Сравнение
Startup Lawyer vs. General Counsel: Which Does Your Company Need?
Краткий ответ
A startup lawyer is an external attorney at a law firm who specializes in early-stage company formation, financing, employment, and IP — engaged on a project or retainer basis. General Counsel (GC) is an in-house executive who manages all legal matters for the company, coordinates outside counsel, and provides ongoing strategic legal guidance as part of the leadership team. Startups typically work with external startup lawyers early on; GCs become necessary as legal volume, complexity, and M&A risk grow.
Автор James Chae — Сооснователь, Expert Sapiens
Экспертиза платформы: Юридические услуги и отбор адвокатов · Проверено июнь 2026
Ключевые отличия
Когда выбрать Startup Lawyer
- You are forming an entity, issuing equity, or closing your first financing round
- You need specialized expertise for a specific transaction without a full-time hire
- Your legal needs are episodic — high intensity at key milestones, quiet in between
- You are pre-Series B and legal volume doesn't justify a full-time legal hire
- You want access to a firm's network and deal experience without the cost of an in-house hire
Когда выбрать General Counsel
- You are post-Series B with significant ongoing legal complexity across multiple domains
- You are preparing for M&A, IPO, or significant regulatory scrutiny
- Legal matters are frequent enough that outside counsel fees exceed what a GC would cost
- You need a senior executive who can represent the company's legal position at the board level
- Your industry requires deep regulatory compliance (fintech, healthtech, government contracts)
Что выбрать?
For most startups through Series A, a good external startup lawyer is the right model — specialized expertise, no overhead, and flexibility. The inflection point for a GC typically comes around Series B–C when legal complexity is constant, M&A becomes realistic, and you need proactive legal leadership rather than reactive outside counsel. Fractional GC is an excellent intermediate step.
Типичная стоимость
Почасовая ставка
$150–$500/час
Значительные различия в зависимости от специализации — интеллектуальная собственность и корпоративное право дороже
За сессию
$200–$750
Типично для 60–90-минутной сессии по проверке договора, юридической стратегии или консультации по соответствию
Проектный гонорар
$500–$5 000+
Фиксированная оплата за регистрацию компании, составление договоров или регистрацию товарных знаков