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.

Watch: Do You Need an Attorney on Staff?

If you've been thinking your business needs a lawyer on staff, this is the model that gets you one without the payroll. Dominic explains in under a minute.

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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. If litigation arises, it is scoped and engaged separately, typically hourly, so the retainer stays predictable. 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 does a general counsel retainer work?

A general counsel retainer is a flat monthly fee for a defined set of legal services: typically contract review and drafting, day-to-day legal questions, vendor and employment issues, and strategic input. The engagement letter lists what the retainer covers and states a clear overage rate for anything beyond it. If litigation arises, it is scoped and billed separately so the retainer stays predictable. Hourly with a monthly cap is available for companies that prefer it. See how our fees work.

What is fractional general counsel, and is it the same as outside general counsel?

Same idea, different label. A fractional general counsel is an attorney who functions as your company's general counsel on a part-time, ongoing basis instead of as a full-time employee. For most small and mid-sized Florida businesses it delivers the continuity of in-house counsel at a fraction of the cost of a salaried hire, and it scales up or down with the company.

How much does outside general counsel cost compared to hiring in-house?

The retainer is priced for a defined monthly scope and is confirmed in writing before the engagement starts, so you can compare it directly against the fully loaded cost of a part-time or full-time in-house attorney. For companies that need consistent legal support but not forty hours a week of it, the retainer is usually the smaller number. We walk through the comparison on the first call.

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.