Fractional General Counsel Services for Growing Businesses

Elisabeth Pennix provides on-demand legal counsel for small-to-midsize businesses in Chicagoland that need experienced guidance without the cost of full-time in-house counsel. This fractional model gives your business practical legal support on a schedule that fits your needs, whether that means ongoing strategic counsel, defined projects, or hourly support.

Schedule a Consultation

Ask a Question

FRACTIONAL GENERAL COUNSEL

A practical legal partner for your team

•

Strategic counsel tailored to your business

•

Flexible support through retainers, projects, or hourly work

•

Clear guidance across contracts, compliance, employment, and risk

Why Businesses Choose Fractional Counsel

Senior-level legal support without building a full-time in-house department.

Access experienced counsel on an as-needed basis

Reduce risk through regular legal oversight instead of waiting for a crisis

Get support that scales with the size and pace of your business

Improve budget predictability with flexible fee structures

Core Fractional General Counsel Services

Practical, ongoing legal support across the areas businesses deal with most.

Pennix Law works with startups, family-owned businesses, nonprofits, e-commerce companies, and other growing organizations that need more than one-off legal help. The goal is steady, strategic guidance that supports decision-making and reduces avoidable risk.

Commercial Contracts

Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating vendor agreements, service contracts, licensing deals, and other business-critical documents.

Corporate and Compliance

Entity formation, corporate governance, 501(c)(3) applications, and ongoing regulatory and operational compliance support.

Employment and HR

Guidance on hiring, firing, policy creation, personnel discipline, and day-to-day legal considerations affecting your workforce.

Risk Management

Proactive legal checkups, issue-spotting, dispute management, and strategies designed to protect company assets and reduce exposure.

Intellectual Property

Assistance with trademarks, copyrights, and branding protection as your business grows and refines its public presence.

Training and Referral Support

Advice and legal training for your team, along with access to a referral network of specialized attorneys in Illinois and Chicagoland.

This May Be the Right Fit For

Businesses that need consistent legal guidance without a full-time hire

Startups building structure, contracts, and internal processes

Family-owned and legacy businesses navigating growth and day-to-day risk

Nonprofits and mission-driven organizations needing governance and compliance support

Companies that want outside counsel on a recurring, practical basis

How Fractional Support Can Work

Flexible engagement structures designed around your business needs.

01

Monthly Subscription or Retainer

A customized monthly arrangement built around anticipated needs, a set number of hours, and/or ongoing on-call access. This option is designed to create consistency and budget predictability.

02

Project-Based or Flat Fee

Fixed pricing for defined work such as contract template creation, entity restructuring, policy development, or other clearly scoped projects.

03

Hourly Support

Hourly legal services billed in 6-minute increments, with an initial retainer due upon agreement and ongoing monthly billing as needed. If the alternatives above do not fit, Pennix Law can discuss an hourly structure.

Questions Businesses Often Ask First

A few practical answers about fractional general counsel services.

Need ongoing legal support without hiring full-time in-house counsel?

Build a structure that fits your business, your pace, and your budget.

Pennix Law can help your business create a flexible legal support model that fits your operations and gives your team a clearer path forward. Whether you need recurring guidance, help with defined projects, or a more strategic legal partner, the next step can start with a conversation.