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What are the distinctions between Outside Chief Legal and an inside General Counsel?
As a strategic business partner, Outside Chief Legal is an innovative approach for young and established organizations that concentrates both proactively to prevent legal problems, and as legal issues come into play respond assertively to neutralize any potential adverse effects that could endanger the client's well-being. Additionally, OCL has typically invested time and efforts to understand the overall functions of your business or organization. OCL is prepared to provide innovative and practical solutions at a fraction of the cost of full-time in-house General Counsel to maintain your company on its current progressive trajectory or to accelerate it onto a more aggressive pathway as you desire. This comprehensive approach to the partnership supports alleviating risks and safeguarding legal proficiencies all the while keeping a close perspective on both the organization's top and bottom lines. Client goals and business plans are constantly top-of-mind to ensure innovative solutions cooperatively address legal issues and business strategies.
- General Counsels historically have been a company's senior-level attorney who would handle all legal issues as they occur.
How did you arrive at the company name of Outside Chief Legal?
Many start-up organizations and even large companies often require advice on a wide range of legal issues but are not yet ready to hire a full-time in-house lawyer. Additionally, companies already with in-house counsel that don't want the expense of additional full-time attorneys seek out OCL to supplement their needs on an as-needed basis. This is where Outside Chief Legal can help. When you contract with OCL, you're getting all the legal skills of an experienced litigator and regular in-house Chief Legal Officer, but on a budget conscious, affordable and as-needed basis.
As a senior-level experienced executive OCL Is positioned to also provide clients significant insights into business challenges and opportunities they face in pursuit of their documented business goals.
As a senior-level experienced executive OCL Is positioned to also provide clients significant insights into business challenges and opportunities they face in pursuit of their documented business goals.
What does an Outside Chief Legal Officer/Executive do?
On an as-needed basis, OCL supervises all legal features of an organization for the duration of a single project, or on an on-going basis. At times, if more advantageous, OCL will manage specific outside legal counsel to achieve company goals and handle unique legal challenges. This means referring and governing outside counsel who are best suited to handle a particular matter or portion of a project. OCL has an established network of experienced attorneys it partners with for virtually any area of expertise. Bottomline, you are accessing the entire range of skills of a full-time inhouse attorney and senior level business partner on a part-time and much more inexpensive basis.
Do you participate with clients' Board of Directors?
Outside Chief Legal offers a variety of services to assist with Boards and investors. OCL can safeguard conformity with laws and regulations, and guide actions in coordination of periodic meetings of the Board and shareholders. As circumstances present, OCL can assist with coordinating matters between the Board and company leaders to bring closure and win-win solutions to the table. For a more complete list of our Boardroom (Non-Litigation) Legal Service offerings, see the Boardroom Page.
Are there legal matters you do not undertake?
Yes, we do not handle tax, family, oil & gas, bankruptcy, or criminal law matters. These are specific areas of law that require experience and proficiency we do not have. If there is any area of law in which we cannot help you, we will source you an attorney who can successfully work with you cost effectively.
Under what conditions would Outside Chief Legal be a good fit for my situation?
OCL would be an excellent choice to work with a company's legal and business challenges if due to its size and/or management it would prefer to not incur the high cost of a full-time in-house attorney, which would also include benefits, vacation time, etc. The organization would save considerably being billed a reduced hourly rate and by the project until successful completion.
Also, should a company unexpectedly lose its internal General Counsel and find it beneficial to have a practiced legal firm take over while a search is launched for a replacement, OCL would be an ideal choice.
Should your organization be going through a sizeable project during which the inhouse General Counsel would benefit from having an experienced law firm work with them until the project is completed, OCL would be an outstanding decision to bring on board and be ready to contribute quickly.
Also, should a company unexpectedly lose its internal General Counsel and find it beneficial to have a practiced legal firm take over while a search is launched for a replacement, OCL would be an ideal choice.
Should your organization be going through a sizeable project during which the inhouse General Counsel would benefit from having an experienced law firm work with them until the project is completed, OCL would be an outstanding decision to bring on board and be ready to contribute quickly.
Does Outside Chief Legal handle business operations type work?
Numerous requirements for drafting business documents ranging from start-ups to ongoing requirements required in the operation of a for-profit company or non-profit organization come into OCL.
Outside Chief Legal will not only draft the documents, but also participate in the discussions leading up to the final decision to ensure our client arrives at the most advantageous terms possible.
Some examples of business operations legal forms development are:
Outside Chief Legal will not only draft the documents, but also participate in the discussions leading up to the final decision to ensure our client arrives at the most advantageous terms possible.
Some examples of business operations legal forms development are:
- Partnership are joint venture agreements.
- Mergers and acquisitions.
- Sale or purchase of a business entity.
- Planning and organizing a new for-profit business or non-profit organization.
- A wide variety of financial activities.
Are employment issues something you deal with?
Outside Chief Legal offers realistic advising for both employment and labor situations.
A few examples are:
A few examples are:
- Creating and consulting on employment contracts and separation agreements.
- Defending various types of employment associated claims.
- Instructing to resolve and prevent employment claims.
- Executive level employment arrangements.
- Monitor conformity with wage and hour laws.
- Consulting with leadership on claims of discrimination.
What if in the evaluation of our situation OCL doesn't have the particular expertise to take on the assignment?
Outside Chief Legal has the ability and interest in your circumstances to call upon one of the many law firm relationships we have developed over the years to supervise the new counsel to ensure you reach a positive outcome.
This process would include:
This process would include:
- Initiate search and selection of the absolute best match to achieve the ideal conclusion at a fair expenditure.
- Collaborate on charges and oversee billings.
- Control efficiencies of how work is assigned and accomplished by the external legal team.
- Monitor work completion against an agreed upon timeline and budget.
Is there a fee attached to your first meeting?
Outside Chief Legal takes on all first meetings on a no fee basis. Our goal throughout this initial get together is to listen carefully to the specifics of your circumstances, make an informed decision as to the optional directions that might yield the desired outcome, and determine if we are the best match for the challenge.
How do your fees compare to conventional law offices and how do you calculate your charges?
Outside Chief Legal functions efficiently on surprisingly low operating costs and willingly passes those savings onto our clients. Our charges are monitored closely to make certain clients are charged at the proper rates for who actually completes the various tasks within the assignments. Our goal is to achieve a long-term relationship with each client and build additional relationships through referrals and positive references.
Our fees fall into roughly these categories and are selected to achieve the most comfortable arrangement with each client.
Our fees fall into roughly these categories and are selected to achieve the most comfortable arrangement with each client.
- If OCL is operating on a long-term relationship as your on-call attorney, we can discuss either an hourly rate or flat fee depending on which is more appropriate. This results in significant savings versus utilizing a full-time in-house attorney.
- Should the need be of a short-term limited assignment basis, then there are multiple options such as hourly rate or flat fee which would depend upon the scope of the work.
Do you only work remotely?
Primarily we work remotely to budget our expenses, but we would like to begin our working relationship by spending time at your business or organization to get to know everything about your operation, meet your people and learn their thoughts, and visualize what goes on from curb to curb. If amenable, we also have developed an in-depth questionnaire that when executed assists us to prepare to function as a true business partner and legal resource.
What are the true benefits of hiring Outside Chief Legal?
OCL brings many benefits to your organization some of which are as follows:
Expense
Full-time legal counsel finds you paying for recruiting, high salaries, employee benefits, and possible equity or fractional ownership. OCL charges simply for work completed at reasonable rates you can rely on to accurately calculate your budget.
Efficiency
Legal challenges can arise any time of day or night and often require expeditious responses. OCL is always on standby to undertake your challenges without you having to search for an appropriate legal resource. Whether having the exact expertise needed or becoming your experienced search team your situation will become our responsibility to manage to a best outcome possible.
Your business familiarity
OCL, once involved, will take the time and effort to get to know your business so when legal issues arise understanding your operations and objectives will already be in place. Dealing with a myriad of issues and many different companies over the years positions OCL to both anticipate issues or deal with them from an experienced background.
Outside perspective
Coming from outside your walls provides an objective, third-party viewpoint that is advantageous versus only considering internal viewpoints that may possibly be emotionally influenced. This variety of thoughts and opinions can be extremely valuable in helping to arrive at sound strategic decisions.
Flexibility
Working with OCL means there is no long-term commitment as with hiring an in-house counsel. You have the opportunity to test the service to see if it is a good fit. There are no permanent employment contracts with early termination requirements should you be dissatisfied.
Growth foundations
Whether starting a new venture on a firm footing, or at a point where growth and/or diversification becomes a strategic initiative, OCL will be positioned to support you as an experienced business partner ready to ensure all you need is complete and organized, all at a faction of the cost of in-house counsel.
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- 200 Government St., 4th Floor, Mobile, AL 36602 (251) 322-1816