--- title: "Get expert legal advice for your business with General Counsel as a Service" id: "401758" type: "post" slug: "general-counsel-as-a-service" published_at: "2024-01-17T10:31:47+00:00" modified_at: "2025-12-18T17:11:06+00:00" url: "https://seedlegals.com/resources/general-counsel-as-a-service/" markdown_url: "https://seedlegals.com/resources/general-counsel-as-a-service.md" excerpt: "Future-proof your company and scale faster with expert legal advice from SeedLegals General Counsel as a Service, the affordable way to add a specialist startup lawyer to your team." taxonomy_category: - "Startup Guides" --- 5 min read Expert reviewed This article has been fact-checked by a SeedLegals subject matter expert. [Meet our experts](https://seedlegals.com/authors-and-experts/) and learn more about our review process and quality assurance in our [editorial policy](https://seedlegals.com/editorial-policy/) . # Get expert legal advice for your business with General Counsel as a Service Published: Jan 17, 2024 Updated: Dec 18, 2025 Contents [GCaaS acts as your in-house lawyer – at a fraction of the price](#gcaas-acts-as-your-in-house-lawyer-at-a-fraction-of-the-price) [Future-proof your company and scale faster with GCaaS](#future-proof-your-company-and-scale-faster-with-gcaas) [Choose your hours and pay a clear cost upfront](#choose-your-hours-and-pay-a-clear-cost-upfront) [Work with lawyers who speak startup](#work-with-lawyers-who-speak-startup) [Why use SeedLegals GCaaS?](#why-use-seedlegals-gcaas) [How SeedLegals GCaaS is regulated](#how-seedlegals-gcaas-is-regulated) [Talk to the experts](#talk-to-the-experts) [Writer Kirsty MacSween Senior Copywriter](https://seedlegals.com/resources/author/kirsty/) [Expert Contributor Sam Hammond Senior Legal Counsel](https://seedlegals.com/resources/author/sam-hammond/) With [General Counsel as a Service](https://seedlegals.com/advisory/general-counsel/) (GCaaS for short, pronounced *gee-cass*), you can buy a bank of 10, 25 or 50 hours of a SeedLegals senior lawyer’s time. In this post, we explain how it works and when you might want to use it. ## GCaaS acts as your in-house lawyer – at a fraction of the price We know that not every legal task can be solely managed by great automation. The combination of the SeedLegals platform and specialist support is all you need for early-stage [funding legals](https://seedlegals.com/raise/raise-a-round/) and [share options](https://seedlegals.com/grow/share-options-scheme/) . But sometimes you’ll need more legal firepower to solve a problem. That’s why we’ve added GCaaS to our list of services. It’s a cash-smart way to get specialist legal advice you need when you need it – without committing to bringing on an in-house lawyer or paying the high fees charged by traditional law firms. By adding GCaaS to your SeedLegals membership, you pay a flat fee for a bank of hours with a SeedLegals senior specialist lawyer. They’ll get to know your business inside-out and provide practical, tailored advice to help you grow and scale your business. **When do I need a lawyer?** For many straightforward legal tasks, you don’t need to consult a lawyer unless your circumstances are unusual. In this article, we explore which [tasks you need a specialist lawyer for](https://seedlegals.com/resources/do-i-need-a-startup-lawyer/) and which you can tackle yourself. ## Future-proof your company and scale faster with GCaaS The right business lawyer can guide you in properly structuring and protecting your business while avoiding pitfalls and mitigating risks and liabilities that could stunt your success down the road. > An estimated 12 million legal issues go unserviced every year for small businesses, according to [research](https://legalservicesboard.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/20220406-Small-business-legal-needs-FINAL.pdf) > from the [Legal Services Board](https://legalservicesboard.org.uk) > . This is a major risk to growth and survival, so addressing these early on is critical. > > [Anna Sivula](https://seedlegals.com/resources/author/anna-sivula/) > General Counsel, > > [SeedLegals](https://seedlegals.com/) As part of GCaaS, we can advise on: - **General commercial law** including contract reviews and drafting - **HR and employment law** excluding specialist employment advice such as [TUPE transfers](https://seedlegals.com/resources/seedlegals-exit/#:~:text=of%20Employment)%20regulations%20(-,TUPE,-).%20If%20TUPE%20applies) , redundancy consultations and disputes - **Data protection** including data and privacy policies and tailored advice on how UK data protection regulations affect your business and the work you do with your customers - **High-level IP strategy** matters, excluding specialist expertise such as patents and trademark applications **Need legal support for your funding round?** The SeedLegals [VC Advisory Service](https://seedlegals.com/advisory/) is like GCaaS but for complex funding rounds. If you need support negotiating with investors, your expert SeedLegals senior lawyer is on hand to help you get the best deal for your company. There are some areas we can’t advise on for regulatory reasons, such as conducting litigation (ie: suing someone or representing you if you’re being sued), conveyancing, probate activities, acting as a notary or the administration of oaths. If you need support in these areas, we’ll be happy to introduce you to law firms we recommend. ## Choose your hours and pay a clear cost upfront A traditional law firm charges between**£320 to £750 +VAT** per hour on average. With GCaaS, you can choose the level of ongoing legal support your business needs: - 10 hours for £3,199 + VAT — £319.90 per hour - 25 hours for £6,999 + VAT — £279.96 per hour - 50 hours for £12,499 + VAT — £249.98 per hour You’ll have 12 months from the date of purchase to use your hours. Once you’ve purchased your first 10, 25 or 50 hours, you can top up with another five hours for £1,649 + VAT. To use GCaaS, you also need an active [SeedLegals membership](https://seedlegals.com/pricing/) . Other than any extra hours you buy, and your SeedLegals membership fee, you won’t be hit with any surprise billable hours or extra charges. Our priority is making sure the fees we charge are transparent and efficient, so: - We’ll make it clear how many hours you’ve used and how many you have left - We automate as much as we can. Your GCaaS hours are strictly spent on specialist legal advice, not on standard processes. ## Work with lawyers who speak startup Our lawyers understand the unique legal challenges facing startups because we work specifically with new ventures day in and day out. Whereas large law firms take on all types of clients across many industries, we focus solely on counselling high-growth startups. This concentrated experience allows us to understand first-hand the common issues and pain points startups face during the critical early stages. > Unlike big traditional firms, at SeedLegals we work alongside you and get to know your business as closely as an in-house General Counsel does. Whether it’s reviewing contracts or kicking off your privacy compliance program, this close working relationship means we can advise you based on your specific risk appetite and the strategic direction you want to pursue. Plus, you’ll avoid wasting time (and money) bringing new lawyers up to speed each time. > > [Sam Hammond](https://seedlegals.com/resources/author/sam-hammond/) > Senior Legal Counsel, > > [SeedLegals](https://seedlegals.com/) ## Why use SeedLegals GCaaS? As a startup, it can be crucial to get quality legal counsel early on to ensure your company grows on a solid foundation. It’s a real investment in your business’s future – and because it’s so important, we believe startups shouldn’t have to pay so much for access. Here’s why we think [GCaaS](https://seedlegals.com/advisory/general-counsel/) has the edge over traditional law firms: - **100% transparent pricing**. You won’t incur costs beyond the fixed GCaaS price. GCaaS helps scaling businesses like yours manage spend on essential services. - **Tailored advice from startup specialists**. Our legal team has a deep understanding of the startup and SME market. We know how to balance a careful risk appetite with hitting growth targets at speed. - **Tech-first approach to save you time and money**. We use SeedLegals automation and tools for speed, so we don’t waste the time you’re paying for on tasks that don’t need your lawyer’s specialised expertise. Alongside your dedicated SeedLegals lawyer, you’ll still be supported by your Account Manager and our product team, who can help you with technical questions or other issues that don’t require expert legal advice. **How Sellar scaled smarter with SeedLegals GCaaS** B2B craft drinks ordering platform [Sellar](https://sellar.io/) wanted to be savvy with their resources from day 1. That meant finding a solution for their legals that didn’t burn budget and time. "SeedLegals GCaaS was by far the most cost-effective solution to get what we needed – and at speed. Sam has been brilliant at structuring the legals for all our products. Any startup looking for fast and cost-effective GCaaS should consider SeedLegals." Matt Pritchard, Co-founder & COO, Sellar [Read the full story](https://seedlegals.com/customers/sellar/) ## How SeedLegals GCaaS is regulated SeedLegals is not a law firm and we are not regulated by the [Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA)](https://www.sra.org.uk/) . You can find out more about what this means for you in our [Terms of Service](https://seedlegals.com/terms-of-service/#3.-no-legal,-tax,-accounting-or-financial-advice) . All our advisory lawyers are individually regulated by the [Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA)](https://www.sra.org.uk/) (for our lawyers qualified in England) or the Law Society of Scotland via the [Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC)](https://www.scottishlegalcomplaints.org.uk/) (for our lawyers qualified in Scotland) and are required to comply with the relevant regulatory standards and rules, as well as our own internal policies and processes. Your lawyer might work together with unregulated team members but the lawyer will remain accountable to their regulatory body for the work as a whole. When you decide to use SeedLegals GCaaS, before committing to payment, we’ll send you an engagement letter that sets out clearly and concisely our terms of service, your rights and how you can enforce them via the Legal Ombudsman or SLCC. ## Talk to the experts Interested in finding out more about whether GCaaS is the right next step for you? Choose a time for a free call with one of our GCaaS experts. ## Related posts [5 min read Do I need a startup lawyer? You don’t have to hire a lawyer - but sometimes you might need specialist help. Here are the pros and cons of hiring a s... Suzanne Worthington](https://seedlegals.com/resources/do-i-need-a-startup-lawyer/) [7 min read SeedLegals Exit, the new game-changing way to sell your company Our game-changing new way to sell, Seedlegals Exit is for founders selling companies for under £15M. Find out how it wor... Suzanne Worthington](https://seedlegals.com/resources/seedlegals-exit/) [5 min read CRM: What is a CRM system and does your startup need one? Our expert explains what CRM does, how it can help you build a successful startup and how to choose the best CRM system ... Callum Brankley](https://seedlegals.com/resources/what-is-crm/)