Path 03
Founder & Fractional CLO
Legal support aligned with the business — not billed by the hour against it.
Defined engagements for founders and growing businesses. Ongoing Fractional CLO support for companies that need senior legal judgment without a full-time hire.
What this path covers
Founders and growing businesses face legal decisions that don't fit neatly into a single matter. Entity structure, equity, IP ownership, vendor agreements, financing documents, and AI governance interact continuously. This path ensures your legal architecture scales directly with your operational goals.
This path offers two shapes of engagement: a defined founder engagement for a specific, bounded matter, and ongoing Fractional CLO support for companies that need senior legal judgment on a continuing basis.
Both shapes begin with a preliminary review to confirm fit. No engagement is offered without first understanding the business, the matter, and whether the firm is the right resource.
Two shapes of engagement
Defined founder engagement
A scoped, written engagement for a specific matter. The scope is agreed before work begins. Counsel handles the defined work — you handle everything outside it. Appropriate for a discrete legal question with a clear beginning and end.
Ongoing
Fractional CLO
Ongoing senior legal support structured around the business rather than individual matters. Appropriate for companies past the earliest stage that need consistent legal judgment — on strategy, contracts, governance, and emerging issues — without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.
Areas of focus
Engagements on this path are concentrated in areas where legal and business judgment intersect:
Governance
Entity structure, operating agreements, board and equity matters, founder agreements, and organizational decisions that shape the business long-term.
Intellectual property
IP ownership, assignment, protection strategy, licensing, and the intersection of IP with employment, contractor, and vendor relationships.
Financing
Review and counsel on financing documents, term sheets, convertible instruments, and the legal dimensions of capital structure decisions.
Commercial
Vendor agreements, customer contracts, SaaS and technology terms, NDAs, and the commercial agreements that govern how the business operates.
AI & emerging technology
AI governance, acceptable use policies, data handling obligations, vendor AI terms, and the legal questions that arise when businesses build with or procure AI.
What this path is not
This is not general counsel for every legal matter a business might face. Litigation, regulatory enforcement, employment disputes, real estate, and matters outside the firm's defined focus are not handled here.
If a matter falls outside the firm's scope, the preliminary review will surface that — and you will not be offered an engagement that isn't a fit.
Start with your matter
Submit a brief overview of your business and current legal needs. We will review your submission and respond promptly with a fit assessment and clear next steps.
Begin Engagement
Run your company and matter through CounselGate™ for an immediate conflict check and intake screening. No obligation.
Begin Conflict CheckTalk First
Prefer a conversation before submitting? Book a 30-minute meeting to discuss your legal needs and how fractional or founder counsel can support your growth.
Book a 30-Min MeetingNo attorney-client relationship is formed by submitting an inquiry. Do not include confidential information in your initial message.