Legal audit risk framework and priority roadmap.

Hiring Guide

Hire a Fractional CLO

Complete guide to hiring fractional legal leadership

£800-2,000

Day Rate

2-6 weeks

Time to Hire

50-70%

Cost Savings

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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

Latest Fractional Jobs

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Location

Work Type

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When to Hire

Quick Definition

Hire a fractional CLO when needing senior legal leadership without full-time overhead. Ideal for growing companies with increasing legal complexity or preparing for transactions.

What to Look For

Look for candidates with in-house legal leadership experience. Key qualities include strategic legal planning risk management regulatory compliance and transaction experience.

Evaluation Criteria

Criteria	Assess	Red Flags
Strategy	Legal to business	Reactive only
Risk	Risk frameworks	No proactive work
Transactions	MA IPO experience	No deal experience
Team	Led legal teams	Solo practitioner

Interview Questions

Key questions: What legal strategies have you developed? How do you manage legal risk? What transactions have you led? How do you advise executives on legal matters?

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Cost Comparison

Fractional vs Full-Time Executive

Full-Time Executive£286k/year

Salary + Benefits + Overhead

Fractional Executive£106k/year

1-2 days/week average

Your Potential Savings

£180k+

63%

saved

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Time Allocation

How fractional executives spend their time

Strategy30%

Operations25%

Leadership20%

Governance15%

Technology10%

Hire a Fractional CLO (Chief Legal Officer)

A fractional Chief Legal Officer provides senior legal leadership covering corporate governance, commercial contracts, M&A, and regulatory compliance without the £250-400k cost of a permanent General Counsel.

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Why Hire a Fractional CLO?

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Strategic legal leadership: Board-level legal counsel and governance

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Transaction expertise: M&A, fundraising, and corporate transaction support

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Cost efficiency: Senior legal leadership at 40-60% of full-time cost

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Risk management: Legal risk identification and mitigation strategy

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What a Fractional CLO Delivers

Deliverable	Timeline
Legal function assessment and strategy	Weeks 1-4
Contract framework and governance	Weeks 4-8
Regulatory compliance programme	Weeks 8-12
Ongoing legal leadership and M&A support	Ongoing

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Typical Engagement Models

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Strategic: 1-2 days/week for legal governance and advice

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Transaction: 3-5 days/week during M&A or fundraising

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Advisory: Half day/week for board-level legal counsel

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→

CLO Salary Guide

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Fractional General Counsel Jobs UK

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Head of Legal Salary Guide

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UK Fractional Jobs

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Fractional Recruitment Agency

UK Fractional Executive Day Rates

Compare day rates across C-suite roles

CFOThis Role£800 - £1500/day

£1100

CTO£900 - £1600/day

£1200

CMO£750 - £1400/day

£1000

COO£800 - £1400/day

£1050

CDO£900 - £1450/day

£1150

CISO£900 - £1550/day

£1200

Rate Range

Average

Source: UK Market Data 2025

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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

Fractional CFO Earnings

Calculate Your Potential Income

Your Day Rate

£1,000

£750Avg: £1000£1500

Days Per Client/Week

2.5 days

1 day5 days

Number of Clients

2 clients

Weekly

£5,000

Monthly

£21,650

Annual

£240,000

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.

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