Why I Built My Practice Around Being Fractional In-House Counsel
I didn't start my career thinking I'd run my own law practice.
I started in a traditional firm, rotated through practice areas, and learned how high-level legal work gets done. But what really pulled me in was how legal decisions actually play out inside a business—especially growing companies under real commercial pressure.
That became very real when I went in-house at my family's apparel company, and later at two other fashion brands, working on both legal and business development.
Inside a company, legal advice isn't academic. It's tied to launch dates, retailer relationships, inventory risk, margins, and whether a deal needs to close this week. You're not just reviewing contracts—you're helping decide what the business can realistically do.
The Gap I Kept Seeing
Most companies don't need a full-time in-house lawyer early on. But they do need in-house thinking.
So they end up in a difficult middle ground: moving fast, signing real deals, facing real IP and commercial risk — while relying on outside counsel who may be technically correct but commercially unrealistic.
I saw that gap over and over. That's why I built my practice around being fractional in-house counsel.
The Gap I Kept Seeing
I work with brands and growing businesses on licensing and trademark strategy, commercial contracts, corporate structuring, employment agreements, and IP diligence in acquisitions and financings.
Most companies call a lawyer when something is already broken. That's the most expensive time to call a lawyer. I built my practice to help companies before that point — when legal structure creates leverage, not damage control.
This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice for your specific situation.
What I Do Now
At one company, I walked into what everyone thought was a straightforward brand situation. We quickly discovered that large parts of the trademark portfolio weren't actually owned — they were licensed, with restrictions no one had fully mapped. The business team had already built plans assuming ownership.
That experience permanently changed how I think about IP, contracts, and diligence — and why I believe companies need in-house legal strategy before something breaks.
