Fractional General Counsel | Mid-Atlantic Law & Tax

A common question new clients ask is what, exactly, a fractional general counsel does. Sometimes called an outside general counsel, the idea is simple. You get the services you’d expect from an in-house general counsel, provided by an experienced attorney outside your company, without the cost of a full-time hire.

Why Businesses Choose Fractional General Counsel

Legal risk doesn’t wait until you can afford a legal department. Every company faces it, but many small and fast-growing businesses simply don’t have the budget for a full-time, experienced in-house attorney. That doesn’t make the risk go away. It just means the risk goes unmanaged.Mid-Atlantic Law & Tax provides experienced general counsel services to businesses that can’t otherwise justify the overhead. Most engagements run on a retainer, a monthly service charge, so you can budget accurately while we stay on call, spend time in your office, or take on specific projects as they come up.

What This Covers Day to Day

On a practical level, this arrangement gives you on-call counsel for:Contract review and negotiationDrafting of template legal documents, such as sales or purchase agreementsEnsuring compliance with relevant laws and regulationsEmployment mattersManagement of corporate formalities, such as board meetings and bylawsRaising funds through loans or investor offeringsSupplier or customer disputesThis recurring engagement is what reduces your legal risk. It’s not a one-time fix, it’s ongoing coverage.

Who Should Engage These Services

Every company carries legal risk, but fractional general counsel tends to matter most for businesses that operate in highly regulated industries, intend to grow, plan to raise money from investors, or otherwise operate in a higher-risk industry. If you’re not yet large enough for an in-house team, but big enough that legal risk needs active management, this is built for you.

Why Mid-Atlantic Law & Tax

James Kraehenbuehl has served as General Counsel to a major prime contractor for the U.S. Navy, and brings that in-house experience to businesses across DC, Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey. We aim to be more than counsel for a single matter. Our goal is to become a partner to your business, so you can make informed decisions while minimizing your legal risk as you grow.This works alongside our other business services. If you’re actively forming or restructuring your business, see our Entity Formation & Management page. If you have a specific agreement that needs review right now, see Contract Review & Negotiation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is this different from just calling a lawyer when something comes up? Ad hoc representation solves the immediate issue and nothing else. Fractional general counsel means we already know your business before a problem arises, so we can move faster and think ahead instead of only reacting.Can this convert into dedicated representation if I’m ever sued or need standalone counsel on a specific matter? Yes. Ongoing general counsel work and dedicated representation on a specific dispute aren’t mutually exclusive, we can scale up for a specific matter while continuing the broader relationship.

Our Mission

To protect our clients’ assets against aggressive tax actions with strategic, compassionate, and effective solutions — restoring stability and peace of mind.