Commercial contracts
Draft, review and negotiate customer and vendor contracts, service agreements, licenses, distribution and partnership agreements, and data and security terms.
Outside counsel for companies
Your outside counsel. Part of your team.
An outside legal team that works alongside your founders and operators. We get to know your business, handle the recurring legal work, and stay involved as priorities change.
We work with Series A and Series B companies, established businesses and lean in-house legal teams across industries, as the primary legal team or alongside in-house counsel.
Complimentary intake with Jamee or a paid attorney strategy session with Drew.
Company counsel
The work we handle
Start with the recurring workload or the decision in front of you. We define the legal work around the company’s needs.
Company structure and governance
Entity formation, ownership and equity records, board or member approvals, financing documents and due diligence as the company develops.
People and intellectual property
Employee, contractor and advisor agreements, confidentiality and invention terms, and the assignment and licensing of intellectual property.
Transactions and growth
Legal support for financings, commercial deals, partnerships and M&A, with responsibilities and deliverables agreed before work begins.
Product and regulatory questions
Advice on product launches and compliance questions, with specialist or local counsel involved where appropriate.
The engagement
How the relationship works
Engagements are principal-led. Qualified attorneys are assigned according to complexity, with firm oversight.
- An assigned responsible attorney for your company
- Agreed integration with your Slack channel or other client workflows
- Regular priority-setting and a clear communication rhythm
- Business context retained across matters over time
- Qualified attorneys staffed to the work, with principal oversight
- Escalation and coordination with other counsel when needed
- Fees and budget expectations agreed in writing
- 01
Learn the business
We start with your product, customers, commercial relationships, recurring legal workload and upcoming decisions. After conflicts and fit are cleared, the written engagement sets the scope, staffing and fees.
- 02
Join the workflow
Your responsible attorney connects through the channels you agree on, such as a shared Slack channel, email or your existing tools, with a regular rhythm for priorities and check-ins.
- 03
Keep the work moving
We draft, review, negotiate and advise within scope, track what is open and what needs a decision, and agree with you before expanding the work.
A brief overview is enough initially. Please send confidential documents only after representation is confirmed.
Attorneys remain responsible for the legal work and final advice, including work supported by approved technology. How we use technology.
The firm
The people behind the work
The firm’s operations and client-support team helps coordinate communication, records and billing. The legal team assigned depends on the matter.
Meet the team
Andrew R. Jacobs, Esq.
Founder & Managing Attorney
Drew founded Jacobs Counsel and leads its legal work for businesses, athletes and creators. He is admitted in New York, New Jersey and Ohio.
Sam Basile
Of Counsel | Gaming Practice Co-Lead
Sam co-leads the gaming practice. He advises operators, suppliers and technology companies on iGaming, payments, licensing, compliance and commercial matters.
Caitlin Hannibal
Of Counsel
Caitlin’s work includes entity formation, corporate governance, Regulation D private placements and trademark matters. She previously practiced at Orrick and Cadwalader and worked in house at iN DEMAND. She is admitted in New York.
Engagement models
Fees that fit the workload.
The right structure depends on the volume, complexity and predictability of the work. Scope, staffing, billing and budget expectations are agreed in writing.
- Model
- Hourly
- Best fit
- Variable or unpredictable work
- How it works
- Time worked at agreed rates; budget expectations set for the matter.
- Model
- Monthly retainer
- Best fit
- Defined recurring work
- How it works
- Monthly fee, covered scope and treatment of additional work set in the engagement.
- Model
- Hybrid
- Best fit
- A recurring baseline with separate projects or changing volume
- How it works
- An agreed combination of retainer, hourly and project fees.
- Model
- Fixed fee
- Best fit
- A defined project with clear assumptions and deliverables
- How it works
- Agreed price for that scope; changes addressed separately.
A company may use ongoing counsel and separately scoped projects at the same time.
Read the outside-counsel pricing guideOutside counsel questions
What is outside counsel for a company?
Outside counsel is a law firm engaged to handle defined legal work for a company without joining its staff. The relationship may cover recurring commercial, corporate, employment, intellectual property, transaction, product or compliance matters, or a narrower set of responsibilities agreed in writing.
Do you work only with startups or gaming companies?
No. Jacobs Counsel works with companies across industries. We have particular experience in gaming, AI and startups, sports and NIL, creators, and hospitality. We start by understanding your business and the legal work you need.
Who will handle our work?
Engagements are principal-led, and qualified attorneys are assigned according to the complexity and needs of the work under firm oversight. The engagement identifies the responsible contact, staffing and division of responsibilities.
How much does outside counsel cost?
Cost depends on the volume, complexity, urgency and staffing of the work. Recurring work may be hourly, retainer-based or hybrid, while a defined project may use a fixed fee. Scope, staffing, billing and budget expectations are agreed in writing before legal work begins.
Can you support our in-house lawyer?
Yes. Outside counsel can provide overflow capacity or handle defined specialist work alongside an in-house lawyer. Responsibilities, communication and escalation paths should be clear at the start of the engagement.
Is fractional general counsel the same as outside counsel?
The terms overlap. Fractional general counsel usually describes an ongoing legal leadership role, while outside counsel can include that role, recurring matter work, overflow support or a defined specialty. The actual written scope controls, not the label.
Can you work in our Slack or existing systems?
Yes, where it fits the engagement. We agree on the channels, access and communication rhythm at the start, such as a shared Slack channel, email or your existing tools, and who on your team brings legal questions forward. Confidentiality and access are handled as part of that setup.
Is this only for venture-backed startups?
No. We work with Series A and Series B companies, established and founder-owned businesses, and lean in-house legal teams across industries. What matters is a recurring legal workload where a consistent outside team adds value, subject to conflicts, scope and matter fit.
Can we start with one project?
Yes, subject to conflicts, scope and matter fit. A company can begin with a contract, transaction or other defined need without assuming an ongoing relationship before the workload supports one.
Founder resource
The Startup Legal Playbook
A free guide to contracts, funding and legal decisions for founders and early-stage companies.
View the Startup Legal Playbook🚀
The Startup Legal Playbook
Compare legal support models and prepare your growing company for contracts, funding and recurring legal work.
Specialized resources
Explore focused guidance when the company’s work calls for industry or business-model depth.
Gaming & Esports Outside CounselOngoing commercial and regulatory counsel for gaming and esports companies.Fractional General Counsel for AI StartupsHow a fractional legal role may support an AI or SaaS company.Outside Counsel for SaaS & Commercial ContractsContract support for companies selling software and services.Subscription Legal Services — Buyer’s GuideQuestions to consider when evaluating recurring legal arrangements.Counsel for AI & Startup CompaniesLegal work for founders and early-stage companies.
Gaming companies
See our gaming company practice and the flagship 50-State Gaming Legal Opinion.
Talk through your company’s legal needs.
Choose a complimentary fit-and-intake call with Jamee or a paid attorney strategy session with Drew. Intake is not legal advice.
Prospective client disclaimer: contacting Jacobs Counsel or booking a call does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send confidential information until representation is confirmed in writing.