Fractional General Counsel for Startups
Senior IP and technology legal counsel on a monthly retainer — no billable-hour surprises, no associate hand-offs. Built for founders who need a real lawyer in their corner from day one.
Do You Actually Need This?
You are making binding legal decisions every week — without a lawyer.
Founder making legal calls alone
Every term sheet, contract, and partnership decision carries legal risk. Without counsel, a single bad clause can cost more to unwind than a year of retainer fees.
Vendor contracts sitting unsigned
Unsigned agreements leave your deliverables, IP ownership, and payment terms legally unenforceable — creating disputes that drain time and capital.
IP unregistered at formation
Trademarks and copyrights not locked down early become expensive to claim later — and investors will flag gaps in IP ownership during due diligence.
No legal review on deals
Revenue agreements without proper review can embed exclusivity traps, bad liability clauses, or auto-renewal terms that lock you in long after the relationship sours.
If none of these apply, your startup is already ahead of the curve — let's keep it that way.
What You Get
- Ongoing Advisory
Fractional GC on Retainer
Monthly retainer engagement covering all day-to-day legal questions, contract reviews, and strategic legal decisions — same-day response, no billable-hour clock.
- Contract Drafting & Review
Vendor, SaaS & Founder Agreements
We draft and review vendor agreements, SaaS terms, co-founder equity splits, and NDAs — ensuring every document reflects your interests before you sign.
- IP Protection Plan
Trademark & Copyright Foundation
We map your IP assets at formation, file priority trademark applications, and register copyrights — building the legal infrastructure investors expect to see.
- Regulatory Guidance
Privacy, AI & Compliance
Startup products often trigger CCPA, PIPEDA, or Quebec Law 25 obligations. We identify your compliance obligations early and help you build compliant systems from the start.
Flat Fee. No Surprises.
- Recommended
Startup Retainer
From $2,500/momonthly flat fee, no billable hours- Up to 10 hours of legal advisory per month
- Contract review and redline (up to 5 documents)
- Unlimited email Q&A on covered matters
- Quarterly IP and compliance check-in
Startup Lite
From $1,500/mofor pre-revenue founders- Up to 5 hours of legal advisory per month
- Contract review (up to 2 documents)
- Email Q&A on covered matters
Project-Based
From $1,500per engagement- One-off contract drafting or review
- Single IP filing or strategy session
- Defined scope, fixed fee
Your Questions Answered
A fractional GC serves as your part-time general counsel — handling contract review, IP protection, regulatory guidance, and strategic legal advice on a monthly retainer, without the cost of a full-time hire.
Fractional counsel replaces unpredictable hourly billing with a flat monthly fee — giving you budgetary certainty, proactive legal support, and a lawyer who understands your business context.
Ideally at or before formation — before you sign co-founder agreements, engage vendors, or accept your first customer payment. The earlier you establish legal foundations, the cheaper they are to build.
IP advisory is included in all retainer tiers. Filing fees and prosecution costs for trademark or copyright registrations are billed separately at cost, with no markup.
StarGuard Law is licensed in California, Ontario, and Quebec — covering US and Canadian startup clients from a single point of contact.
