Fractional GC: Do’s and Don’ts for Building Your Own Successful Legal Advisory Practice
More and more experienced legal professionals are considering becoming self-employed as a Fractional General Counsel (GC) or Legal Consultant. This alternative and flexible consulting model offers the ideal opportunity to use your own expertise with focus and autonomy without having to become fully self-employed right away.
A well-thought-out strategy is needed to ensure a successful career start outside of a law firm. That's why we have summarized the most important Do's and Don'ts for you:
1. DO: Register your freelance status correctly
If you want to work as a fractional GC on a part-time or full-time basis, you must register your self-employment with the tax office. You’ll need to clarify whether the small business regulation is applicable or whether opting for standard taxation is more advantageous in the long run. To avoid tax pitfalls, it’s best to consult with a tax advisor early on, they can offer valuable guidance.
2. DON’T: Overlook your professional license
If you want to work as a fractional GC, you need to make sure that your own professional license allows you to do so. A syndikus (in-house counsel) license alone is not sufficient for advising clients independently.
Anyone wishing to work as a lawyer on a part-time basis must check with the relevant bar association whether dual admission is possible and which requirements must be met. Timely consultation is essential in order to be legally protected If you’re working in this role full-time, a standard license to practice law is typically sufficient—an additional syndikus registration is not required.
3. DO: Clear positioning and specialization
The market for Legal Consultants and Fractional GCs is growing but to be successful, you need clear positioning: What areas of law do you specialize in? What types of businesses benefit most from your expertise? From the outset, it should be clear what added value you bring to clients. That’s what will set you apart and allows you to make a direct difference.
4. DO: Leverage your network strategically
A strong network is crucial for attracting clients. If you already have good connections with companies, use them to specifically search for clients. Especially in remote settings, professional platforms like Paxa also offer an excellent opportunity to secure initial clients. Paxa matches lawyers with suitable companies and helps ease the start of the journey as a Fractional GC.
5. DON’T: Create false expectations
Being a Fractional GC doesn’t mean being available around the clock. Still, it is important that clients have the feeling that someone is reliably taking care of their concerns. A good balance helps here: set clear availability rules, but still offer fast response times - this creates trust and ensures long-term relationships.
6. DON’T: Neglect time off and work-life balance
As Fractional GC, it’s sometimes difficult to put down the pen. There’s always a client with something urgent. In addition, vacation is not paid as a self-employed person. However, even as a self- employed Fractional GC, you should take (planned) time off in order to be successful in the long term.
If support is needed during an intense phase, Paxa offers the opportunity to fall back on a network of experienced colleagues who can step in when needed.
7. DO: Ensure professional support
No lawyer can cover every legal area—and that’s perfectly okay.
Paxa connects Fractional GCs, experts and law firms who can provide support on specific issues. This keeps the advice professional and efficient.
8. DO: Effectively organize your admin and billing
Beyond the legal advisory work itself, administrative tasks can quickly become a burden. Paxa not only takes care of clients' referrals but also the entire billing process, so you can concentrate fully on your legal work without having to worry about invoicing or dunning. Automated processes reduce administration efforts and minimize bureaucracy.
Conclusion: Fractional GC as a smart alternative
The step into part-time or even full-time self - employment as a Fractional GC offers more flexibility, exciting mandates, greater independence and is particularly attractive for experienced lawyers.
To succeed long-term as a freelancer, you’ll need a well-thought-out strategy: Those who prepare properly, position themselves clearly, use networks and optimize administrative processes create the ideal basis for sustainable and lucrative consulting work. With the right preparation and support from Paxa, starting out can be efficient and low risk.
Author: Konstantin Heilmann