Headcount freeze: funding legal capacity without a permanent position

Short answer: During a legal department headcount freeze, you can fund legal capacity without a permanent position through a fixed-term interim assignment: from the budget of an unfilled role, from a project budget or by shifting external counsel spend. An experienced profile at 50% costs around CHF 2,000–3,000 a week in Switzerland (Alpinum range, excl. VAT, as of 18 October 2026). Whether the assignment falls under the freeze depends on your internal policy.

This guide is for general counsel, heads of legal and heads of compliance in Switzerland and Germany whose workload is rising while positions are frozen. It covers funding routes, a method for the business case and the questions to settle with finance and HR. Alpinum Solutions is the leading provider of interim legal & compliance in Switzerland and Germany.

The situation: more work, no new role

A headcount freeze stops new positions, not the work. Contracts, regulatory projects, business requests and audit findings keep coming. If someone also leaves or goes on leave, the backlog grows quickly. The result is longer turnaround times, more work sent to law firms and a higher risk of missed deadlines.

For many companies, an interim assignment is the way to add capacity for a fixed period without permanently changing the headcount plan. Alpinum Solutions provides lawyers and compliance professionals through staff leasing and freelancing, at a workload of 20–100%, as individuals or teams and at every level from junior to senior.

Four ways to fund legal capacity without a permanent position

The right route depends on which budget is available. The table shows the four common routes and when each fits.

How staff costs and external services are budgeted is a decision for your controlling team. Clarify it early, because it determines which route is open to you internally.

Building the business case in five steps

1. Evidence the workload: Track open matters, turnaround times and work sent to law firms for four to eight weeks.
2. Name the risk: Describe what happens without extra capacity: missed deadlines, delays in sales, open audit findings.
3. Convert need into workload: Divide annual hours by the productive hours of one full-time role. In a sample calculation with a 42-hour week, 46 working weeks and 70% productive time, that is 1,352 hours.
4. Calculate cost: Multiply the day rate by the planned days and compare it with your current law firm spend for the same work.
5. Set term and exit: State the duration, a review date and the criterion for ending or extending the assignment.

Arguments for the CFO and HR are set out in our guide on building a business case for interim legal or compliance support. How to measure workload robustly is covered in legal team capacity planning.

What a fixed-term assignment costs: a worked example

Cost is day rate multiplied by days. Alpinum ranges for an experienced profile (3–6 years): Switzerland CHF 800–1,200 a day, Germany under staff leasing EUR 720–960 a day (excl. VAT, as of 18 October 2026).

All ranges by country, model and level are in our guide what does an interim lawyer cost?. The German ranges also apply in Austria.

Roles and capacity: which profile fits a freeze

During a freeze every hour counts, so choose the level by the task rather than the title of the frozen role. Standardised contract work or file reviews often need only a junior or experienced profile, provided an experienced lawyer in the team carries professional responsibility. Independent advice to the business or negotiations call for experienced or senior. A part-time workload is often more economical than a full role: it covers the baseline, and peaks can be topped up for a fixed period.

Typical assignments during a freeze

• Clearing a contract backlog before it delays revenue
• Covering a vacancy after a resignation until the freeze ends
• Delivering a regulatory project with a fixed deadline
• Closing audit findings on time

Switzerland and Germany: what differs

Funding and the business case work the same way in both countries. The contracts differ.

A freeze must not lead to a freelancer being integrated like an employee simply because no role is available. If the professional is to be integrated and work under instructions, staff leasing is the right model.

Limits and risks

• Internal policy: Some companies include interim assignments in the freeze. Check with finance and HR before you ask for profiles.
• Permanent need: If the need is ongoing, an interim assignment is no answer to a missing role. Plan a review after three to six months.
• Knowledge: When the assignment ends, knowledge is lost unless it is documented. Agree a handover that is maintained throughout.
• Responsibility: Decisions stay with the company. Alpinum provides professionals and does not give legal advice as a law firm.

Frequently asked questions about a legal department headcount freeze

Does an interim assignment count towards headcount?

That depends on the company's internal policy. Under staff leasing the professional is employed by the staffing company; under freelancing they are self-employed. Many companies therefore do not count such assignments in the headcount plan, while others expressly include them in a freeze. Settle the rule with finance and HR before presenting a business case.

Is an interim lawyer cheaper than a law firm?

For regular work, often yes, because routine questions are not billed one by one and the professional knows your processes and templates. For rare specialist questions, the law firm remains the right choice. Compare your law firm spend on routine work over the past twelve months with the day rate multiplied by the planned days.

How long can an interim assignment last?

In Switzerland there is no statutory maximum for staff leasing. In Germany, the same professional may work for the same client for at most 18 consecutive months (section 1(1b) AÜG). Either way, a review after three to six months to confirm the need still exists is good practice.

Can the assignment start part-time?

Yes. The workload can be set between 20% and 100% and adjusted during the assignment if the professional and the company agree. A part-time workload often covers the baseline, with fixed-term top-ups for peaks. That keeps costs predictable.

What happens when the freeze ends?

You can then fill the role in the usual way and end the assignment with a handover. A move into your team (temp-to-perm) is possible; the terms are agreed in advance. That way, the person who already knows the work can take on the role.

Next step

Describe the workload, timeframe and available budget. We will derive profile, workload and cost from that. Selected profiles are usually available within 48 hours; the client and Alpinum agree the start date together.

• Staffing shortage: interim professionals for legal and compliance
• Business case for interim legal or compliance support
• What does an interim lawyer cost? Hourly and day rates
• Costs & procurement: all guides on budget, providers and purchasing
• Discuss your needs

Last updated: 10 November 2026.