Converting an interim professional to a permanent hire: what applies

Short answer: Converting an interim professional to a permanent hire is possible from both staff leasing and freelancing. A move into your team (temp to perm) is possible; the terms are agreed in advance. For legal counsel and compliance roles, four steps then matter: confirm the ongoing need, compare costs properly, issue your own employment contract and plan a seamless handover.

This guide is for general counsel, heads of legal, heads of compliance and HR leads in Switzerland and Germany who want to keep a temp to perm legal counsel or compliance officer. It explains what changes when the person moves, how to run the process and how to compare the cost of an interim assignment with a permanent role.

When the question of a permanent hire comes up

The question usually arises in the middle of an assignment: the professional is doing well and the work is not going away. A stopgap has turned into a permanent workload. Four signals suggest it is worth considering a conversion:

• The work stays: the original trigger, such as a vacancy, a peak or a project, is over, but the volume is not.
• The person fits: business units ask for them by name, and they know your systems, templates and contacts.
• The professional is open to it: not every interim professional wants a permanent job. Some deliberately work across changing assignments.
• Budget and headcount exist: without an approved role and salary budget, a conversion remains an idea.

If you want to start an assignment with a permanent hire as the stated goal, that is a different approach. Our guide Try and hire in legal and compliance covers it.

What changes: staff leasing and freelancing compared

The main change is who employs the person and who carries the cost. The work itself often stays the same. The table shows the differences by starting model.

Both models are explained on our pages staff leasing for lawyers and compliance professionals and freelance lawyers for companies.

Temp to perm for legal counsel: six steps

A conversion works best when you treat it as a new hire rather than an extension. This sequence has proved useful:

1. Check the ongoing need: work out whether the volume justifies a role and at what workload. Our guide legal team capacity planning shows how.
2. Clarify intentions openly: speak to the professional and to Alpinum early, so everyone knows whether a move is wanted and from when.
3. Review the agreed terms: the terms for a move into your team are set out in your agreement with Alpinum. Include them in your cost comparison.
4. Define the role and contract: title, reporting line, workload, salary, probation period and place of work. Use your standard contract template and salary bands.
5. Choose the date: set it so that the assignment ends and employment starts on the same day. In Germany, plan a move out of staff leasing well before the 18-month maximum.
6. Organise the transition: update system access, powers of attorney, signing authority, the job description and internal communication. If the professional holds a formal role such as data protection officer or money laundering reporting officer, review the appointment and any notifications alongside the new employment contract.

If the assignment ends without a conversion, see extending, ending or handing over an interim assignment.

Does a permanent hire pay off? How to compare costs

Do not compare a day rate with a monthly salary. Compare the cost per productive day instead. Only then can you see the volume at which a permanent role becomes cheaper.

Worked example: with a 42-hour week, 46 working weeks and 70% productive time, a full-time role yields around 161 productive days a year. Divide the annual cost of the role by these days and compare the result with the day rate. If the need is steadily at full time, the maths usually favours a permanent hire. If it fluctuates, the interim model often remains cheaper. All ranges are in our guide what an interim lawyer costs.

Roles and capacity: where conversion works

Conversion works at every level, from junior (0–2 years) through experienced (3–6 years) to senior (7+ years). Experienced is the most common interim level at Alpinum Solutions, so it is also where the question comes up most often. Typical roles are legal counsel, contract manager, compliance officer and data protection, AML and KYC specialists.

Check the workload before the move. Interim assignments run at 20–100%. If the professional worked part time, decide whether the permanent role needs the same workload. For leadership roles, our guide from interim head of legal to a permanent appointment covers the transition, including when the interim is a candidate.

Switzerland and Germany: what differs

The process is the same in both countries. The differences lie in terminology, in who employs the professional during the assignment and in the maximum duration of staff leasing.

In Austria, assignments run as freelancing or as staff leasing via the German or the Swiss company; the conversion process is the same.

Limits and risks

• Deciding too late: leaving the decision until just before the assignment ends risks a gap. In Germany, the staff leasing maximum adds a hard limit.
• Incomplete cost comparison: without absence, benefits and the agreed terms, a permanent hire looks cheaper than it is.
• The role changes: as an employee, the person often takes on more than during the assignment, such as leadership or budget. Write a new role description.
• No obligation: neither your company nor the professional has to make the move unless agreed otherwise.
• Responsibility: your company decides on the employment contract and employment law questions. Alpinum provides professionals and does not give legal advice as a law firm.

Frequently asked questions about temp to perm

Can I hire a staff leasing professional permanently?

Yes. A move into your team (temp to perm) is possible; the terms are agreed in advance. Raise the idea early with the professional and with Alpinum. You then sign your own employment contract, and the assignment ends on the same date. That avoids a gap and lets you switch access, powers and formal roles in an orderly way.

What is different with freelancers?

A freelancer currently works independently within their engagement and invoices for themselves. After conversion they become an employee, with your instructions, salary and social security through your company. Check whether they want to give up self-employment and whether other client engagements are compatible with the new role. Here too, the terms are agreed in advance.

When is the right time to convert?

As soon as it is clear that the work will stay and both sides want the move. A review after two to four weeks shows early whether the collaboration works. In Germany, move out of staff leasing well before the maximum of 18 consecutive months. Switzerland has no statutory maximum duration for staff leasing.

How does the cost of a permanent hire compare with an interim assignment?

It depends on volume. Convert the annual cost of the role to around 161 productive days (worked example with a 42-hour week, 46 working weeks and 70% productive time) and compare it with the day rate, for example CHF 800–1,200 for an experienced professional in Switzerland (excl. VAT, as of 18 October 2026). Add the terms for the move agreed in advance.

What if the professional does not want to move?

Then the assignment continues for as long as agreed, or you fill the role another way. Many interim professionals choose changing assignments on purpose. For the permanent role, Alpinum can search for other candidates through executive search and permanent recruitment, and the interim professional hands over to the new hire in an orderly way.

Next step

Would you like to bring an interim professional into your team or fill a permanent role? Alpinum Solutions is the leading provider of interim legal & compliance in Switzerland and Germany and also supports permanent hiring. Tell us the role, workload and timing.

• Permanent placement: executive search and permanent recruitment
• Permanent legal recruitment: how the process works
• Costs & procurement: all guides on budget, cost and selection
• Discuss your needs

Last updated: 10 November 2026.