Question 1

What does Paxa do?

Accepted Answer

Paxa works as an external legal department. We provide flexible, ongoing legal advice through a network of experienced fractional general counsel, so companies get the benefits of an internal legal team without hiring full-time staff.

We cover all core areas of a legal department, from contract law, labor law, data protection, and IT law to issues relating to AI, compliance, and international expansion. Each client has one central point of contact while gaining access to our full network of subject-matter experts. Click here for a full detailed list of all the services we cover.

Question 2

What is a fractional general counsel?

Accepted Answer

A fractional general counsel is an experienced corporate lawyer who provides ongoing legal support to a company on a flexible, project-based basis without being permanently employed. Unlike a traditional part-time position, this role is not tied to fixed working hours or a fixed position, but is based on actual needs. In contrast to interim solutions, which are usually temporary, a fractional general counsel is available on a long-term basis and can provide continuous support. This model gives companies access to senior in-house legal expertise without the cost or commitment of hiring a full-time general counsel.

Question 3

Which types of companies does Paxa work with?

Accepted Answer

Paxa advises companies of all sizes that need flexible, integrated legal support. Our clients include start-ups, scale-ups, SMEs, and established corporations that want in-house quality legal advice without building a full internal department.

Both early stage and companies with existing legal teams work with us to bridge capacity gaps, manage special projects, or add specialized expertise through our fractional general counsel model. Such companies benefit from a Fractional General Counsel solution, for example when they need to:

Relieve the burden of specific projects that require extra capacity or specialized expertise
Bridge short-term bottlenecks caused by staff changes, absences, or high workload periods
Cover ongoing part-time needs without creating a permanent in-house position

As we are based in Germany, we advise on legal matters under German law. However, thanks to our large network of general counsels, we also cover the American and British legal jurisdictions.

Question 4

How does Paxa support companies with cross-border or EU legal requirements?

Accepted Answer

Paxa helps companies operating in the European single market or across borders stay compliant with EU law. We advise on how to implement and meet European legal requirements in areas such as:

Data protection (e.g., the General Data Protection Regulation, GDPR)
Competition and antitrust law
Regulatory frameworks for trading goods and services within the EU
Compliance and governance obligations

Our goal is to ensure your business model remains legally sound not only in Germany but also across the wider European legal framework.

Question 5

What are the advantages of Paxa compared to traditional law firms or in-house legal departments?

Accepted Answer

Paxa combines the strengths of an in-house legal department with the flexibility of an external provider. Companies gain access to senior legal expertise without long-term contracts or the cost of full-time staff.

Here’s how Paxa differs:

In-house quality, external flexibility: our fractional general counsels work like part of your team but are available only as needed.
Cost efficiency: you get top-tier legal expertise without salaries, benefits, or overhead.
Speed and integration: we integrate seamlessly into your workflows — via your email, Slack, or Teams — for fast, transparent collaboration.
Access to specialists: our network of general counsels and subject-matter experts covers complex areas like AI law, data protection, and international expansion.
Flexible collaboration models: work with us hourly, per project, or on a monthly retainer — always without long-term commitment.

Question 6

What does the collaboration cost? How is it billed?

Accepted Answer

Paxa uses a flexible pricing model without long-term commitments. Depending on your needs, services can be billed hourly, per project, or through a monthly retainer that gives predictable access to your fractional general counsel. During the initial consultation, we work with you to define the right setup for your company and ensure full transparency and budget control from the start.

Question 7

What areas of law does Paxa cover ?

Accepted Answer

Our aim is to act as part of your company when covering these topics. Due to the long-term cooperation between us and your company, our fractional general counsels work independently and always proactively to provide you with the best service.

Our core competencies include:

Contract drafting, review, and management (“Commercial Contracts”)
Labor & HR law
Data protection, IT law, and AI law
Compliance, governance, and risk management
Corporate structuring, international expansion, and M&A
Special topics through our network of additional general counsels

You can find a list of all of our services here

Question 8

How does Paxa support expansion into the US?

Accepted Answer

Paxa supports companies expanding into the US with a clearly structured legal approach. We advise on choosing the appropriate legal form, the legally compliant drafting of employment and business contracts, and advice on regulatory requirements and compliance. For tax reasons, it is essential to make the right decisions at an early stage. Paxa can draw on extensive experience in this area. Our fractional general counsels have already assisted numerous entrepreneurs and founders with their market entry into the US. In addition, Paxa ensures access to specialized local partners and helps identify risks at an early stage. In this way, companies receive a legally sound basis for successful market entry in the US.

Question 9

When should a young company (startup) involve lawyers?

Accepted Answer

Startups should incorporate legal advice into their business planning as early as possible. Early legal support helps define the right company structure, draft shareholder agreements, and protect intellectual property before problems arise. Legal support is also useful when entering the market, drafting contracts, data protection, and labor law. Legal structures should be clearly established before a financing round at the latest. By involving lawyers at an early stage, liability risks can be minimized and processes can be designed efficiently, which strengthens the position vis-à-vis investors and business partners.

Question 10

How does the collaboration with Paxa work, and what are the processes and tools like?

Accepted Answer

If you are interested, we will conduct a non-binding initial consultation to clarify your needs and suitability. We work with ticket systems, dashboards, and AI-supported tools to ensure transparency, efficiency, and fast processing. For each request, we clearly define: jurisdiction, deadlines, responsibilities, and you retain an overview at all times.

Question 11

How does the collaboration with Paxa work and how quickly do clients receive support?

Accepted Answer

Paxa integrates directly into your company’s existing systems – just like an internal employee or your own legal department. To do this, you set up separate access for us (e.g., email address under your domain, Slack or Microsoft Teams account). In the background, we set up our own technological setup – with a ticket system, dashboard, and clearly defined processes. This creates a seamless interface between your company and us. We can either act as co-counsel alongside your existing legal department or take over these tasks completely. Close integration ensures fast response times and clear traceability: in urgent cases (e.g., deadlines or risk issues), we guarantee priority processing, provided this is possible within the scope of the agreement. This way, you always know where your request stands, and communication gaps are effectively avoided.

Question 12

How do we get started with Paxa? What is the first step?

Accepted Answer

Getting started with Paxa is simple. It begins with a free initial consultation where we discuss your company’s needs and confirm whether our flexible legal model is the right fit. You contact us via the contact form or the calendar tool on our website, and we suggest an appointment. As a rule, you will use our services to a greater extent at the beginning of the collaboration. Once everything is set up, the effort required is reduced and we are available to you according to your individual needs.

Question 13

Is there a minimum term or minimum commitment?

Accepted Answer

No, we deliberately work without long-term commitments. Only short notice periods should be observed. You gain maximum flexibility: if necessary, you can terminate the collaboration or adjust the volume without a long contractual commitment.

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