Fractional GC or Interim Head of Legal?

Short answer: A fractional general counsel (fractional GC) leads the legal function for an agreed part-time share and supports a company on an ongoing basis when its legal workload does not yet justify a full-time role. An interim head of legal covers a time-limited leadership task, such as a vacancy, an extended absence or a reorganisation, either part-time or full-time. The deciding question is whether the need is permanent but small (fractional GC) or temporary with a clear leadership gap (interim head of legal).

This guide is for executive boards, CFOs, HR leaders and existing legal teams in Germany, Switzerland and Austria who need to fill a legal leadership role without opening a permanent search straight away. It explains how the two roles differ, when each one fits, how to move from one to the other and what to agree before the start.

Fractional GC vs. interim head of legal: the differences at a glance

Both roles bring legal leadership experience into the company, but they solve different problems. These criteria help you tell them apart.

Fractional general counsel

Trigger: recurring need for legal leadership that does not yet fill a full-time position.
Workload: part-time, for example fixed days or a monthly or weekly hour budget.
Duration: open-ended or several months, for as long as the part-time need exists.
Typical setting: growing companies without an in-house legal team or with a very small one.
Focus: building structures, organising contracts and approvals, coordinating outside law firms, preparing decisions.
End point: when the workload justifies a permanent role or the need disappears.

Interim head of legal

Trigger: a leadership gap in an existing legal department or a time-limited leadership task.
Workload: full-time or part-time, depending on the task and the availability required.
Duration: fixed, until the successor starts, the head of legal returns or the project is complete.
Typical setting: companies with their own legal team that needs to be led.
Focus: leading the team, setting priorities, keeping reporting lines to management, preparing the handover.
End point: a documented handover to the permanent head of legal.

In both cases the company defines the mandate, authority and priorities and directs the engagement. Under staff leasing, the company gives the professional instructions; under freelancing, the professional works independently within the agreed mandate.

When does a fractional general counsel make sense?

A fractional GC fits when legal leadership is needed regularly but the volume does not justify a full-time hire. Typical situations:

The company is growing: contracts, customer requirements and internal legal questions are increasing, but nobody is organising them.
There is no legal function yet: legal questions go to law firms one by one or stay with management.
The legal function needs to be built: processes, templates and a future role profile should be in place before a permanent hire.
A small team needs leadership: one or two lawyers handle the day-to-day work and need an experienced person to set priorities and escalate.

Clear availability rules matter: outside the agreed scope there is no automatic standby. Urgent requests, escalation paths and deputies belong in the plan.

When does an interim head of legal make sense?

An interim head of legal is the right choice when an existing legal department needs leadership for a limited period. Typical situations:

Vacancy between two appointments: the search for a permanent successor is under way, but the team needs leadership now.
Extended absence of the head of legal: parental leave, illness or a sabbatical. Leadership duties, deputising and signing authority are defined before the start.
Change and reorganisation: restructuring, post-acquisition integration or rebuilding the legal department require additional leadership capacity.
A project ties up the current leader: a transaction or a regulatory programme absorbs the head of legal while day-to-day work must continue.

Because an interim head of legal leads a team, full-time engagements are more common. Part-time works if the tasks and required availability allow it.

Moving from one model to the other

The two roles are not mutually exclusive and often follow each other:

Fractional GC as a first step: a fractional GC builds the legal function, defines the future role profile and hands over to a permanent hire once the workload supports a full-time position.
Interim head of legal with reduced hours: after the acute phase of a vacancy, the workload can be reduced until the new head of legal starts.
Interim leadership plus operational support: if the team also lacks capacity, interim legal counsel at junior, mid or senior level can join alongside the interim lead.

Costs: what drives each model

Comparing hourly or daily rates alone is not enough. For a fractional GC, the agreed weekly hours, the term and seniority drive the budget. For an interim head of legal, the workload, the time until the successor starts and the scope of the leadership task also count. In both cases, onboarding and handover belong in the plan. Cost drivers and a way to calculate a budget are covered in Costs in interim legal & compliance.

Checklist: eight questions for the decision

Is the need permanent but small, or temporary with a clear leadership gap?
Is there an existing team that needs to be led?
How many days or hours per week does the role really require?
What availability is needed, and how are urgent requests handled?
What decision-making authority, powers of attorney and signing rules should the person have?
Who does the person report to, and which escalation paths apply?
Which areas of law, industry knowledge and languages are essential?
What happens at the end: handover to a permanent hire, return of the head of legal or project completion?

If the answers point to an ongoing part-time need without a large team, a fractional GC is the natural fit. If a leadership gap with a foreseeable end is the main issue, an interim head of legal fits better.

Limits and risks

Neither role replaces a law firm: Alpinum Solutions provides legal professionals and leaders and does not give legal advice as a law firm. Court representation or specialist questions may require separate expertise.
Alpinum does not take over the company's legal function on its own responsibility. Scope, responsibilities and professional direction are agreed for the person deployed.
A part-time model without clear availability creates delays. Working days, hour budgets and deputies should be fixed before the start.
Formal functions such as data protection officer or MLRO are possible but depend on the company's requirements and the rules in Germany, Switzerland or Austria. Clarify this before the engagement.
If an engagement ends without a handover, knowledge is lost. Documentation is part of the mandate from day one.

Example: two companies, two solutions

Technology company: fractional GC

A growing technology company without its own legal department is negotiating more and more customer contracts and expanding into new markets. Contract questions, data protection and coordinating outside law firms take up a growing share of management's time. The workload does not yet justify a full-time legal role.

A fractional GC working as a freelancer takes over ongoing legal support. They standardise contract templates, set up approval processes and support key customer negotiations. As a fixed point of contact, they advise management on strategic decisions and direct outside specialists.

Workload: around 40 %, spread over two days a week.
Duration: twelve months, followed by a review of the ongoing need.
Result: clear contract processes, consolidated legal responsibilities and less load on management. A role profile lays the groundwork for hiring an in-house legal function later.

Industrial company: interim head of legal

An industrial company with a five-person legal department loses its head of legal at short notice. At the same time, key supplier negotiations, a compliance project and the integration of an acquired company are due. While the permanent successor is being recruited, the team needs leadership and clear priorities straight away.

An interim head of legal working as a freelancer temporarily leads the department. They coordinate the team, prioritise ongoing matters and report directly to management. They also support strategic negotiations, direct outside advisers and prepare the handover to the new head of legal.

Workload: 100 %.
Duration: nine months, until the permanent successor starts.
Result: continuity in leadership, projects kept on track and a structured handover with documented risks, open issues and next steps.

Next steps

Alpinum Solutions provides companies in Germany, Switzerland and Austria with legal professionals and leaders: through staff leasing or freelancing, part-time or full-time, as an individual or a team. The company directs the engagement. Selected profiles are usually available within 48 hours; the start date is agreed between the company and Alpinum.

As of 19 October 2026.

You can find more interesting articles on this topic here:

Interim lawyer, law firm or permanent hire? A comparison for legal departments

Interim legal costs: what does an interim lawyer cost?

Fractional GC or interim head of legal? The roles compared