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Scale LLP
Scale LLP
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General Counsel Services
Outside General Counsel Services for Growing Companies
Our attorneys provide fractional or interim legal leadership, strategic guidance and executive support without the cost of a full-time hire.
A Message From Our Practice Group Leader
“Innovation drives enterprise value and protecting that value requires more than routine filings. As a full-service intellectual property law firm with experienced patent and trademark attorneys, we build and defend IP portfolios that work as strategic tools for growth, investment, and leverage. Our counsel combines business understanding, informed strategic planning, and legal execution to protect client innovation and drive the next phases of their growth.”
Brian Detwiler
Practice Group Leader
General Counsel Services
Our fractional, interim, and embedded general counsel services give companies access to executive-level legal judgment, full-service firm capabilities, and flexible support aligned with their stage, workload, and business priorities.
Counsel Made for
Evolving Industries
As industries transform at unprecedented speed, business leaders need counsel that can see around corners. We anticipate challenges, capture opportunities, and stay ahead of shifting markets.
Meet The Team
Strategic, business-aligned legal counsel built for how companies grow and operate.
Gardner Bell
Partner
Charles Caliman
Counsel
Brian Detwiler
Practice Group Leader
Michael Donahue
Partner
Amy Duvanich
Partner
Brian Elliott
Partner
Adam Forest
Founding Partner
Sara Rau Frumkin
Partner
Robert S. “Bob” Gans
Practice Group Leader
Chris Geyer
Partner
Matthieu Hausig
Counsel
Aliona Ierega
Counsel
Dori V. Karjian
Partner
Michael Keskey
Counsel
Charles R. “Chuck” Kraus
Practice Group Leader
Nancy Lee
Partner
Lauren Mellen
Partner
Garrett Ordower
Partner
David Reidy
Managing Partner
Allison Rule
Partner
Kristen Smith-Dayley
Practice Group Leader
Mary Spooner
Partner
Katie Sweeten
Partner
Aaron Swerdlow
Partner
Emma Thompson
Counsel
Cary Ullman
Practice Group Leader
Scott Wiegand
Partner
Brendan Zee-Cheng
Counsel
Representative Matters
Practical counsel across the business lifecycle — from complex transactions and regulatory matters to disputes, investigations, and IP protection.
National Apparel Brand
Legal Challenge
Global brand with gaps in GC coverage. Needed interim GC leadership, IP management, international distribution cleanup, and successor recruitment.
Scale Solution
Served as embedded interim GC across corporate, commercial, and operations. Audited and optimized international distribution, built and managed the global IP portfolio, and launched a consolidated brand-protection and enforcement program. Led litigation, including an ITC action against knockoff competitors.
Outcome
Reduced global risk exposure, stabilized brand-protection operations, and delivered lift across the PE portfolio. Ensured a smooth transition to a permanent GC.
Autonomous Aviation Tech Company
Legal Challenge
Autonomous aviation technology client was scaling rapidly, and required embedded, business-minded legal leadership to manage day-to-day operations, support executive decision-making, and navigate heightened corporate and transaction-related activity.
Scale Solution
Delivered full, embedded fractional General Counsel support across executive leadership and business operations, serving as the operational legal backbone through accelerated growth, transaction-related diligence, and the build-out of scalable legal processes, workflows, and governance.
Outcome
Provided consistent, in-house-level legal support during a pivotal growth period and enabled a seamless transition to the company’s first Chief Legal Officer, preserving momentum and ensuring continuity of legal operations.
National Artisan Food and E-commerce Brand
Legal Challenge
Fast-growing, Shark Tank–backed consumer brand with cap table confusion, investor pressure, and no formal legal infrastructure. Needed a GC function capable of handling M&A, disputes, regulatory exposure, and vendor risk during rapid scaling.
Scale Solution
Entered as GC advisor to clean up the cap table, resolve investor issues, and stabilize governance. Expanded into full-service support including M&A, employee dispute management, regulatory compliance, vendor negotiation, and commercial litigation/dispute resolution.
Outcome
Eliminated structural risk in the cap table, aligned investors, and unlocked a clear path to growth transactions. Provided a scalable, on-demand legal function allowing founders to execute aggressively without operational drag.
High-Growth Digital Health & E-commerce Platform
Legal Challenge
Company was caught in a cross-border investor–creditor dispute threatening continuity of operations. Faced multi-jurisdictional regulatory issues, platform payment freezes, and escalating litigation risk (TCPA, CIPA, ADA).
Scale Solution
Resolved the investor–creditor conflict and stabilized the capital structure. Transitioned into full outside GC, managing e-commerce, marketing compliance, regulatory alignment, and IP audits. Oversaw U.S. and international litigation pipelines. Removed the MATCH-list designation that disrupted payment processing and negotiated creditor releases to recover significant funds held by Apple and Google Play.
Outcome
Eliminated existential legal and financial threats. Restored payment flows, unlocked withheld platform revenue, and established a durable compliance and litigation posture for continued high-growth scaling.
Publicly Traded Energy & Natural Resources Company
Legal Challenge
Newly public company with no in-house GC infrastructure. Needed corporate governance, reporting, capital markets support, and board management – while reducing reliance on costly AmLaw counsel.
Scale Solution
Served as Outside GC and Corporate Secretary. Built the company’s first-cycle public governance function, managed reporting, supported board and committee operations, and oversaw commercial and capital markets initiatives. Delivered services through a predictable monthly retainer with scalable project support.
Outcome
Replaced two AmLaw 20 firms. Delivered more than $1M in annual savings. Built a functional, scalable GC office for a newly public company.
Defense Tech AI Startup - Successful Close of Series B Financing
Legal Challenge
Rapidly growing defense technology startup developing battlefield-edge AI needed legal leadership during a Series B financing and increasing regulatory and operational complexity.
Scale Solution
Provided embedded fractional General Counsel support, leading legal strategy and execution for the Series B.
Advised leadership on corporate governance, regulatory matters, and day-to-day operations.
Outcome
Successfully closed the Series B financing.
Established a scalable legal foundation to support the company’s continued growth.
Why Clients Choose Scale
“Scale supported us from the earliest stages during YC and through becoming a proper Series A company.”
“Scale meets clients where they are with modern tech and a Silicon Valley approach to growth, timeliness, execution, and the general practice of law.”
“As Sundae’s outside general counsel, Scale provides operational and product advice with a business savvy I have not experienced with any other law firm.”
“Our commitment to our creators drives everything we do, and it is what led us to partner with Scale to help meet the evolving needs of our customers.”
“Over the past year, we’ve had a number of high-stakes opportunities arise, and Scale’s legal team has been endlessly flexible and responsive in helping us meet each of these opportunities head-on.”
“We’re committed to bringing Alinea’s mission to fruition, and grateful to have Scale guiding us on building, financing and scaling for growth. They are truly a startup’s best friend.”
“Scale is a vital extension of my leadership team and I absolutely love working with them.”
“Honest, reliable, trustworthy and defenders of justice. Will use them time and time again!”
Frequently Asked Questions
What are outside general counsel services?
Outside general counsel services provide ongoing legal leadership and day-to-day support without requiring a company to hire a full-time general counsel. Scale can function as the legal lead, an embedded department, or an extension of an existing in-house team.
What does Scale LLP’s general counsel service include?
Scale provides fractional and interim general counsel, embedded legal department support, overflow and special projects, outside counsel management, and board and executive liaison support.
When should a company hire fractional or interim general counsel?
Fractional or interim general counsel can help when legal needs are growing, leadership is in transition, the company is not ready for a full-time hire, or an existing team needs additional capacity and specialist support.
Can Scale help build or transition an in-house legal function?
Yes. Scale can establish legal processes, manage day-to-day work, support the first in-house hire, and continue providing specialist or overflow support after the transition.
