- Consumer's Choice Award 2019
- Consumer's Choice Award 2020
- Consumer's Choice Award 2021
- Consumer's Choice Award 2022
- Consumer's Choice Award 2023
- Consumer's Choice Award 2024
Frankfort Law Group provides outside general counsel services to businesses in Franklin Park and throughout Cook County, Illinois. We act as an ongoing legal resource for matters such as contract negotiation, corporate governance, compliance, and employment issues. Our approach focuses on preventing avoidable disputes, improving operational clarity, and offering predictable legal support so business owners can focus on growth while knowing legal risks are managed with consistent communication and transparent fees.
Outside general counsel services are designed for companies that need regular legal attention without maintaining a full-time in-house attorney. Small and mid-sized businesses, growing startups, and family-run companies often benefit from part-time counsel who understands their operations and priorities. Frankfort Law Group tailors service arrangements to your needs, offering monthly retainers or project-based engagements that provide steady access to legal guidance, document review, and strategic planning aligned with your business objectives.
Engaging outside general counsel gives businesses a steady legal presence that reduces uncertainty and supports better decision-making. Regular counsel helps uncover legal exposures early, standardize contract terms, and create governance practices that lower long-term costs. This continuity improves relationships with vendors and employees while enabling proactive compliance with regulations. The result is greater operational stability, clearer risk management, and more predictable legal spending compared with reactive or ad hoc legal support.
Frankfort Law Group is based in the region and represents clients across business and corporate matters, drawing on a background in trial work and transactional law to serve clients practically and efficiently. Our team handles negotiations, contract drafting, and litigation oversight when needed, always aiming to protect business interests while minimizing disruption. We communicate clearly about strategy and fees, and we prioritize solutions that support the client’s day-to-day operations and long-term goals in Illinois and nearby jurisdictions.
Outside general counsel serves as an extension of a company’s management team by providing ongoing legal advice, document preparation, and strategic counsel. Typical arrangements include monthly retainer agreements, hourly support for specific needs, or flat-fee project work. The scope can cover corporate governance, contract lifecycle management, employee issues, and regulatory compliance. Engagements are designed to be flexible so a business receives the level of attention and responsiveness appropriate to its size and complexity.
Daily tasks performed by outside general counsel often include drafting and reviewing agreements, advising on employment matters, responding to regulatory inquiries, and coordinating outside litigation counsel when disputes arise. The counsel also conducts preventive reviews to identify weaknesses in contracts and policies, recommends operational changes to reduce legal risk, and helps implement practices that make future transactions and compliance efforts smoother and less costly for the business.
Outside general counsel is a legal service model where a law firm provides ongoing support tailored to a company’s specific needs, often via a retainer or agreed engagement terms. This role blends transactional assistance, compliance counseling, and occasional dispute management. The outside counsel becomes familiar with the client’s operations, documents, and goals, which allows for quicker, more consistent legal responses and strategic advice compared with one-off engagements that require starting from scratch each time a new issue appears.
Key elements include an initial assessment of existing documents and risks, establishment of communication protocols, regular legal check-ins, and clear billing arrangements. Our process typically begins with an onboarding audit to identify priority items, followed by a plan to address contracts, employment policies, and compliance gaps. We coordinate with management to prioritize work, document decisions, and maintain version control so the business enjoys organized legal support that adapts as the company grows.
The following glossary clarifies common terms used when engaging outside general counsel, helping business leaders understand agreements, billing, and service scope. Familiarity with these terms supports better decision-making about legal arrangements and reduces surprises. Definitions cover retainer arrangements, scope of services, billing structures, and service level expectations to help you compare proposals and select a model that matches your operational needs and budget.
A retainer agreement is a contract that sets out the ongoing relationship, scope of services, and payment terms between a business and outside counsel. It often specifies the duration, responsibilities, and administrative practices for communication and approvals. Retainers can be monthly or project-based and usually include provisions for additional work outside the agreed scope, dispute resolution, termination terms, and confidentiality protections to safeguard client information and expectations.
Scope of services defines the specific tasks the counsel will perform, such as contract drafting, compliance reviews, employment advice, and oversight of disputes. Clear scoping prevents misunderstandings and allows the client to prioritize work within the budget. A well-defined scope identifies deliverables, timelines, and communication frequency so both the law firm and the business understand what constitutes included work and what will be billed separately as out-of-scope tasks.
Billing arrangements describe how services are charged, whether by monthly retainer, flat fee for projects, or hourly billing for specific tasks. Transparent billing terms include hourly rates when applicable, how costs for third parties are handled, and invoicing frequency. Predictable billing models are often preferred by businesses seeking cost control, while hybrid approaches combine a retainer for routine matters with separate pricing for discrete transactions or litigation.
Service levels set expectations for response times, turnaround on document reviews, and regular reporting. Agreements often specify response windows for routine questions and expedited timelines for urgent matters. Defining these expectations helps businesses plan operations and ensures alignment on priorities. Clear service level terms also provide a basis for evaluating the relationship and making adjustments as needs evolve, whether faster responses or additional resources are required.
Deciding between limited-scope counsel and ongoing outside general counsel depends on business needs and budget. Limited-scope arrangements work well for specific, one-off matters where short-term advice is sufficient. Ongoing counsel is better for companies that want continuity, integrated risk management, and a lawyer who understands their context. Consider frequency of legal needs, desire for proactive guidance, and the value of having someone familiar with your documents and operations when making this choice.
A limited approach works well for clearly defined transactions such as a single contract negotiation, a one-time compliance review, or a specific licensing matter. When the issue has a discrete start and end point and does not require ongoing oversight, a defined engagement can be more cost-effective. This option allows businesses to obtain focused advice without committing to a continuous retainer, which can be appealing for occasional or infrequent legal needs.
If a legal need has a predictable timeline and limited follow-up requirements, engaging counsel for only that matter can save costs and simplify billing. This includes discrete regulatory filings, limited negotiations, or targeted document drafting. Choosing a limited-scope engagement works well when internal staff can manage subsequent tasks and when the organization does not require continuous legal involvement or strategic planning across multiple areas of the business.
Comprehensive counsel is beneficial when a company faces continuous operational or regulatory requirements that demand regular attention, such as frequent contracts, employee management issues, licensing renewals, or industry-specific compliance. An ongoing relationship ensures that legal advice is integrated into daily decision-making, reducing the likelihood of reactive fixes and allowing for consistent standards across the business. This approach supports steady risk mitigation and easier handling of recurring challenges.
When businesses seek strategic alignment of legal planning with growth objectives, comprehensive counsel provides the continuity needed for long-term initiatives. Counsel can assist with creating policies, training staff, and aligning contracts to support expansion or investment goals. This integrated view helps identify legal roadblocks early and coordinates preventative measures that keep the company on a steady trajectory while enabling leadership to make informed choices with legal considerations already addressed.
A comprehensive approach builds institutional knowledge of the client’s operations, enabling faster response times and better-tailored advice. Consistency in document drafting and enforcement reduces disputes and creates a reliable foundation for transactions. When counsel understands your business history, risk tolerance, and commercial priorities, legal work proceeds more smoothly and with fewer surprises, which preserves resources and enables management to focus on running the business.
Another benefit is predictable budgeting for legal services. Ongoing arrangements often include transparent fee structures that smooth legal costs over time and reduce the financial unpredictability associated with unexpected disputes. Additionally, regular legal oversight helps identify efficiency improvements and contract standardizations that can save both time and money while improving vendor and customer relationships through clearer terms and expectations.
Continuity with outside counsel creates consistent approaches to contract language, employment policies, and compliance measures, which in turn speeds internal approvals and external negotiations. Familiarity with templates and past decisions reduces the time needed for each new transaction, producing efficiency gains. This consistent workflow supports smoother operations and better alignment between legal strategy and business priorities, ultimately reducing the administrative friction that slows projects.
Predictable billing arrangements make budgeting easier and allow businesses to plan for legal needs over time. Proactive engagement helps prevent issues from escalating into disputes or regulatory enforcement, which are often more costly and time-consuming. Regular legal review and guidance help identify and mitigate hazards early, preserving capital and management attention for growth-oriented activities rather than crisis management.
Start any outside counsel relationship with a comprehensive legal health audit of your contracts, employee policies, licenses, and governance documents. That initial review identifies the highest-priority risks and creates a roadmap for remediation and ongoing management. A thorough audit also clarifies what routine tasks can be handled under a retainer and which matters will require separate budgeting, helping you plan resources and expected timelines for improvements.
Discuss billing arrangements and fee structures at the outset to avoid confusion later. Many businesses benefit from monthly retainers or capped fees for recurring tasks to keep legal spending predictable. Ensure invoices are itemized and that any out-of-scope work is pre-approved so there are no unexpected charges. Predictable billing supports better cash flow management and a more collaborative working relationship.
Choose outside general counsel if your business requires regular legal decisions, frequent contract negotiations, or ongoing regulatory compliance support without the cost of a full-time in-house attorney. This model provides continuity, quicker turnaround on legal matters, and alignment with business goals while enabling leadership to access experienced legal judgment on a flexible schedule. It often yields better outcomes than handling legal tasks internally without professional oversight.
Businesses also consider outside counsel when they want to improve contract consistency, reduce exposure to employment disputes, or streamline vendor and customer agreements. Counsel can implement standard templates, advise on risk mitigation, and train staff on legal best practices. These steps reduce the likelihood of costly surprises and provide a strong foundation for growth or future investment by making legal considerations part of everyday operations.
Typical circumstances include frequent contracting, recurring regulatory reporting, employee onboarding and termination processes, and expansion into new markets or services. Outside counsel is also valuable when leadership wants to formalize governance, prepare for financing, or respond efficiently to threatened litigation. In each case, having a known legal partner who understands the business context speeds resolution and helps avoid repeating the same legal issues over time.
During formation, acquisition, or growth phases, counsel helps structure transactions, draft clear agreements, and review financing terms to protect owner interests. Legal guidance at these stages ensures that contracts and corporate documents support future plans and reduce unintended liabilities. Regular counsel involvement keeps documentation aligned with strategic changes and supports transparent governance as the company scales or adds partners and investors.
When handling hiring, terminations, employee handbooks, or workplace disputes, outside counsel provides consistent approaches that reduce exposure to claims. Counsel can prepare employment agreements, advise on discipline policies, and design compliant procedures for handling complaints. Having standard practices in place helps maintain fairness and documentation, which is important for defending against claims and preserving workplace stability as the business grows.
Companies operating in regulated industries or under local licensing requirements benefit from regular legal oversight to ensure filings, renewals, and reporting obligations are met on time. Outside counsel monitors regulatory changes, advises on remedial action for compliance gaps, and assists with communications to regulators when necessary. This ongoing attention reduces the risk of fines, suspensions, or business interruptions tied to regulatory noncompliance.
Frankfort Law Group is available to discuss how outside general counsel can fit into your business operations, whether you need a limited engagement or ongoing counsel. We provide practical legal guidance tailored to your priorities and budget, with clear communication and responsive service. Contact us to schedule a consultation and learn how a structured legal relationship can reduce risk, streamline transactions, and support your company’s objectives in Illinois and Cook County.
Frankfort Law Group combines transactional knowledge and litigation background to provide balanced legal counsel focused on protecting business interests and preserving operational continuity. Our approach emphasizes clear communication, reasoned legal judgment, and practical solutions that reflect commercial realities. We work to anticipate issues, document decisions, and align legal work with company goals so that counsel supports growth rather than creating friction in daily operations.
Clients appreciate our responsiveness and pragmatic legal recommendations that are designed to be implemented by management without unnecessary complexity. We provide straightforward assessments of legal risks and realistic options for mitigation, helping you weigh legal considerations alongside financial and operational factors. Our goal is to be a dependable legal partner that helps leadership make informed decisions with predictable costs and timelines.
Frankfort Law Group is accessible to businesses across Cook County and the surrounding region, offering flexible engagement models to meet diverse needs. Whether you require periodic counsel, monthly retainers, or project-focused work, we structure agreements that provide clarity and value. Contact our office to discuss how we can support your company with outside general counsel services tailored to your objectives and budget constraints.
Our process begins with an intake meeting to identify priorities, followed by a document and risk audit to establish baseline needs. From there we propose a service model with defined scopes, communication practices, and billing terms. Regular check-ins and reporting maintain alignment with business goals, and we remain available for urgent matters. This structured approach ensures legal work is organized, prioritized, and transparent throughout the engagement.
Onboarding includes gathering core documents, conducting a legal health audit, and meeting stakeholders to understand operations and risk tolerance. We identify immediate needs and establish priorities for remediation, standardization, and ongoing counsel activities. Clear expectations for communication, approvals, and invoicing are set so the relationship begins with defined roles and an actionable plan for addressing the most pressing legal and operational concerns.
The initial consultation focuses on understanding your business model, key contracts, and imminent legal matters. We ask targeted questions to identify gaps, required filings, and potential exposures. This phase also clarifies who on your team will coordinate with counsel and how decisions are approved. The information gathered forms the basis for the audit and helps prioritize work for greatest immediate impact.
We perform a document audit that reviews standard contracts, employee agreements, corporate records, and compliance-related materials. The audit identifies inconsistent clauses, missing protections, and areas that require updating to reflect current laws and business practices. Findings are summarized with recommended next steps and estimated timelines so leadership can decide which items to address first under the proposed legal plan.
After onboarding, we implement prioritized changes, establish templates and playbooks, and provide ongoing advice for daily operations. This includes drafting and negotiating contracts, advising on employment matters, and ensuring compliance processes are in place. Regular touchpoints and accessible counsel availability keep legal matters moving forward, with documented decisions and updates so the company can maintain consistent procedures.
Contract management services include drafting standard forms, reviewing incoming agreements, and negotiating terms to protect business interests. We help create consistent language for vendor, customer, and partner contracts to reduce ambiguity and speed approvals. Centralizing contract management under an outside counsel relationship helps ensure versions are tracked and company policy is followed across transactions.
Support for employment and compliance includes drafting employee agreements, advising on policies and handbooks, and assisting with regulatory filings. We help design processes for handling employee disputes, disciplinary actions, and compliant hiring practices. Regular reviews of policies and training materials promote legal compliance and reduce the likelihood of employment-related claims, protecting both staff and the business.
Ongoing monitoring includes periodic reviews of contracts, compliance checklists, and reporting on legal activities and trends. We recommend adjustments as laws change or the company’s operations evolve, ensuring your legal framework remains aligned with current needs. This phase emphasizes continuous improvement so legal risk is managed proactively rather than reactively.
Regular reviews cover contract portfolios, pending matters, and compliance milestones, with concise reports delivered to leadership. These reports summarize identified risks, completed tasks, and recommended next steps so management can make informed decisions. Periodic review cycles support better planning for upcoming obligations and resource allocation across legal priorities.
If disputes arise, outside general counsel coordinates response strategy, documents preservation, and selection of litigation counsel when required. We manage communications, assess settlement options, and oversee litigation budgets to align legal strategy with business objectives. Coordination helps ensure that any external litigation is handled consistently with prior decisions and that management receives clear guidance through dispute resolution.
At the Frankfort Law Group, we take great pride in our commitment to personal service. Clients come to us because they have problems, and they depend upon us to help them find solutions. We take these obligations seriously. When you meet with us, we know that you are only doing so because you need help. Since we started our firm in northeast Illinois, we have focused on providing each of our clients with personal attention. You do not have to be afraid to tell us your story. We are not here to judge you or make you feel ashamed for seeking help. Our only goal is to help you get results and move past your current legal problems.
At the Frankfort Law Group, we take great pride in our commitment to personal service. Clients come to us because they have problems, and they depend upon us to help them find solutions. We take these obligations seriously. When you meet with us, we know that you are only doing so because you need help. Since we started our firm in northeast Illinois, we have focused on providing each of our clients with personal attention. You do not have to be afraid to tell us your story. We are not here to judge you or make you feel ashamed for seeking help. Our only goal is to help you get results and move past your current legal problems.
Outside general counsel provides ongoing legal support tailored to a company’s needs, such as drafting and reviewing contracts, advising on employment matters, and guiding corporate governance. For small businesses, counsel acts as a trusted legal resource that helps prevent problems before they arise and supports daily decision-making. This relationship is designed to be flexible, with arrangements that allow for regular check-ins, document maintenance, and quick counsel on operational issues, reducing the need to scramble for legal help during urgent situations.
Billing for ongoing counsel commonly uses monthly retainers, flat fees for specific projects, or hybrid models that combine retainers with hourly billing for out-of-scope work. The arrangement is agreed upon in advance and typically includes provisions for invoicing frequency and itemization. Transparent billing terms reduce surprises and help clients budget legal expenses. We discuss preferred models during the onboarding phase to select the approach that best matches the client’s cash flow and legal needs.
Response times depend on the engagement terms and the urgency of the matter. Many outside counsel agreements specify standard response windows for routine inquiries and expedited timelines for urgent issues. Having a defined protocol ensures urgent matters receive immediate attention. During onboarding we agree on communication channels and escalation procedures so the client knows how to reach counsel quickly for time-sensitive concerns, minimizing operational disruption and protecting key interests.
Outside counsel can handle many aspects of litigation management, including early case assessment, coordination with trial counsel, and strategy decisions. While in-house or outside general counsel may not lead complex litigation in court, they manage the relationship with outside litigators and oversee documents and budgets. This coordination ensures that litigation strategy aligns with broader business objectives and that outside litigators are briefed promptly and effectively to pursue the client’s best outcome.
A retainer agreement defines the scope of work, billing terms, and communication expectations for ongoing counsel. It typically outlines included services, how additional tasks will be charged, confidentiality terms, and termination provisions. Retainers may be monthly or based on project deliverables. Such agreements create predictable access to counsel and clarify responsibilities on both sides, enabling businesses to plan legal activities and budgets while ensuring continuity in legal advice.
Businesses that regularly enter into contracts, face ongoing employment or compliance obligations, or are growing through transactions often benefit most from outside general counsel. This includes small to mid-sized companies, family-owned businesses, and startups with recurring legal needs. Organizations that prefer predictable legal budgeting and consistent document standards also find value in ongoing counsel, which provides a steady legal presence without the cost of a full-time in-house attorney.
To start, schedule an initial consultation where we discuss your business, priorities, and current legal documents. We gather key materials for an initial audit and agree on the scope of work and billing structure. This intake process helps define immediate needs and a plan for ongoing support. Following the consultation, we present an engagement agreement that outlines services, communication protocols, and fees so work can begin with clear expectations and priorities.
Yes, outside counsel assists with drafting employee agreements, handbooks, and disciplinary procedures, and provides guidance on compliance with employment laws. Counsel also advises on investigations and handles documentation to preserve defensible positions in disputes. Regular legal reviews and policy updates reduce exposure to claims and help ensure consistent treatment of employees, which supports a stable workplace and better outcomes if disputes occur.
Outside counsel helps identify applicable regulations, prepares necessary filings, and implements compliance procedures to reduce the risk of enforcement actions. Counsel monitors regulatory changes and advises on adjustments needed to stay current with legal requirements. Proactive legal oversight includes creating checklists, training staff, and advising on recordkeeping practices that demonstrate compliance, which can be important when interacting with regulators or responding to inquiries.
Prepare key company documents such as governing agreements, standard contracts, employee handbooks, and any pending notices or claims. Also bring a summary of current concerns and desired outcomes so the consultation can be focused and productive. Having these materials ready enables a more efficient initial audit and helps counsel provide realistic recommendations for next steps, timelines, and budgeting during the onboarding process.