This excerpt is taken from Maria Dinzeo's article "More Companies Opt for Fractional GCs Over Full-Time Legal Chiefs" written on April 27th, 2023.
Read Maria Dinzeo's full article here
Richard Daniels officially launched his fractional general counsel business, Intrepid Legal, in September 2022, after a decade as both a general counsel and assistant general counsel at companies like MGA Entertainment, the Ryland Group and Armor Scientific.
“What I’ve always liked was helping the business people avoid risk or save money, or a combination of both. I’ve also helped people make money. So when I heard about the fractional opportunity, it seemed like it was right in my wheelhouse,” he said.
Before committing himself to a client, Daniels said he typically offers a free consultation, “to get a sense of what the company is like.” He said, “If they have too much going on or are in too much of a mess, I might refer them to a law firm. I tell them to to take care of those issues first, then we’ll talk.”
Daniels said he sees himself as an interim legal chief, customizing a plan based on a company’s needs and charging a daily rate, which he bills against a retainer.
“I’m going to be your general counsel for as long it takes,” he said. “In the best of all possible worlds, I want to be with someone until they are ready to find a full-time person. Then I’d help them find someone to replace me and help that person get acclimated to the culture.”
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