Point Legal vs. an in-house legal hire for founders
Not ready for a full salary?
Led by the ex-CFO and ex-CLO of SumSub (Global KYC)
An in-house hire means a full salary, benefits, equity and weeks of ramp — for one generalist. Point Legal is a senior, multi-disciplinary team for a flat monthly fee, available immediately.
Senior coverage without the fixed headcount.
A flat-fee team vs. a full-time hire
Hiring in-house counsel makes sense once legal volume is high enough to justify a full salary and a company wants one person fully dedicated to daily operations. Point Legal is the better fit before that point: senior, multi-disciplinary coverage for a flat monthly fee instead of a salary plus benefits and equity, immediate availability with no recruiting or ramp time, and a full team rather than a single generalist hire.
Point Legal vs. an in-house legal hire
An in-house lawyer is a fixed cost and a single generalist, and takes weeks to hire and ramp. A subscription team gives broader senior coverage from day one. Here is how the two models compare before legal volume justifies a full salary.
| Criteria | Point Legal subscription | In-house legal hire |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ✓ Flat monthly fee | — Salary + benefits + equity + payroll tax |
| Time to value | ✓ Immediate | — Weeks to recruit and onboard |
| Coverage breadth | ✓ Team of specialists | — One generalist hire |
| Commitment | ✓ Adjust or cancel monthly | — Full-time employment |
| Capacity at peaks | ✓ Scales with the team | — Capped at one person |
| Tax & finance | ✓ CFO-led, included (Full Service plan) | — Separate hire or firm |
| Domain fit | ✓ Fintech, web3 & offshore specialists | — Depends on the individual |
| Best fit | ✓ Pre-scale & growth-stage founders | — High, steady legal volume |
What one hire would have to cover alone
A single in-house lawyer has to be a generalist across all of these. Point Legal assigns the right specialist to each one under a single flat subscription — deeper coverage than one hire, without the salary.
Corporate structuring & governance
Company formation, share issuance, restructuring, cap-table cleanup, and ongoing corporate housekeeping across multiple entities and jurisdictions.
Fundraising & equity
SAFEs, convertible notes, non-priced term-sheet reviews, ESOP and stock-option plans — investor-ready paperwork that holds up in due diligence.
Token issuance & web3
Token issuance agreements, validator and liquidity reviews, token warrants, and TGE-ready documentation built for tight launch deadlines.
Fintech & web3 licensing
End-to-end licensing support, AML compliance, document preparation, and direct coordination with regulators across multiple jurisdictions.
Intellectual property
Developer contracts, IP assignments, licensing agreements, and pilot/partnership support so you actually own the tech you build.
Data privacy & compliance
Privacy audits, policy drafting, GDPR and global data-protection strategy, plus hands-on support for internal and customer-facing operations.
Start with a free review now
Upload your first document, without billing, and get an answer within 24 hours.
By uploading the document, you agree to our ToS, Privacy and NDA policies.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Point Legal and an in-house legal hire?
An in-house hire is one full-time employee paid a salary plus benefits and equity. Point Legal provides a full team of specialists for a flat monthly fee, available immediately, covering structuring, fundraising, IP, privacy and CFO-led tax without recruiting or ramp time.
Is Point Legal better than hiring in-house counsel?
Point Legal is better before legal volume justifies a full salary, offering broader senior coverage for a flat fee. An in-house hire becomes better once volume is high enough to keep one dedicated person fully occupied within daily operations.
Is Point Legal cheaper than an in-house lawyer?
Point Legal's flat monthly fee (€2,000–€8,000) is typically lower than a full legal salary plus benefits, equity and payroll costs. It also avoids recruiting and ramp time, while providing a team rather than a single hire.
Can Point Legal replace an in-house legal team?
For early and growth-stage founders, Point Legal can cover the work of an early in-house hire across legal and finance. Companies with very high, steady legal volume may eventually add in-house counsel and keep Point Legal for specialist or overflow work.
Who should hire in-house counsel instead of using Point Legal?
A company should hire in-house once legal volume is consistently high enough to fully occupy a dedicated employee and it wants someone deeply embedded in daily operations. Before that threshold, Point Legal provides broader coverage at lower fixed cost.