Work with Our Law Firm as Independent Counsel
Fully remote, matter-by-matter collaborations. You choose engagements. We coordinate scope, timelines, quality, and client service—preserving your independence and clear ethical boundaries.
How Collaboration Works
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Invitation & Fit. We propose matters aligned to your license, venue requirements, and focus areas. You accept or decline—no quotas, no employment.
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Papering Roles. Responsibilities and communication lines are documented (co-counsel, local counsel, or of counsel) with the client’s informed consent.
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Fee Integrity. Any fee division is strictly between lawyers, in writing, and disclosed to the client. No fee-sharing with non-lawyers.
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Funds Handling. Client funds are held only by the lead lawyer entity in compliant trust/operating accounts. No association or services company ever holds client funds.
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Quality & SLAs. Templates and timelines keep work predictable. You retain legal judgment and control of your methods and schedule.
Quick Start Most collaborations go live within days after verification and conflicts clearance.
Clear Division of Responsibilities
| Independent Counsel | Our Law Firm |
|---|---|
| Accept/decline matters; methods, hours, tools | Intake, scoping, timelines, client communications framework |
| Rate cards, flat-fee menus, or subscription terms | Templates, sample SOWs, billing cadence coordination |
| Trust/IOLTA where applicable; invoicing (when lead) | Trust handling when firm is lead; accounting reconciliation |
| Maintain licenses, malpractice insurance | Verification, license tracking reminders |
| Confidentiality & secure handling of work product | Secure workspaces, access controls, audit trails |
Two Standard Pathways
A — Firm-Led
Our firm is attorney of record and associates you as co-counsel, local counsel, or of counsel. Roles, deliverables, and client communications are documented with informed consent.
B — Counsel-Led
You are attorney of record; we collaborate as co-counsel. Fee arrangements and responsibilities are papered between lawyers with the client’s consent.
Where Collaboration Fits
- Litigation & Disputes. Briefing support, discovery, hearings, trial prep; local appearances where required.
- Transactional. Company, commercial, real estate, finance; flat-fee artifact menus and redline packages.
- Regulatory & Agency. Filings, responses, negotiations; subscription advisory for ongoing compliance.
- Specialized Federal. Immigration, IP (trademark/patent), bankruptcy, tax—agency practice rules observed.
- Advisory Subscriptions. Bounded scopes with response SLAs and rollover rules.
Fee Models You Can Use
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Flat/Fixed Fees. Clear scope, deliverables, exclusions, revision rules; change orders for scope shifts.
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Hourly. Transparent rate cards; timekeeping owned by the billing lawyer entity.
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Advisory Subscriptions. SLA-based recurring bundles; practical response times and rollover caps.
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Contingency/Success (where permitted). Written terms and disclosures; never for prohibited matter types.
Any division of fees occurs only between lawyers, with client consent and written documentation.
Preventing Scope Creep
- Standard Statements of Work with exclusions and revision limits.
- Change-order flows; phase gates on complex matters.
- Template libraries mapped to jurisdictions and practice areas.
Funds & Responsibilities (Two Pathways)
In both pathways, client funds are received and held only by the lead lawyer entity. No association or services company handles client funds.
Key Principles We Adhere To
- No fee-sharing with non-lawyers; any fee division is lawyer-to-lawyer with client consent.
- Accurate descriptions of roles (co-counsel, local counsel, of counsel) in public and client materials.
- Client funds handled only by the lead lawyer entity in compliant accounts.
- Central conflicts checks and secure, least-privilege access to matter materials.
- No lawyer non-competes; client choice is preserved. Reasonable non-solicit for internal contractors only.
Licensing, Conflicts & Advertising
We verify good standing for each jurisdiction and manage conflicts prior to opening a file. Advertising and intake materials are crafted to avoid misleading communications and to honor jurisdiction-specific requirements.
For cross-venue matters, we address local counsel or pro hac vice as applicable and reflect allocations in writing.
Confidentiality & Data Protection
- Encrypted storage and transport, MFA, and role-based access.
- Audit trails, data-retention schedules, breach response playbooks.
Templates, SLAs & Reviews
We maintain jurisdiction-mapped templates and playbooks. Response SLAs keep communication predictable. Peer review is available on complex submissions and high-stakes filings.
Practice Areas Commonly Collaborated
| Practice Area | Typical Collaboration | Common Fee Models |
|---|---|---|
| Litigation (civil) | Briefing, discovery, hearings, trial prep, local appearances | Hourly, flat phases, limited contingency where permitted |
| Criminal defense | Motions, hearings, local appearances | Flat stages, hourly (no contingency) |
| Family & matrimonial | Pleadings, negotiations, hearings | Stage-based flat, hourly (no contingency in most cases) |
| Immigration | Petitions, RFEs, agency representation | Flat menus, subscriptions, hourly |
| Corporate & startups | Company docs, commercial contracts, financings | Flat artifacts, hourly, subscriptions |
| Real estate | Closings, leases, diligence | Flat (closings), hourly, subscription advisory |
| IP – trademarks | Search, filing, office actions, enforcement | Flat packages, hourly |
| IP – patents | Drafting, prosecution, opinions | Flat stages, hourly |
| Bankruptcy | Petitions, plans, hearings | Flat (Ch. 7), hourly (Ch. 11/13) |
| Tax | Advisory, rulings, controversies | Hourly, flat, subscriptions |
| Employment | Policies, disputes, negotiations | Hourly, flat, selective contingency (statute-based) |
Onboarding & Go-Live
- Introductory call; capability mapping; preferred matter types and venues.
- Verification of licenses and insurance; conflicts protocol; confidentiality obligations.
- Collaboration agreement; workspace access; templates and SOWs.
- Go-live: receive invitations to collaborate on suitable matters.
Timelines can accelerate for urgent matters where verification is already on file.
What to Prepare
- Jurisdictions and bar numbers; good-standing proof upon request.
- Malpractice coverage certificate with limits appropriate to your practice.
- Rate card and/or flat-fee menu; subscription SLA preferences.
- Secure workstation and email; willingness to use encrypted channels.
Statement on Structure
We operate within a Swiss Verein of affiliated law practices. Each member firm is a separate legal entity regulated in its home jurisdiction. Client engagements are placed with the appropriate entity. Where matters cross venues, we associate collaborating lawyers with the client’s informed consent, documenting responsibilities and any lawyer-to-lawyer fee divisions in writing. The Verein and any services company do not hold client funds.
Engagement documentation identifies the lead entity, collaborating roles, and funds flow for clarity.