How can Mission Built Counsel help?

A fractional general counsel serves as your organization’s in-house lawyer on a part-time basis. Rather than calling a law firm each time an issue comes up, you work with one attorney who knows your people, policies, and priorities. That lets me spot problems early and give advice that fits how your organization actually operates, at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire.

Each monthly engagement includes a set number of hours, along with reserved capacity, priority scheduling, and regular strategy conversations with your leadership. You get predictable cost and ongoing counsel from someone who already understands your organization. If a month needs more than the included hours, additional work is billed at the reduced monthly-client rate. Engagements begin with a three-month commitment.

Unused hours carry forward for up to three months. You can bank up to one month’s worth of hours at a time. For example, and Advisory Counsel client (5 hours/month) could hold up to five extra hours. Banked hours are used before your current month’s hours, and they don’t carry over or get refunded if the engagement ends.

After the initial three months, the engagement continues month to month. Either of us can end it with 30 days’ written notice. Many organizations also adjust their tier as their needs change.

Yes. The first conversation is a no-cost call to understand your needs and determine whether I’m the right fit.

I work primarily with Christian schools, faith-based nonprofits and ministries, and other mission-driven organizations. These are organizations whose legal decisions affect students, families, staff, donors, and the mission itself.

Yes. Faith-based schools face questions that secular organizations often don’t, including hiring and staff expectations tied to religious commitments, statements of faith, enrollment and admissions policies, and how religious-liberty protections apply to day-to-day operations. I help leaders handle these questions in a way that protects the school and stays true to its convictions.

Yes. I’m admitted in Tennessee and New York, and work with organizations nationwide. In the rare instance when a matter depends on a specific state’s law, such as certain employment questions, I associate with local counsel and coordinate the work so you still have one point of contact.

A fractional general counsel does not replace specialized counsel in every area. When litigation, tax, benefits, intellectual property, or another specialized matter arises, I can help define the issue, select appropriate outside counsel, and coordinate the work so your organization receives focused advice without losing sight of the larger context.

Monthly clients receive a response within one business day, and urgent situations are triaged immediately. I work remotely by email, video, and phone, and I’m available to meet in person when the situations calls for it.

Monthly counsel is a good fit when legal questions recur and leadership needs an advisor who knows the organization. Project-based support is useful for a defined need, such as a handbook update, contract negotiation, or governance review. The right choice depends on the frequency of your needs, your priorities, and the scope of the work. Compare monthly counsel and project-based legal services, or start a conversation about the right fit.

It is often useful to involve counsel while you still have options: before signing a significant agreement, revising enrollment or employment policies, making a sensitive personnel or student decision, or responding to a concern that could affect the school community. Early involvement gives us time to understand the facts, identify applicable obligations, and consider practical next steps. You do not need to wait for a dispute. Learn more about legal counsel for Christian schools.

We begin with a free introductory conversation about your organization, current concerns, and the support you need. Before legal work begins, we confirm whether the engagement is a fit, complete a conflicts check, and agree in writing on scope and fees. For ongoing counsel, we identify immediate priorities and the documents and working relationships needed to support your leadership. For a project, we define the work and timeline. Contact Mission Built Counsel to discuss your needs. Please do not send confidential information before an attorney-client relationship is established.