Why I Enjoy Serving as Outside General Counsel to Businesses and Nonprofits

Last month marked the one-year anniversary of launching my own law practice. As I've reflected on the past year, one thing is clear: the work I enjoy most is serving as outside general counsel to businesses and nonprofit organizations.

In many ways, this role brings together everything I have done throughout my career.

At the start of my career, I spent 13 years in private practice litigation. I represented clients in business disputes, employment matters, contract litigation, and other high-stakes conflicts. I saw repeatedly how quickly legal issues can consume time, money, and attention when they are not addressed early.

I then spent another 13 years serving in-house and in a senior operations leadership role. During that time, I did more than provide legal advice. I helped to lead an organization, make strategic decisions, manage risk, oversee operations, and balance competing business priorities. I experienced first-hand that legal decisions are rarely made in a vacuum. Business leaders need practical solutions that account for operational realities, financial considerations, employee concerns, and long-term organizational goals.

Today, my outside general counsel practice combines those experiences.

Not every organization needs a full-time general counsel. For many small and mid-sized businesses, hiring an attorney as a full-time executive simply does not make financial sense. At the same time, these organizations frequently face legal questions involving contracts, employment matters, business relationships, compliance obligations, risk management, and strategic growth.

This is where outside general counsel can provide tremendous value.

My goal is to serve as a trusted advisor who is accessible when legal issues arise but, just as importantly, before they arise. I enjoy helping clients identify risks, evaluate opportunities, resolve problems proactively, and make informed decisions that support their business objectives.

One of the things I appreciate most about this work is the opportunity to build long-term relationships with clients across a wide range of industries. Over the past year, I have advised professional service firms, contractors and trades businesses, healthcare and wellness providers, nonprofit organizations, retailers, consultants, startups, and other growing businesses. While the industries may differ, the challenges are often similar: managing risk, supporting strong teams, strengthening business partnerships, driving growth, and preserving organizational culture.

I also enjoy bringing an operational perspective to legal issues. Business owners are not looking for an academic discussion of the law. They want practical guidance that helps them move forward. Because I have spent significant portions of my career both practicing law and helping run an organization, I understand the importance of solutions that are legally sound while remaining practical and business-focused.

Nonprofits, in particular, benefit from this model. Most nonprofits cannot justify a full-time general counsel, yet they regularly encounter legal and governance issues that require experienced guidance. I work with nonprofit organizations on matters such as governance, bylaws, board responsibilities, contracts, employment matters, risk management, fundraising-related considerations, and regulatory compliance. Helping mission-driven organizations build strong foundations so they can focus on advancing their missions is especially rewarding.

After 27 years split between private practice litigation and leadership roles as in-house counsel and senior operations, serving as outside general counsel feels like the natural intersection of everything I have learned along the way. It allows me to do what I enjoy most: helping organizations solve problems and achieve their goals through practical, strategic legal guidance.

As I begin my second year in my practice, I am supremely grateful for the trust my clients have placed in me, and I am excited to continue serving as a legal and business partner to organizations at different stages in their growth.