A fractional general counsel is a senior attorney who runs a company’s legal function on a part-time, retained basis. The Law Office of Tracy A. Wong, P.A. provides fractional general counsel services to businesses in Coral Gables, Miami, and abroad that need steady legal judgment but are not yet ready to hire a full-time in-house lawyer. The same role is sometimes called external general counsel or outside general counsel.
When a Fractional General Counsel Makes Sense
Most companies reach a point where legal questions arrive every week rather than every year. Contracts with customers and suppliers become larger and less standard. Hiring brings employment questions. Investors and lenders ask for governance that did not exist before. Calling a law firm for each question is slow and expensive, and no single firm holds the whole picture of the business.
A fractional general counsel fills that gap. The engagement suits founders and owners who want legal input before decisions are made, not after a problem has already formed. It also suits international companies operating a Florida business, and Miami businesses that are beginning to trade, hire, or raise money across borders.
What the Engagement Covers
The work is shaped around the business, but it typically includes:
- Drafting and negotiating commercial agreements, including customer contracts, vendor agreements, and NDAs
- Advising on corporate governance and ownership matters
- Managing disputes and coordinating outside litigation and regulatory counsel
- Guiding growth, financing, and everyday commercial decisions
- Acting as the first call for any legal question, so nothing is decided without legal input
Who the Firm Works With
Clients include founder-led companies preparing for their first financing, established family businesses that have outgrown informal legal arrangements, and international groups with an operating company in Florida. What they share is a need for consistent legal judgment from someone who already knows the business, without the cost of a full-time executive. Many begin with a defined project, such as a contract framework or a governance review, and continue on a retainer once the value of continuity is clear.
How It Differs From Hiring a Law Firm
A law firm answers the question it is asked and bills the matter. A fractional general counsel stays with the business between matters, keeps the history of why each agreement was drafted the way it was, and decides when a specialist firm is genuinely needed. When outside counsel is required, for litigation or a specialized regulatory filing, the fractional general counsel scopes the work, briefs the firm, and reviews the advice through a commercial lens before it reaches management.
The result is legal input that is predictable in cost and continuous in knowledge. Owners tend to raise small questions early, because asking no longer feels like starting a meter, and early questions are usually the inexpensive ones.
How an Engagement Works
Engagements usually begin with a review of the company’s existing contracts, corporate records, employment arrangements, and ownership documents. That review produces a short, prioritized list of exposures, ranked by commercial risk, and a plan for addressing them in order.
From there, the firm works on a monthly retainer scaled to the company’s stage and needs. Early on, that may mean contract review, advisory time, and availability for day-to-day questions. As the business grows, it can extend to board meetings, a standard contracting framework, employment policies, and coordination with tax advisers and accountants on structural decisions.
Experience Behind the Role
Tracy A. Wong has 15 years of legal practice, including 13 years as in-house counsel, 14 years in the oil and gas sector, and 8 years advising private clients. That in-house background is the basis of the fractional model: the work is approached from inside the business, with the commercial objective first and the legal mechanism second. Ms. Wong holds the Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional – International (CCEP-I) credential from the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics and is admitted to practice law in Florida. Where a matter needs advice on another jurisdiction’s law, the firm coordinates qualified local counsel.
What is a fractional general counsel?
A fractional general counsel is a senior attorney who runs a company’s legal function on a part-time, retained basis. The role covers contracts, governance, disputes, and day-to-day legal questions, and includes managing any outside law firms the company needs.
How is a fractional general counsel paid?
Engagements are usually priced as a monthly retainer scaled to the company’s stage and needs, so legal cost is predictable. Specialist work by outside firms, such as litigation, is scoped and billed separately.
Does the firm work with businesses outside Coral Gables and Miami?
Yes. The firm is based in Coral Gables and works with businesses across Florida and with international companies operating in Florida. Ms. Wong is admitted to practice in Florida, and qualified local counsel is coordinated for questions of foreign law.