main logo

This website does not support versions of Internet Explorer below version 9. Please try updating your Internet Explorer or visiting on another browser. Thank You.

diagonal dashes

An Outside General Counsel Who Manages the Confusing and Risky Intersections Between
Law, Business, and Common Sense

  • A real-time partner who helps you navigate the complexities of your business
  • A bottom-line strategy that minimizes risks and capitalizes on opportunities
  • Time-tested solutions that efficiently address key business issues
  • A value-based approach to the cost of legal services
Download the Back To Business Worksheet GCI Icon

The Problem.

Large companies typically employ one or more in-house general counsel to guide them in real time on a strategic course through the law’s rules and pitfalls.

Small and midsized companies do not always have that luxury, and they lose the benefit of the powerful tools the law provides to manage risk, pursue intelligent growth, and capitalize on opportunities. The results of that disparity are revealed in a company’s profits or losses and, often, its success or failure.

The Solution.

The General Counsel Initiative provides businesses with an on-demand, outside general counsel who, operating within defined budgetary limits, coordinates the multi-disciplinary legal and related services every business needs, and serves as a primary point of contact for pertinent information, practical advice and real-world solutions.

The advantages: companies without in-house general counsel can, cost effectively, minimize legal issues, make informed decisions, utilize the power of the law to their maximum advantage, and level the playing field they share with larger competitors.

background imagebackground image mobile

Meet the GCI Leadership

team icon

The General Counsel Initiative leadership team has over 100 years of cumulative experience in the areas of law most relevant to small and midsize businesses, such as employment law, contract drafting, risk management, litigation and dispute resolution, real estate, commercial transactions, and estate and succession planning.

View GCI Leadership

One size does not fit all.

Some companies involve us in virtually all aspects of their business; others prefer we serve in a more limited role, often working with their existing counsel. To meet these varying needs, we offer three types of GCI engagements, described below. In each, we use a structured and goal-oriented approach that minimizes the inefficiencies of the usual attorney-client billing protocols and, where feasible, focuses on value-based, fixed-fee arrangements. See Costs/Benefits for additional details.

Company General Counsel
In a Company General Counsel engagement, we commit to be your legal eyes and ears, to be there as risks, issues, and opportunities emerge, to provide real-time advice that informs solid decision-making, and to provide real-world solutions as, or even before, they are needed.
Learn More
Specialized General Counsel
A Specialized General Counsel is similar to a Company General Counsel, with one key difference: we limit our focus to one or more assigned areas that are of particular concern or difficulty (for instance, employment law, cybersecurity, contracts, real estate, trade secrets, etc.), often in concert with the company’s existing counsel or other advisors.
Learn More
Assessment / Solutions Review
An Assessment/Solutions Review is project-based. We analyze an assigned area of concern (for instance, a merger, an employment issue, a real estate transaction, a breach of contract, etc.) and we provide a recommended course of action, coupled with a cost estimate, to facilitate strategic, informed business planning.
Learn More