The real cost of in-house counsel

When comparing a subscription lawyer with an employed lawyer, do not look only at net salary. The full employment cost includes social security, paid leave, sick days, workplace, equipment, software, training and management time. If the company has daily legal work, this can be justified. If the workload comes in waves, part of that capacity remains unused.

For example, if an experienced in-house lawyer costs the company several thousand leva per month as a total cost, the practical question is whether there is enough legal work every month to justify that capacity.

How the subscription model works

With subscription legal services, the company agrees a scope of work, priority and communication process. This may be a monthly number of hours, a type of matters, or a combination of ongoing advice and specific documents. The expense is predictable without the full burden of employment.

If legal questions are regular but do not fill a lawyer's working day, subscription legal services are often the more flexible solution.

When in-house counsel makes sense

In-house counsel is a good choice for larger companies with daily contract flows, internal procedures, regular litigation or a complex regulatory environment that requires someone on site. Even then, external counsel may still be needed for court work, specialist opinions or an independent second review.

When subscription wins

The subscription model is suitable for SMEs, startups, family companies, seasonal businesses and growing companies that are not ready for an internal legal department. It gives access to a lawyer who knows the business without committing to a full-time position.

  • regular contracts with clients and suppliers;
  • employment documents and staff questions;
  • GDPR and data protection support;
  • fast review before signing important documents;
  • prevention of legal risks before they become disputes.

How to compare the options

List the legal tasks from the last three months: contracts, employee issues, disputes, administrative letters, GDPR requests and shareholder decisions. If the tasks are important but not daily, a subscription model may offer a better balance between cost and usefulness.

The best option depends on company size, sector risk, number of employees and frequency of contracts. The goal is legal certainty on time, without paying for capacity the company does not use.