What does fixed-fee legal counsel actually cover?
Short answer: Fixed-fee counsel covers a scoped piece of work — a contract, a deal, a formation, a license — for a single agreed price, with the scope written down before any work begins. No hourly meter, no surprise invoices.
Fixed-fee work begins with a written scope: what is included, what is excluded, what the deliverables are, and what counts as out-of-scope (and how that is priced if it comes up). At Jacobs Counsel, a typical engagement is scoped after a free intro call and a brief document review.
Things that fit naturally into fixed fees: contract reviews and negotiations, formations, equity grants, NIL deal packages, gaming opinion letters, brand deal templates, fractional GC retainers, M&A diligence work. Things that usually do not: open-ended litigation, regulatory enforcement defense, and matters with unpredictable volume — those are scoped differently and explained up front.
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Updated May 26, 2026. General information only — not legal advice for your specific situation. For advice on your facts, book an intro call.