractor-vs-employee classification, terminations, non-competes (in light of Florida's framework), employee handbooks.
• Vendor and customer disputes. The early phone call or letter that often resolves a dispute before it becomes litigation.
• Corporate housekeeping. Annual reports, registered agent, minute books, member/manager updates, foreign qualification when you expand.
• Strategic advice. Should you spin out a subsidiary? Form a holding company? Add a partner? Buy a competitor? We're in the room.
• Triage to specialists. When something falls outside our wheelhouse — IP litigation, complex tax, immigration — we'll tell you, and we'll connect you with a vetted specialist.

How It Works

Flat-Fee Monthly Retainer

For companies with predictable legal needs, we scope an OGC package with a monthly flat fee that includes a defined set of services and a clear overage rate. You get a predictable line item; we get a predictable workload.

Hourly with a Cap

For companies whose legal needs spike unevenly, we offer an hourly arrangement with a monthly cap so the bill doesn't surprise you.

Project-Based

For specific projects (a new contract framework, an acquisition, a partnership formation), we quote a flat project fee.

Who OGC Is For

• Founders without an in-house lawyer who keep asking "can someone just look at this for me?"
• Companies between $1M and $25M in annual revenue where legal questions come up weekly but not daily.
• Professional services firms (medical practices, agencies, consultancies, real-estate offices) with contracts, employees, and vendors to manage.
• Family-owned businesses that have grown past the point where the family CPA can answer all the legal questions.

For one-off business matters that don't need a retainer, see Business Law.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is OGC different from just hiring a lawyer when I need one?

Continuity. An OGC lawyer already knows your business, your contracts, your team, and your history — so when a question comes up, the first 30 minutes aren't spent getting them up to speed. It also means you call us first instead of letting issues fester.

Do I sign a long-term contract?

No. OGC engagements are typically month-to-month with a 30-day notice provision. The relationship has to keep working for both sides every month.

Is OGC right for a startup?

Often, yes — particularly past the seed stage when you start signing real contracts, hiring employees, and raising capital. Earlier than that, a project-based engagement may be more appropriate.

Will you handle our litigation?

We handle a lot of civil litigation in-house. For complex specialty litigation outside our wheelhouse, we coordinate with trusted outside counsel so you're not managing the relationship cold.