Fractional General Counsel
Some companies need more than a retainer but aren't ready for a full-time general counsel. A fractional GC fills that gap: a senior partner who functions as the company's de facto general counsel on a defined monthly engagement, owning the legal function with the whole firm behind them.
Talk to an attorneyFounded
1965
Attorneys
11
AV-rated
Martindale-Hubbell
Office
Bellevue, WA
Founded
1965
Attorneys
4
AV-rated
Martindale-Hubbell
Office
Bellevue, WA
Fractional general counsel for Bellevue and Seattle companies
Oseran Hahn provides fractional general counsel for companies that need a general counsel's judgment and ownership without a full-time hire. A senior partner steps into the GC role on a defined monthly engagement, sits with leadership, owns the company's legal function, and manages the work and the outside vendors, rather than just answering questions as they come. It fits companies between in-house hires and those scaling toward their first one, and unlike a solo fractional GC, ours brings the full firm.
Fractional general counsel is the GC seat filled by a senior partner on a defined engagement, with the firm's full depth behind it. We function as the company's de facto general counsel; we own the legal function rather than handling isolated questions; we bridge the gap for companies between in-house hires; we help growing companies scale toward and into a first in-house GC; and we bring the whole firm's specialists through one accountable lead.
A general counsel without the headcount
A fractional general counsel is a senior partner serving as the company's functional GC on a defined monthly engagement, a step up from a retainer in both scope and ownership. Where a retainer answers the questions a company sends, a fractional GC sits in the leadership conversations, anticipates the legal issues before they are asked about, and takes responsibility for the legal function as a whole. For a company that needs that level of involvement but cannot yet justify a full-time general counsel's salary, it provides the seat without the headcount.
Owning the legal function
The difference between outside counsel and a general counsel is ownership, and a fractional GC owns the function. We manage the company's legal work end to end, set the policies and playbooks the company runs on, supervise other outside vendors and specialists, and serve as the single accountable point of contact for anything legal. Leadership gets one person who holds the whole picture, the contracts, the employment matters, the compliance calendar, the disputes, rather than a collection of separate engagements that no one is coordinating.
For companies between in-house hires
One of the most common uses of a fractional GC is as a bridge. When an in-house general counsel leaves, the seat cannot simply sit empty while the company runs a months-long search, and a fractional GC keeps the function running without forcing a rushed hire. The same applies when a company is not yet sure it needs a full-time GC: a fractional arrangement lets it have the role and judgment now and decide on the permanent hire deliberately, rather than under pressure.
Scaling toward a first in-house hire
For a growing company approaching its first in-house lawyer, a fractional GC is also a way to build the legal function deliberately. We help the company establish the systems, policies, and vendor relationships a legal department needs, then advise on when the volume justifies a full-time hire, how to define the role, and how to make the transition. Once an in-house general counsel is in place, the firm continues to support them as outside counsel, so the relationship scales with the company rather than ending at the hire.
The firm behind the fractional GC
A solo fractional general counsel is one person's expertise; ours is one person backed by the whole firm. The partner serving as the company's fractional GC draws on the firm's mergers-and-acquisitions, real estate, employment, litigation, tax, and intellectual-property attorneys as the work requires, all coordinated through a single accountable lead. The company gets the depth and breadth of a full firm in the GC seat, which no individual contractor can match, at a fraction of the cost of building that capability in-house.
Sixty years counseling Pacific Northwest companies, with senior partners who can step into the general counsel role and the full firm behind them. A fractional GC from Oseran Hahn is one accountable lead with the depth of an entire firm, for companies not ready to build that in-house.
Ownership, not just answers.
A fractional GC owns the legal function: the policies, the vendors, the whole picture. Leadership gets one accountable person who holds it together, not a set of disconnected engagements.
A bridge or a build.
Whether you're between in-house hires or scaling toward your first, a fractional GC fills the seat now and lets you make the permanent decision deliberately, not under pressure.
The whole firm in the seat.
Unlike a solo fractional GC, ours brings the firm's M&A, real estate, employment, litigation, tax, and IP depth through one lead. Breadth no individual can match.
The attorneys behindthe work.
Our business and corporate attorneys handle this work alongside our litigation team, so you have coverage whether your matter stays transactional or becomes something more.
What clientsask us first.
How is a fractional GC different from a monthly retainer?
Scope and ownership. A retainer answers the legal questions you send; a fractional general counsel owns the legal function, sits in leadership conversations, sets policy, and manages the work and the vendors. It's a larger, defined monthly engagement for companies that need a GC's involvement and accountability, not just access to counsel. We help you decide which fits.
Can you cover the role after our general counsel leaves?
Yes, that's a common use. When an in-house GC departs, a fractional GC keeps the legal function running so the seat isn't empty during a long search, and so you're not forced into a rushed hire. We step in quickly, manage the active matters and the team, and provide continuity until you've made the permanent decision on your own timeline.
We think we'll need an in-house lawyer eventually. Can you help us get there?
Yes. A fractional GC is a good way to build the legal function deliberately. We establish the systems, policies, and vendor relationships a department needs, advise on when the volume actually justifies a full-time hire, help define the role, and manage the transition. Once your in-house GC is in place, the firm continues as their outside counsel, so nothing is lost in the handoff.
What makes your fractional GC different from an individual one?
The firm behind it. A solo fractional general counsel is one person's expertise; ours is a senior partner backed by the firm's M&A, real estate, employment, litigation, tax, and IP attorneys, coordinated through one accountable lead. You get the depth of a full firm in the GC seat, which an individual contractor can't provide, without building that capability in-house.
How is a fractional GC priced?
As a defined monthly engagement scoped to the level of involvement the company needs, which is larger than a retainer because the role is broader. The point is a predictable cost for a general counsel's judgment and ownership at a fraction of a full-time GC's salary and benefits. We scope the engagement to the company after understanding what the role actually requires.
When does a fractional GC make sense?
When legal work has outgrown a retainer and needs an owner, when an in-house GC seat is empty or about to be, and when a growing company wants the role and judgment before it's ready to hire full-time. If you're weighing whether you need a general counsel, a fractional arrangement is often the right way to find out without committing to the hire.
Recentarticles.
A senior partner as your fractional general counsel on a defined monthly engagement, with the full firm behind them, for companies not ready to hire in-house.
Oseran Hahn P.S. · 11225 SE 6th St, Suite 100 · Bellevue, WA 98004
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