Founding General Counsel
Build your legal function from scratch with experienced early-stage legal leadership
Key Takeaways
- 1Fractional CFOs work 1-3 days per week, providing senior expertise without full-time costs
- 2UK day rates range from £800 to £1500, depending on experience and sector
- 3Typical engagements save 50-70% compared to full-time executive hires
- 4Ideal for startups, scale-ups, and SMEs needing strategic leadership
- 5No employment overhead: no pension, NI, benefits, or notice periods
What is a Founding General Counsel?
Quick Definition
A Founding General Counsel is the first in-house lawyer hired by an early-stage startup. They build the legal function from scratch, balancing commercial pragmatism with legal risk management, and often join with significant equity as part of the founding team.
Founding General Counsels are critical hires for venture-backed startups reaching a stage where legal complexity requires dedicated attention. They bring commercial legal expertise with startup sensibility—pragmatic, fast-moving, and business-focused.
Founding GC vs External Law Firm
Founding GCs are embedded in the business, understanding commercial context and providing proactive guidance. External firms are reactive and charge by the hour. The right time for a Founding GC is when legal complexity and volume justify dedicated attention—typically when external legal fees exceed £100-150k annually.
Cost Comparison
Fractional vs Full-Time Executive
Your Potential Savings
£180k+
Time Allocation
How fractional executives spend their time
UK Fractional Executive Day Rates
Compare day rates across C-suite roles
Fractional vs Interim vs Full-Time
Choose the right engagement model
| Aspect | Fractional | Interim | Full-Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time Commitment | 1-3 days/week | 4-5 days/week | 5 days/week |
| Duration | Ongoing/flexible | 3-12 months | Permanent |
| Annual Cost | £50-150k | £150-300k | £200-400k+ |
| Best For | SMEs, startups, scale-ups | Crisis, transitions | Large enterprises |
| Flexibility | ★★★ High | ★★☆ Medium | ★☆☆ Low |
Costs are indicative UK market rates. Actual costs vary by role, experience, and sector.
Calculate Your Day Rate
Calculate Your Potential Income
Based on 2.5 days/week x 2 clients x 48 working weeks. CFO UK average day rate: £1000.
BetaThis calculator provides rough estimates for illustration only. Actual rates and salaries vary based on location, experience, industry, and market conditions.
Related Executive Roles
Complementary leadership for your organisation
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know
Typically at Series A or B, when legal complexity has grown beyond what founders can manage and external legal fees exceed £100-150k annually. Triggers include: significant commercial contracts, regulatory requirements, employment growth, or fundraising complexity.
Industry Resources & Authority Links
Resource
Industry resource
www.lawsociety.org.uk
Resource
Industry resource
www.sra.org.uk
Resource
Industry resource
www.scaleupinstitute.org.uk
Resource
Industry resource
technation.io
Resource
Industry resource
www.seedlegals.com
Resource
Industry resource
www.british-business-bank.co.uk
Resource
Industry resource
www.legal500.com
Resource
Industry resource
www.gov.uk
Related Pages
The Fractional Executive Trend
Industry data on the rise of fractional leadership
of executives who moved to fractional work report higher job satisfaction
Source: Harvard Business Review ↗Platform Stats
Founder's background
📊 Exec Market Snapshot
💰 Exec Day Rates
Based on 2026 market data for UK Exec roles.
