Growing fintech, crypto and financial-services businesses hit the same wall: too much legal work for ad-hoc advice, not enough to justify a full-time general counsel. Virtual General Counsel closes that gap — senior, ongoing legal support that knows your business, on an arrangement sized to your stage.
Who this is for
Funded start-ups, scale-ups and lean regulated businesses that need continuous senior legal cover — without the cost, recruitment and commitment of an in-house hire.
What you get
- A standing senior counsel who knows your structure, licence and contracts — no re-briefing every time.
- Day-to-day legal support: contracts, regulatory questions, board matters, negotiations.
- Regulatory watch — changes across VARA, ADGM, DIFC, CMA and CBUAE that touch your model, flagged before they bite.
- Coordination of specialist and foreign counsel when matters need them.
- A predictable monthly arrangement — scope and cadence agreed to fit your stage.
Why continuity beats episodes
Episodic legal advice re-learns your business every engagement — you pay for the ramp-up each time, and risks that live between engagements go unseen. Continuous counsel spots issues while they are small, keeps documents consistent, and turns legal from a bottleneck into an operating function.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from a retainer with a law firm?
It is closer to a part-time general counsel than a discount on hours: proactive involvement, standing context and ownership of your legal agenda — not just answers when you ask.
Can the arrangement scale up or down?
Yes — scope and cadence are reviewed as your business changes: heavier during licensing or fundraising, lighter in steady state.
What happens when we eventually hire in-house counsel?
We hand over a clean, documented legal function — and many clients keep a reduced arrangement for UAE regulatory work alongside their new hire.