Becoming a fractional general counsel: mandate structure, pipeline and risks

Short answer: To become a fractional general counsel, you need senior in-house experience and the ability to lead the legal function of several companies part-time at once, usually on fixed days per week or month. The model rests on three things: a clear mandate structure with workload and availability, a reliable pipeline of assignments and deliberate handling of risks such as conflicts of interest and false self-employment.

This guide is for general counsel, heads of legal and senior legal counsel in Switzerland and Germany who want to work as a fractional general counsel. It explains how to structure assignments, how to build a pipeline and which risks to settle before you start.

What does a fractional general counsel do?

A fractional general counsel leads the legal function of a company that does not need, or cannot fund, a full-time general counsel. Typical clients are scale-ups, mid-sized companies and subsidiaries without their own legal department.

Unlike a classic interim assignment, the aim is rarely to bridge a gap. The company wants permanent legal leadership, but only for part of the week. The work covers contract standards, management of external law firms, advice to management, governance and setting up basic compliance processes. The guide Becoming an interim head of legal shows how this differs from a full-time leadership assignment.

Mandate structure: workload, scope and contract model

A sustainable fractional mandate starts with a workload agreed in writing and a clear definition of scope. Without it, the scope grows while the fee does not.

Interim workloads range from 20 to 100 %, depending on the need; fractional mandates usually sit at the lower end. If you combine several mandates, leave a buffer for peaks. The guide Interim work as a part-time and portfolio model explains how to combine part-time mandates into a portfolio.

Building a pipeline of fractional mandates

Most fractional mandates come through your network, referrals and specialist providers. A clearly positioned profile matters more than reach.

1. Define your positioning: which companies are you the right choice for, by industry, size or stage? Narrow positioning makes referrals easier.
2. Describe your offer: set out workload, typical tasks and what falls outside the mandate.
3. Activate your network: former management teams, investors, law firms and board members often see the need first.
4. Use specialist providers: register your profile with your available days. This brings enquiries without constant business development.
5. Complete your first mandate well: a well-documented first mandate is the best reference for the second.

The article Profile and CV for interim assignments shows how to present your track record.

Risks to manage

The main risks in the fractional model are employment status, conflicts of interest and overload. Clear rules keep them in check.

• False self-employment (Germany): whether you are self-employed depends on instructions and integration (§ 7(1) SGB IV). A status determination procedure with the German Pension Insurance (Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund) provides certainty (§ 7a SGB IV). Several clients and your own work organisation point to self-employment; full integration points the other way.
• Self-employment (Switzerland): whether you count as self-employed is decided case by case by the AHV compensation office, based on the actual economic circumstances rather than the contract label.
• Conflicts of interest: mandates with competitors, or with parties to the same deal, generally do not fit together. Run your own conflict checks and keep files separate for each client.
• Lawyer status: a fractional general counsel advises the company internally and usually does not act as an external attorney. In Switzerland, entry in the cantonal bar register requires independence, and employment is only permitted with registered persons (Art. 8(1)(d) BGFA, the Swiss Lawyers Act).
• Liability and insurance: settle limitation of liability and insurance cover before your first mandate.
• Availability: several companies expect answers at the same time. Fixed response times and cover prevent friction.

Freelancing or staff leasing as a fractional general counsel?

Most fractional general counsel work as freelancers, because the model relies on several clients. Freelancers deliver their services independently within the agreed mandate. Part-time staff leasing is an alternative if you prefer to remain employed; the client then has the right to give professional instructions and you are integrated into its organisation. In Germany, leasing to the same company is generally limited to 18 consecutive months (§ 1(1b) AÜG). The comparison Freelancing or employment through staff leasing goes into more detail.

Frequently asked questions about becoming a fractional general counsel

How much experience do I need to become a fractional general counsel?

Usually senior experience and a head or deputy role in a legal department. At Alpinum, senior means seven or more years of experience. Companies expect you to decide independently without a team or onboarding period, manage law firms and advise management directly. Breadth across contract, corporate and employment law matters more than a narrow specialism.

How many mandates can I hold at the same time?

That depends on the workload per mandate. Combining two or three mandates on fixed days usually leaves enough buffer for peaks. What matters is that the total workload stays realistic and that you only promise response times you can keep for every client, including during holidays and absences.

How are fractional mandates paid?

Typically through a flat fee for the agreed workload or time-based billing, each with a rule for extra work. As a freelancer, your fee has to cover pension, holidays, insurance and periods without a mandate. Under staff leasing, you receive a salary with social security. Terms are agreed for each mandate.

Is a fractional mandate the same as an interim assignment?

Not quite. An interim assignment usually bridges a phase, such as a vacancy or a project, often full-time. A fractional mandate covers a part-time need on an ongoing basis. The line is fluid: many fractional general counsel also take interim assignments, for example after a corporate career as general counsel.

Next step

Alpinum Solutions is the leading provider of interim legal & compliance and fills part-time and full-time mandates in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, through freelancing and staff leasing. Submit your profile with your available days, focus areas and preferred model.

• Careers: part-time and interim mandates in legal and compliance
• Interim work as a part-time and portfolio model
• After the corporate career: interim assignments for senior general counsel
• For candidates: all guides on careers and interim assignments

Last updated: 10 November 2026.