Interim work as a part-time and portfolio model

Short answer: Working as a part-time contract lawyer or compliance professional is easy to plan: interim assignments run at a workload between 20% and 100%, either employed via staff leasing or self-employed as a freelancer. A portfolio model combines several part-time mandates, or assignments with deliberate breaks such as a sabbatical. What matters is a realistic annual plan, a financial buffer and a contract model that matches how you actually work.

This guide is written for legal and compliance professionals in Switzerland and Germany who want to work part-time on interim assignments or combine several mandates. It sets out the common variants, how to plan workload and breaks, and what to watch for on contract and status.

What does a part-time or portfolio model mean in interim work?

In a part-time model, you work on one assignment at a reduced workload, for example three days a week. In a portfolio model, you spread your time across several mandates or combine interim work with other activities such as teaching, further training or family.

Both models work in the interim field because companies do not always need a full-time role. Examples include part-time support for a smaller legal department, a compliance project at 50% or cover for a part-time role.

Three variants compared

The right variant depends on how predictable you want your income to be and how much freedom you want.

Whether you prefer being employed or self-employed is covered in freelancing or employment via staff leasing.

Planning your workload and year: how to go about it

1. Set a target workload: work out how many days a week and how many weeks a year you want to work.
2. Define a minimum income: decide what income you need per year, including pension and holidays.
3. Block out breaks: put sabbaticals, training or family time in your annual plan early and mention the dates when you apply.
4. Build a buffer: as a freelancer, keep a reserve for periods without a mandate.
5. Keep your availability current: report your free capacity and earliest start date as soon as an assignment ends or changes.

A worked example (assumption): three days a week over 40 weeks comes to 120 working days a year. That is a 60% workload in the weeks you work; across the full year, with twelve weeks off, it is just under half of a full-time role (120 of 260 working days).

A sabbatical between two assignments

Interim work lends itself to a sabbatical because assignments have a clear end. You can take a break between two mandates without resigning from a permanent job.

• Timing: plan the break after an assignment ends and tell your staffing provider early when you will be available again.
• Cover: check in advance with the relevant body how social security, pension and health insurance are handled during the break.
• Coming back: keep your profile up to date during the break. Tips for restarting after a longer break are in returning to work through interim assignments.

Switzerland and Germany: contract and status

The contract model has to match how you actually work, not just the contract title. That applies in both countries.

• Part-time staff leasing: you are employed by the staffing provider, even at a reduced workload. In Germany, the 18-consecutive-month limit with the same hirer applies in full to part-time work, not pro rata (section 1(1b) AÜG, the German Temporary Agency Work Act).
• Freelancing in Germany: whether someone is self-employed depends mainly on instructions and integration into the client’s organisation (section 7 SGB IV). A status determination by the German Pension Insurance provides certainty (section 7a SGB IV).
• Freelancing in Switzerland: the AHV compensation office decides case by case, based on the economic circumstances, whether you are self-employed (AHV/IV information sheet 2.02). Personalverleih (Swiss staff leasing) always requires an employment contract; self-employed people cannot be leased.

More on self-employment is in self-employed as a freelance lawyer.

Limits and risks

• Conflicts of interest: if you work for several companies, spot conflicts early, for example with competitors or counterparties in the same matter.
• Confidentiality: keep documents, access rights and devices separate for each mandate.
• Other work: if you are employed via staff leasing, agree any other activities with your employer in advance.
• Fluctuating income: in a portfolio model, busy months are followed by quieter ones.
• Availability: part-time only works if companies know when you are available and who covers for you.

Frequently asked questions about part-time and portfolio interim work

Are there part-time interim assignments?

Yes. Interim assignments run at a workload between 20% and 100%, depending on the company’s needs and your personal preferences. Part-time suits, for example, smaller legal departments, compliance projects and cover for part-time roles. State your preferred workload in your profile so it is taken into account when roles come up.

Can I take on several mandates at the same time?

Yes, especially as a freelancer. Check conflicts of interest and confidentiality before each new mandate and plan your total workload realistically. If you are employed via staff leasing, agree other activities with your employer. In both cases, every company needs to know when you are available to it.

Can a sabbatical be combined with interim work?

Yes. Because interim assignments have a fixed end, you can plan a break between two assignments without giving up a job. Name the period early and clarify social security, pension and health insurance for the break. Afterwards, you return with an updated profile.

Is part-time interim work only for senior professionals?

No. Part-time assignments exist at all levels, from junior through experienced to senior. Experienced is the most common interim level. A portfolio of several mandates usually calls for more experience, because you need to organise yourself quickly in each one.

Can a part-time assignment lead to a permanent role?

Yes. A move into the team (temp-to-perm) is possible; the terms are agreed in advance. This also applies to part-time assignments. Raise it if you would like to stay with a company in the long term.

Next step

Alpinum Solutions is the leading provider of interim legal & compliance in the DACH region and fills part-time and full-time assignments through staff leasing and freelancing. Add your preferred workload, planned breaks and earliest start date to your profile.

• Careers: legal and compliance jobs as an interim professional
• Becoming an interim head of legal: profile, assignments and entry
• Freelancing or employment via staff leasing
• For candidates: all guides on careers and interim assignments
• Contract manager contract jobs
• Financial crime contract jobs

Last updated: 10 November 2026.