Ongoing legal partnership at a predictable, affordable cost. Two customizable models. Three pricing arrangements. Rates tied to your operating budget — accessible whether you're a small startup under $500,000 or spending over $5 million annually.
Outside General Counsel
Most nonprofits can’t afford a full-time in-house general counsel. Most nonprofits also can’t afford to operate without legal judgment on governance, compliance, employment, contracts, and the other matters that shape whether a mission-driven organization can sustain itself and grow.
Outside general counsel sits in the middle. You get embedded legal leadership — attending your board meetings, maintaining your compliance roadmap, reviewing your contracts before they become problems — without the overhead of a hire or the friction of calling a new firm every time something comes up.
Embedded counsel without a full-time hire.
More of your dollars towards your mission.
Full-time nonprofit GC salaries typically run $180,000–$220,000 before benefits, payroll taxes, paid leave, technology, and onboarding. With all-in costs factored in, the real number is often much higher.
Hartford/New Haven
Base: $230,000. All-in up to $320,000.
Boston
Base: $250,000. All-in up to $350,000.
Washington, D.C.
Base: $280,000. All-in up to $390,000.
New York City
Base: $280,000. All-in up to $390,000.
Outside general counsel replaces those all-in costs with a structure your budget can predict and plan around.
Purpose
One team, not one person.
Hiring a single GC means disproportionate cost for one person with one set of experiences. Working with Commonlight Legal means a close, knowledgeable team with extensive, diverse expertise (federal clerkships, federal-agency pedigree, plaintiff-side litigation experience, charter-school administrative practice, and nonprofit board directorship) at an affordable price.
Strategic Counsel Subscription
5-20 hours/month
For organizations seeking modest yet ongoing advisory access. Includes email/phone access, contract reviews, governance advisement, board meeting attendance (limited).
Fractional General Counsel
Custom packages starting at 25 hours/month
For organizations seeking expansive, embedded executive-level partnership. Effectively dedicated legal leadership on staff as much as one day per week. Dedicated touchpoints, leadership meetings, board attendance, annual compliance roadmap.
Built for the hours you need, not time you have to fill.
| Tier | Operating budget | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Tier A | $5 million or more | $390 / hr |
| Tier B | $1 million – $5 million | $310 / hr |
| Tier C | $500,000 – $1 million | $275 / hr |
| Tier D | Under $500,000 | $230 / hr |
Sliding-scale rates by operating budget
Fees tied to what you can afford.
1.Hourly with flexible monthly hours
For organizations whose legal needs vary month to month.
2.Fixed monthly hours, short-term
Predictable cost on a quarter-by-quarter basis.
3.Fixed monthly hours, annual
Locked‑in monthly cost at a preferred (discounted) rate.
Work with your budget, not against it.
Startup and small-to-mid-sized nonprofits
Can't justify a full-time GC but need more than ad-hoc outside counsel.
Active boards
Organizations with real governance cadence.
Rapidly scaling organizations
Navigating growth, regulatory transitions, or sector transformation.
Multijurisdictional organizations
Programs or leadership across any of our four locations.
Who this is for.
Let's work together.
Every engagement starts with a complimentary 30-minute consultation.
Together we determine term length, pricing model, and scope of services that fit your organization’s needs.