How does an interim legal assignment work? Seven steps

Short answer: An interim legal assignment follows seven steps: define the need, set the role profile, choose the engagement model, review profiles, prepare the start, manage the assignment and plan the handover. The company describes the work and directs the assignment; Alpinum Solutions handles selection, contracting and administration. Selected profiles are usually available within 48 hours.

This article shows what happens in each step, who makes which decision and which questions to settle beforehand. It is written for general counsel, heads of legal and HR leads using temporary legal support for the first time. For Alpinum’s offering, see interim legal support for companies and law firms.

The process at a glance

1. Define the need: what has to be done?

Start with the reason. The most common are a staffing shortage, a workload peak, a vacancy until the role is filled, parental leave cover for the legal department, a backlog of reviews or investigations, and a project that needs specialist knowledge. Write down:

• which tasks are involved, for example contract review, internal advice or a project workstream,
• how much work there is and by when it must be done,
• whether one person is enough or a team is needed.

2. Set the role profile: who is the right person?

The tasks determine the profile: area of law, level (junior, experienced or senior), industry experience, applicable law in Germany, Switzerland or Austria, working languages and systems. Also agree the location (on-site, remote or hybrid) and the workload. Which tasks an interim lawyer typically takes on and which levels exist is explained in What does an interim lawyer do?

3. Choose the engagement model: who directs the work?

Alpinum provides professionals through two models, part time or full time, from a single specialist to a project team:

• Staff leasing: you generally direct the work; the professional is integrated into your organisation.
• Freelance engagement: the professional delivers the work independently within the agreed mandate.

Both models suit most needs. What matters is the work, the level of integration you want and the requirements in the relevant country. The focus is on the right solution for the need, not the contract model.

4. Review profiles: how does selection work?

Alpinum matches the role profile against the legal and compliance professionals in its database (7,500+, interviewed, assessed for their expertise and vetted; as of 18 October 2026). You usually receive selected profiles within 48 hours. You then interview the candidates and make the decision. In interviews, check above all:

• experience with exactly the tasks at hand,
• understanding of how an in-house legal department works,
• availability, workload and start date.

5. Prepare the start: what must be ready on day one?

You and Alpinum agree the start date together. Contracting and administration are completed beforehand. For the assignment to be productive from the first day, have the following ready:

• access to email, contract database, document storage and other systems,
• a named contact person and the reporting line,
• a list of ongoing matters with deadlines and priorities,
• decision-making authority: what can the professional approve alone, and what not?
• templates, playbooks and approval rules for contracts.

6. Manage the assignment: how does it stay on track?

Agree short, regular check-ins on priorities and open points. If scope, workload or duration change, adjust the assignment with Alpinum. In a team, a team lead coordinates the work and reports to your internal contact. External law firms remain responsible for formal opinions and disputes; the professional can coordinate them.

7. Plan the handover: how does the assignment end?

Plan the end from the start. Cover for an absence includes a handover period with the returning colleague; a vacancy includes onboarding the successor. The assignment closes with an overview of completed and open matters, documented decisions and the return of all access rights.

Checklist before you get in touch

• reason and goal of the assignment described in two sentences
• tasks and expected workload listed
• area of law, level and languages defined
• workload, period and preferred start known
• location and systems clarified
• internal contact and decision-making authority agreed
• budget agreed internally (guidance: what an interim lawyer costs)

Limits

Alpinum is not a law firm and does not provide independent legal advice. Alpinum provides legal and compliance professionals; the company directs the assignment. Formal functions such as data protection officer or compliance officer with regulatory responsibility are possible, but depend on the requirements in the relevant country and on the model.

Next step

With the answers from the checklist, an assignment can be planned quickly. For profiles, models and typical situations, see interim legal support for companies and law firms; for assignments in Germany, see interim lawyers in Germany. Or discuss your requirements with us.