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    Jacobs Counsel LLC logo
    DEALMAKERS & BUILDERS

    Outside counsel for growing startups.

    Part of your team. Built around your business.

    For founder-led and Series A/B companies that need legal support throughout the week: customer and vendor contracts, hiring, company decisions and transactions. An assigned attorney gets to know your business and works with your team through an agreed process, including Slack or your existing systems where appropriate.

    By Drew Jacobs, Esq. — Founder, Jacobs Counsel LLC

    Last reviewed:

    Start with a complimentary fit-and-intake call, or choose a paid attorney strategy session.

    Outside counsel, working with your team

    The relationship starts with the work on your desk and the decisions ahead. We agree who handles it, how requests reach us and how you stay informed.

    A named attorney

    Your responsible attorney learns your products, contracts and priorities, with firm oversight and additional counsel involved when the matter calls for it.

    Your working rhythm

    We agree how to use Slack or your existing systems, triage requests and keep you updated. Your team knows where to send work and who is handling it.

    Clear scope and fees

    We match staffing and fees to the workload: hourly, retainer-based or hybrid for ongoing counsel, with fixed fees available for defined projects.

    Legal work that keeps coming up

    The commercial and company work that sits between a major financing and the next big transaction.

    Customer and vendor contracts

    Keep legal review connected to the deal your team is trying to close.

    • Customer agreements, MSAs and order forms
    • SaaS terms, DPAs and procurement redlines
    • Vendor agreements, renewals and negotiation support
    Commercial contracts counsel →

    Hiring and company decisions

    Get support as responsibilities, relationships and the business change.

    • Employment, contractor and adviser agreements
    • Confidentiality and IP ownership provisions
    • Board consents, governance and company records
    Business transactions counsel →

    Brand, product and IP

    Address the legal questions behind a new product, partnership or brand.

    • Trademark and brand protection
    • Licensing, IP assignments and product terms
    • Privacy and data terms in commercial agreements
    Brand and IP counsel →

    Formation, funding and transactions

    Bring us in for a defined project or as ongoing counsel before and after it.

    • Entity structure and founder agreements
    • SAFEs, convertible notes and financing support
    • Diligence and coordination with venture, tax or other specialist counsel
    Fractional general counsel →

    Already have an in-house lawyer or a financing firm? We can take on an agreed part of the day-to-day workload and coordinate with the advisers you already use. Specialist work is scoped with the appropriate counsel.

    Start with what is on your team's desk

    Tell us about your company, the work that keeps coming up and any immediate deadlines. We can discuss ongoing support or a defined first project.

    Tell us what you need

    Share your business stage, the legal work you need help with and who will work with us on your team.

    Start Your Intake

    Planning your outside-counsel relationship?

    Use our outside counsel playbook to prepare for a conversation about scope, workflow and fees.

    🚀

    The Startup Legal Playbook

    Compare legal support models and prepare your growing company for contracts, funding and recurring legal work.

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    Questions from growing companies

    Can you act as outside counsel for a Series A or Series B company?
    Yes. We work with founder-led and growing companies on recurring commercial contracts, hiring, governance and transactions. We agree on the scope, responsible attorney and fees based on the company's workload. Earlier-stage businesses can also engage us for a defined project or ongoing support.

    Can our attorney work in Slack or the systems our team already uses?
    Where appropriate, yes. We agree on communication channels, how requests are submitted, who sets priorities and how updates are shared. That can include Slack or existing client systems. The working arrangement is part of the engagement.

    What day-to-day legal work can you handle?
    The agreed scope can include customer and vendor agreements, SaaS contracts and DPAs, procurement redlines, employment and contractor documents, IP ownership, board consents and other company decisions. If a matter needs specialist counsel, we discuss that need and coordinate the appropriate support.

    Can you work alongside our in-house lawyer or financing firm?
    Yes. We can handle an agreed part of the recurring workload while working with your internal legal team or existing advisers. For complex venture financings or other specialist matters, we agree on each firm's role and keep the work coordinated.

    How are ongoing outside-counsel fees structured?
    Depending on the workload, ongoing counsel may be hourly, retainer-based or hybrid. Fixed fees can work for defined projects. We agree on staffing, scope and fees before work begins and discuss changes when the work changes.

    Can we start with a single project?
    Yes. A customer contract, company decision or other defined project can be a starting point. If your business needs recurring support, we can then agree on an ongoing relationship.

    Put legal support on your team's side of the table.

    Tell us what your company is building and where legal work is slowing the team down. We will discuss whether ongoing counsel or a defined project is the right starting point.

    Choose a complimentary 15-minute fit-and-intake call with Jamee (no legal advice), or a paid attorney strategy session. Scope and fees are agreed before legal work begins.

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