Integrated like in-house. Flexible like external.
In-house counsel draw their greatest advantage not from expertise alone, but from context: they know a company’s business, people, processes and risks. For many small and mid-sized companies, however, a dedicated counsel function is too expensive or organisationally too large. NorthAlp closes this gap — with External Inhouse Counsel as a flexible retainer model.
Beyond a certain company size, occasional ad-hoc advice is no longer enough. Questions arise continuously across law, tax, accounting, HR, governance, contracts, risks and decision-making.
Large companies solve this with their own in-house counsel. The advantage lies not only in legal knowledge. The real value comes from context: a good in-house counsel knows the business model, the people involved, the internal processes, the risk culture and the commercial priorities. They do not think in isolated files, but within the business.
For small and mid-sized companies, however, a dedicated legal, tax or compliance function is often too expensive, too large or organisationally impractical.
This is exactly where our model comes in: NorthAlp offers External Inhouse Counsel as an integrated, but external counsel function. We support companies on a recurring basis, come to know their business, their people and their decision paths over time – while remaining flexible, lean and affordable.
It is not about individual opinions. It is about ongoing orientation, responsiveness and structural relief.
Flexible hour-based model for ongoing counsel work. You book a monthly hour cap that we deploy as you need it — remote, hybrid or at our office. Hours are poolable within a quarter.
Plus a one-time setup fee from CHF 2,500 (onboarding, structure review, topic intake).
The subject area is just the subject-matter focus. External Inhouse Counsel is bookable in all four disciplines – individually, combined or rotating.
Contracts, T&Cs, NDAs, supplier/customer agreements, corporate law, data protection, compliance, corporate housekeeping, M&A preparation, coordination with partner attorneys in the bar monopoly.
Ongoing tax matters, dividends, salary, loans, VAT, intercompany, settlement account, ruling preparation, international issues, authority communication.
Bookkeeping review, ERP processes (Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, NetSuite etc.), monthly and annual closing prep, A/R, A/P, reporting, liquidity, controlling logic.
Employment contracts, terminations, probation, illness/accident, payroll and social insurance, work permits, HR policies, conflict prevention.
NorthAlp Legal is not a law firm. The attorney-client privilege under BGFA does not apply directly. Confidentiality is secured by:
The questions we get most – with direct answers.
An External Inhouse Counsel is a recurring external staff function for Legal, Tax, Accounting and HR. You book a monthly hour cap deployed as needed – remote, hybrid or on-site at our offices. Unlike a classic attorney mandate, the relationship is relational and retainer-based.
A Fractional General Counsel is the international term for what NorthAlp calls External Inhouse Counsel: an experienced legal advisor available on a part-time, retainer basis. Same concept – ongoing strategic counsel without the cost of a full-time General Counsel hire.
An attorney works hour-based and case-based – you call when something is on fire. An External Inhouse Counsel works retainer-based and context-integrated – we know your business, sit at the table regularly and think operationally with you. The key difference is not legal qualification but business understanding.
At NorthAlp: EIC Compact from CHF 1,500/month (5 hours), EIC Business from CHF 3,500 (12 hours), EIC Premium from CHF 6,500 (24 hours). Setup fee one-off from CHF 2,500. All plus Swiss VAT.
No. NorthAlp Legal / Ludwig Limbeck AG is not a law firm under the Swiss Federal Act on the Free Movement of Lawyers (BGFA). Our services include legal, tax, fiduciary and strategic advisory. For court representation under the attorney monopoly, notarial matters and mandates with mandatory attorney-client privilege, we work with admitted partner firms.
Not directly. Confidentiality is secured contractually (NDA), under Swiss data protection law (FADP) and EU GDPR, and through the professional duties applying to our fiduciary and tax work. For matters requiring formal attorney-client privilege under Art. 13 BGFA, we work with admitted partner law firms.
Swiss SMEs typically where legal, tax, HR and finance interconnect, entrepreneur groups with multiple entities, scale-ups with paying capacity and internal decision authority, companies preparing for financing rounds, succession or sale.
External Inhouse Counsel can be combined with two further NorthAlp offerings — available individually or together.
We clarify together whether External Inhouse Counsel fits your company. If not, we'll say so openly.
