How we work – and why it makes a difference.
Today, small and mid-sized companies also need ongoing legal, tax and organisational orientation. Not only when a dispute arises. Not only in a crisis. But in everyday business: contracts, HR matters, taxes, accounting, governance, financing, growth and liability risks.
Risk identification and risk management are no longer a sideshow. They belong at the centre of resilient corporate management.
Large companies have long understood this. They maintain their own legal, tax, HR and finance functions, because these areas determine stability, room for manoeuvre and the quality of decisions. Smaller companies have the same needs – but rarely the resources for dedicated specialist departments.
NorthAlp closes exactly this gap.
We do not work like an external provider that is only brought in once a problem has already become visible. We think in an integrated, entrepreneurial and forward-looking way. We do not regard legal, tax, HR and accounting as separate silos, but as the critical interfaces of every organisation. That is where risks arise. That is where costs arise. But that is also where structure, clarity and speed are created.
Our approach is simple: we bring integrated advice to where companies actually need it – affordable, understandable and operationally workable.
Not as a substitute for entrepreneurs, management or the board. But as structural relief, so that they can do their actual work better: lead, sell, decide, grow.
Legal qualification is a given – it's the ticket of entry, not the differentiator. The difference between an external attorney and an Inhouse Counsel comes from deep understanding of your business: whoever wants to share decisions must understand them operationally.
Our Legals are engineers, economists, HR specialists, accountants. Integrated knowledge that enables rather than prevents.
Our Counsel teams come from business. They have built companies, accompanied M&A deals, resolved HR crises, brought products to market. They know the difference between "legally possible" and "operationally smart".
We assess risks in your business context, classify them by traffic-light logic and develop mitigation options. Risks get managed, not avoided. Clear decision basis instead of legalistic objections.
Contracts, processes and structures built so risks unfold in a controlled way. On-site sparring at the management table, not retrospective opinions. We sit at the table, not behind it.
What is the difference between a classic external attorney, an in-house Counsel on payroll, and our External Inhouse Counsel?
| Criterion | External Attorney | Inhouse Counsel (employed) | External Inhouse Counsel (NorthAlp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Role focus | External representation, case-based | Internal staff function | External staff function on retainer |
| Billing | Hourly fee per matter | Salary + payroll costs | Fixed monthly fee with hour cap |
| Cost profile | Variable, often high in urgencies | Fixed, CHF 180,000+ p.a. all-in | Predictable, from CHF 1,500 / month |
| Response time | Days to weeks | Immediate – single point of failure | Same-day SLA, team backup |
| Business context | Low – rotating mandates | High – single employer | High – fixed retainer, recurring touchpoints |
| Scope | Mostly Legal only | Mostly one function | Legal · Tax · Accounting · HR from one system |
| Scalability | Limited | Limited – single person | Modular – levels and disciplines |
| Fit | Specific matters, litigation | Corporates 200+ FTEs | SMEs 20–200 FTEs, groups, scale-ups |
Every Counsel matter – whether EIC remote or Counsel Desk on-site – goes through the same structured workflow.
Topics and documents submitted in advance (48h before consultation). Review, classification, agenda preparation.
Traffic-light logic Green / Yellow / Red. Green standard process, Yellow with Senior review, Red immediate escalation.
Urgency, risk, responsibility, next steps. Handle within retainer or quote as separate mandate.
Review, sparring, implementation within defined scope. Pre-send review. Coordination with internal stakeholders and partners.
Short minutes, task list, traffic-light status, deadlines, resubmissions. Hand-over to next consultation.
For matters outside Switzerland we work with experienced top firms and specialists in the key economic regions. We coordinate as single point of contact, you stay in conversation with us.
We accept only a limited number of mandates at any one time. Before mandate start we assess capacity, conflicts of interest, risk exposure and mutual fit. If the fit is not right, we say so openly.
We will clarify together whether EIC, Counsel Desk or a combination is right for you. If neither makes sense, we'll say so openly.
